For many of us, our cars are our pride and joy, so having them looking spick and span is important.
If you enjoy cleaning your car at home, you may be wondering what impact a water softener could have on your vehicle. You’ll be pleased to hear that, just as with cleaning in the home, your car can also benefit from soft water.
Hard Water Vs Soft Water: Which is Better for Cars?
In the same way that other surfaces like stainless steel and your skin benefit from soft water, it’s also better to wash your car with soft water compared to hard.
There are multiple reasons why soft water is better than hard water when it comes to car washing, but all of them return to the makeup of the water itself.
Hard water contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals can make cleaning difficult as they prevent cleaning products from mixing properly with water, making them less effective, and leaving chalky residues behind once the water dries.
For cars, the residues in hard water can build up and ultimately damage the paint’s protective coat, making it more susceptible to wear and tear.
Soft water has those troublesome hard minerals removed, making it easier to clean and give the car a nice, healthy finish.
Benefits of Washing Your Car with Softened Water
Making the switch from hard water to soft water can come with a host of benefits for your prized four-wheeler. From cheaper cleaning to the long-term health of your car, here are some of the main benefits.
Fewer Spots and Streaks
Having spots on your car after giving it a thorough wash can be a real frustration for car owners – after all that work, you want it to look as slick as possible.
Hard water is notorious for leaving water marks and other chalky residues behind. As mentioned above, this is because the minerals present in hard water stay behind when the water itself dries.
Soft water doesn’t guarantee that your car will have a spotless finish – often, this can come down to the quality of the clean, the other products used and how the car dries. However, with no chalky minerals present, you’re much less likely to see streaks left behind when using soft water.
Less Detergent
If you find yourself ploughing through car wash products and foams quicker than you’d hoped, your hard water could be to blame.
The chalky minerals in hard water react with common chemicals found in soaps and detergents, causing them to be less effective. This leads to people needing to use more cleaning products to create enough suds to make them work.
By using soft water free from these minerals, you can enjoy using fewer detergents for the same result. Thicker foams and bubbles will make cleaning easier and faster, while also saving money on your cleaning products.
Safer for Paint
As the name implies, soft water is gentler to the protective paint layer on your car, making it easier to care for and reducing the likelihood of any unsightly wear and tear.
As mentioned above, when hard water dries, it leaves behind a chalky residue. At first, this is little more than an inconvenient smudge, but over time it can build into something more troublesome.
Over a longer period, without due care, the mineral content of hard water can cause damage to the paint’s protective layer, leaving the paint job more susceptible to damage.
Of course, how you care for your car will have a big impact in this area. However, switching to soft water will help ensure your paintwork has the best chance of looking great in the long term.
Save You Money
Perhaps most importantly, all of the points above come together to result in a quite significant cost saving for those who wash their cars at home.
By switching from hard water to soft water, you’ll be able to get a more effective clean using fewer products. You may end up needing to clean your car less frequently, while the long-term benefits of soft water mean less likelihood of having to get your car re-painted.
All in all, soft water can work wonders for your money and your motor.
If you’re interested in getting soft water for your home, our water softeners guarantee a 24/7 supply to meet all your household needs. Browse our range or speak to one of our experts to find the best quote for you.
