We all know that soap is essential for keeping our hands and bodies clean. But did you know that the type of water you use to wash with can have a big impact on how effective your soap is? Hard water, or water with high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium, can make it difficult for soap to lather and perform its cleaning duties. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how hard water affects soap and what you can do about it.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water is any type of water that has a high mineral content. This usually includes calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that are naturally occurring in the environment. These minerals are not harmful to our health but they can reduce effectiveness when it comes to using soap as well as causing problems for our plumbing and appliances.
How Does Hard Water Affect Soap?
When hard water mixes with soap, it forms a substance called “soap scum” which is a sticky residue that can be difficult to remove from surfaces. This happens because the minerals in the hard water react with the fatty acids in the soap and form an insoluble substance that won’t dissolve in water. This interferes with the ability of soap to create a good lather. As a result, soap becomes less effective at cleaning and can leave a film on skin and hair.
What Can You Do About It?
If you live in an area with hard water, there are several things you can do to make sure your soap works properly:
1) Use a Water Softener: A water softener will remove most of the minerals from your tap water so that it won’t react with your soap. This will help ensure that your soap lathers properly and performs its cleaning duties effectively. There are a few downsides to water softeners such as their negative impact on the environment and the required space to house the equipment.
2) Use a Water Conditioner: A water conditioner affects the way minerals in hard water behave, meaning that your hard water will behave more like softened water but without the salt. This will have a similar effect to using salt-softened water but without the negative environmental impact. Our Halcyan Water Conditioner is a tiny addition to your home with a huge impact!
3) Use Liquid Soap: Liquid soaps are less likely to form scum when mixed with hard water than bar soaps are. If you live in an area with hard water, consider switching to liquid soaps instead of bar soaps for better results.
4) Use Hot Water: Hotter temperatures help break down the molecules in the minerals which makes them less likely to form scum when mixed with soap. Try washing with hot (but not too hot!) tap water instead of cold or warm for better results.
5) Add Vinegar: For washing your clothing, adding a few tablespoons of vinegar to your wash cycle can help break down any scum that has already formed on surfaces or fabrics due to hard water use. Just be sure not to use too much vinegar as this could damage some fabrics or surfaces!
Conclusion
Hard water can have a significant impact on soap, causing it to form soap scum and reducing its ability to clean effectively. However, there are ways to combat the effects of hard water and ensure that your soap works as intended. By using a water conditioner and switching to liquid soap that is specially formulated for harder water, you can keep your skin, hair, and clothing clean and free from unsightly soap scum.
If you’d like to find out more about the Halcyan Water Conditioner, you can explore our Knowledge Centre and find out how it works here. You can call our expert team on 0345 504 0656 for more information on whether you have hard water and how you can benefit from installing a Halcyan.
Why choose Halcyan?
Halcyan Water Conditioners is a British company based in Bristol and our alloy-based solution to hard water is unique to the UK. Unlike water softeners, our alloy-based Water Conditioner is an eco-friendly, people-friendly solution to hard water. If you aren’t getting the results you were promised with your soap, shampoos and conditioners, get in touch with us to see how our Halcyan Water Conditioner can help! With our 30 Year Warranty and our 12 Month Money Back Performance Guarantee, you can enjoy brilliant bubbles without a care in the world!
