Does My Commercial Laundry Need a Water Softener? 7/15/2020

Have you ever felt like your hands were not clean even though you just finished washing them?  It could be your water.  If your commercial laundry has hard water, defined as the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water, the soap reacts with the calcium in the water to form soap scum.  (Hard water ranges from moderately hard at 1-3.5gpg to extremely hard at >10gpg.)  As a result, when you have hard water, the more soap or detergent is needed to get things clean, including your laundry.

Why is Hard Water Bad?

While there are health benefits to the minerals in hard water, it can play havoc with your equipment.  That’s because when hard water is heated, the calcium leaves solid deposits behind, and that can reduce the life of your equipment, lower the efficiency in your water heater, and clog your pipes.   Worst of all, it will cause you to produce an inferior product.  White garments will gray over time; dark clothes will fade; and towels will become rough.  

What is the Solution?

Add a water softener.  A study conducted by Water Quality Association, a non-profit organization that provides information about water treatment issues, determined that softened water requires 50% less laundry detergent.  By using a water softener , washing machine temperatures could be reduced from hot to cold while still achieving the same or better stain removal and whiter clothes.  Not only will businesses and consumers notice better laundry results, they will also notice lower utility costs and a longer life for their equipment.  Finally, the environment will notice benefits too in the reduction of harmful detergents getting into water streams.

If you are concerned about the water in your commercial laundry  establishment, just contact Tri-State Laundry Equipment at 866-885-5218.