Why does soft water feel slimy in the shower?
You’ve just installed your water softener in Florida, and are excited to take a shower without the dryness and irritation of hard water. Although soft water has plenty of benefits, such as reduced scale build-up and less skin irritation, many homeowners with a surprising side effect: a slimy feeling in the shower. If you’re wondering why soft water feels slimy, read on to discover the answer and some potential remedies for the problem.
What Makes Soft Water Feel Slimy?
Water softeners work through a process called ion exchange to remove the hard ions and replace them with soft ones, which are mostly sodium. Soft sodium ions react with the ingredients in your soap, making it harder to dissolve and rinse away. Water softeners can give you a better lather, but they can also make it harder to remove soap from your skin. Because it takes more effort to remove the soap, many people experience a slimy feeling when they bathe.
Understanding Hard Water’s Texture
The term “hard water” refers to the feeling that mineral-rich water leaves behind. Signs of hard water include dry skin and hair, thin and brittle nails, and noticeable spots and residue left on dishes. Although no direct evidence proves hard water is dangerous to your health, research suggests it could have risks such as increased cardiovascular problems and reproductive issues. Plus, living with hard water is frustrating to deal with. If you dye your hair, you’ll likely find the color rinses away much sooner. And no matter what type of shampoo and conditioner you use, your hair always feels dry after a shower.
Hard water has varying degrees of magnesium and calcium sulfates. They ultimately leave skin, hair, nails and fabrics feeling extremely dry. You may also find that shampoo, body wash and soap don’t lather well in hard water. This is because the minerals in hard water react with the fatty acids in soaps, and they form a water-insoluble solution that doesn’t lather or dissolve.
How to Fix Slimy Soft Water
There are three methods you can try to eliminate the slimy feeling in the shower when using a water softener.
1. Reduce the Amount of Soap You Use
People who live with hard water get into the habit of using a lot more soap because it generally doesn’t lather well when there is such a high mineral count. This can lead to overusing soap when you have soft water and creating far more suds than you need. It also leads to additional soap scum, which can make your tub/shower feel even more slippery and slimy whenever you bathe. Try using a smaller amount of soap to see if it reduces the slipperiness.
2. Try a Salt-Free Softener
You might want to look into water softeners that don’t use sodium during the ion exchange process to reduce the slippery feel. The sodium ions in the softened water can make it harder to rinse off soap, ultimately leaving you with a slimy residue. A salt-free water softener could be the solution.
3. Try Different Soaps
Some soap products produce a heavy lather that’s hard to rinse. Others have more fat in them that can produce a slimy effect. Test different products to see if they rinse better.
Conclusion
The reaction of sodium and fatty acids in soaps ultimately lead to a slippery feeling when you shower. Bathing with soft water can leave you with softer skin and hair, but it can also make it harder to thoroughly rinse your body. This could lead to clogged pores and irritation as well. Finding the right water softener and choosing the right products for your soft water is the best way to resolve the issue.
For more information on water softeners in Florida, contact the experts at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today.