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!
In: 11
Hard water in this usage contains lots of calcium and magnesium.
Water softeners use an ~~iron~~ ion exchange resin to absorb calcium and magnesium and replace it with sodium.
Soaps and detergents stick to your skin better with soft water than in hard water.
[More details](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-water-softeners-wo/)
Edit: curse you autocorrect!
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