My parents got a water softener installed in their house a couple years back. Every time I go visit and shower there I feel slimy from the water. I hate it. They love it, good for them. But I’ve always wondered what causes that slimy feeling from the soft water. My limited understanding is that hard water contains more minerals than soft water. Is that accurate? How does that cause the slimy feeling of soft water? I’d love to understand the science behind it. Thanks!
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Hard water has dissolved minerals, like calcium and magnesium, in it. Soft water had much less.
If you have hard water, you’ll find it necessary to clean and descale things like coffee makers, kettles, and dishwashers frequently, otherwise the build up inside can either make them operate ineffectively, or not work at all. However, I worked for a place that sold water softeners, and the complaint that people felt “slimy” was common.
We believed that the microscopic particles in the hard water make it feel like you’re ‘scrubbing’ your skin, while the soft water without them feels ‘slimy’ by comparison.
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