Hard water is one of the most common challenges homeowners face in terms of water quality. Hard water contains large deposits of magnesium, calcium, heavy metals, and other natural minerals. Although hard water doesn’t have any adverse effect on our health, it can lead to excessive build-up of scale in water pipes, hot water dispensers, and other equipment that uses water.
An even bigger nuisance caused by hard water is the fact it does not clean dishes or laundry like soft water does. Instead, it requires more soap or shampoo to lather. Frequent usage of hard water can also reduce the service life of your appliances.
Testing for hard water is the best way to decide whether your water is hard or soft. Also, it saves you the stress of having to waste soap during laundry. However, there are several ways you can test for hard water. The most accurate method is the one carried out in the laboratory using a sample you provide. It’s just that it can be expensive and can take a while for results. There are other fast, inexpensive, and effective methods of testing for hard water. Feel free to try one of the methods we will be highlighting below to get a rough estimate of hardness.
DIY Water Test Kit
With the home test kits for water quality, you can conveniently test for water hardness at the comfort of your home, workplace, or office. Most people are in flux when it comes to testing for the hardness or softness of water. Even if you have not done it before, the test kit provides instructions on how to go about it.
You can get the test kits in supermarkets and even online. At this point, it is vital that you purchase a kit made by a reputable water testing manufacturer and ensure that it can test for hardness.
One of the simplest tests for water hardness is the wet-strip test. Below are the steps required:
- Fill a container or bottle with tap water.
- Proceed to dip the paper test strip into the water.
- Then, compare the color of the paper test with the given color on the kit’s chart.
- Go to the instructions to know how hard your water is based on the result.
Soapsuds Test
This test is also easy to carry out. It is just that you will need a clean glass or plastic bottle with a tight-fitting cap to carry out this test. This shouldn’t be a challenge. Proceed to follow the below steps to carry out the soapsuds tests:
- Fill the bottle up to one-third of its capacity with the tap water
- Add about eight drops of liquid soap into the bottle. Ensure not to use detergent.
- Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds
- If the water foams a soapy solution with suds and the bottom layer is clear, you have soft water. If there is no soapy solution in the bottle and the bottom layer is a bit cloudy, you have hard water.
Conclusion
You cannot tell if your water is hard or soft until you test it. You will be saving yourself a lot when you know how to test for hard water right from your zone of comfort. Just follow the steps we highlighted above and get to know more about your water quality.
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