Do you know what hard water is? And do you know what a water softener is actually doing? In this episode, we cover everything you need to know about water softeners. That includes how it works, some helpful maintenance, and some things to think about if you’re considering buying one.

Hard water is water with minerals like calcium dissolved in it. It acts like sandpaper, making your water fixtures wear out much sooner than they should. One of the places where hard water stands out is in your dishwasher. It condenses on your dishes and leaves behind a white residue.

A water softener’s only job is to remove those minerals. They do it by getting them to stick to little resin beads at an atomic level and replacing them with salt. Using a water softener can increase your appliances' lifespan, let your soap clean better, and save a lot of money on repairs.