Water is hard when it contains minerals like magnesium and calcium.
You may see staining on your sinks, tubs, showers, and clothing, build-up on your glassware, and even damage due to scale in your pipes and appliances. You may also notice less lather from your shampoos and soaps and even a feeling of film on your skin. All these are symptoms of the need for softened water. Water is softened or conditioned by replacing hard ions like magnesium and calcium with softer sodium or potassium ions. Water softeners must be regenerated regularly, renewing their ability to remove hardness from water.