In this blog, you’ll learn:

• Soft water is what causes your water to feel slippery.
• Soft water keeps your skin and hair healthy because it doesn’t remove natural oils as hard water does.
• You can reduce the slippery feeling by using less soap and only pure soaps.
• It takes six weeks to get used to the feeling of slippery water.

Did You Know It’s Good When Your Water Feels Slippery?

Have you noticed your water feels slippery or silky now when you shower? Soft water is what creates that slippery feeling.

There are many benefits of switching from hard water to soft water around the house. For example, soft water can save you money and can save the insides of your pipes from excess mineral buildup. Soft water can benefit you in the shower, too, by making your skin and hair softer and healthier.

In this blog, we’ll explain why soft water feels slippery, how it benefits you and how you can reduce the slippery feeling.

What Makes Soft Water Feel Slippery?

A water softener softens water by removing minerals like calcium and magnesium from it. Water naturally collects these minerals through the water cycle as it flows over and erodes rocks.

Water softeners perform what’s called an ion exchange. Salt is added to the tank that is coated in sodium or potassium ions. When water passes through the tank, the sodium and potassium ions change places with calcium and magnesium ions. This traps the hard water in the tank and runs soft water throughout your house.

The reason your water feels slippery is that you’re no longer feeling those rocky minerals when you’re showering. Calcium and magnesium combine with your soap to create a soap scum residue. This residue sticks to your skin and clogs your pores, making it feel dry and itchy. With soft water, you no longer have to worry about soap scum! Sodium and potassium make it easier to clean yourself and don’t leave anything behind.

What are the Benefits of Soft Water?

Although you may not like the feeling of slippery water right away, bathing in soft water has many benefits to your health. That slippery feeling is a good indication of healthy and clean skin and hair. Hard water strips your skin of natural oils, which ends up making your hair and skin feel dry and brittle. So, you’ll find that your skin and hair will feel smooth and silky after using soft water. Let’s take a look at the benefits of soft water in closer detail.

Using Less Soap

Hard water makes you use more soap to get a nice lather and feel clean. The reason for this is calcium and magnesium cause the water to react ineffectively with soap. The hard water will also leave soap behind on your skin, causing it to get dried out and itchy.

In contrast, soft water eliminates these problems! When bathing or showering in soft water, your skin and hair won’t dry out because the soap and shampoo will rinse away completely. As a result, you won’t have to use as many cleaning products to clean properly.

If you regularly bathe in hard water and just recently had a softener installed, you may be using more soap than necessary. Using too much soap can make that slippery feeling feel more intense.

Natural Oils and Hydration

Did you know that the “squeaky clean” feeling is actually bad for your skin and hair? This is because the squeaky sensation is due to hard water stripping your skin of natural oils and leaving a layer of soap residue. The residue clogs your pores and a dry, itchy feeling.

When your water feels slippery, you are feeling your skin’s own natural hydration instead of a scummy residue! Reviving your skin’s natural oils helps it to carry out what it was made to do—act as a natural barrier to any external and harsh elements. So, you’ll find that your skin will feel a lot more hydrated and smoother without clogged pores.

Healthier Skin and Hair

Your skin and hair will improve significantly when you revive your natural oils. Calcium and magnesium in hard water combined with soap create a soap scum that clogs your pores and leaves your skin and scalp feeling irritated. This can cause dryness, flaking, itching and breakouts.

Soft water removes soap scum from your routine, meaning no more clogged pores and dry, itchy scalp! Soft also water balances your skin’s pH level, leaving you with hydrated, smooth skin after every wash. You can also reduce eczema and acne after switching to soft water. Additionally, after installing a water softener, you may not need to purchase that expensive body wash and lotion you thought you needed!

Your hair will also feel smoother and silkier when washing with soft water. The water feels slippery in your hair because you no longer have mineral buildup around your follicles. What you’re feeling is your skin’s natural oils moisturizing your scalp! Those natural oils help to protect your hair, keep it from becoming frizzy and brittle and grow faster and stronger. Plus, shampoo will foam and lather more easily in soft water, meaning you won’t have to use as much product!

How Do I Reduce the Slippery Feeling?

Although slippery water is good for you, you still might want to avoid the feeling. Here are a few tips to fix it:

1. Use Less Soap
   Soft water makes it so that you don’t have to use as much soap when you’re showering. Therefore, by adjusting the amount you use, your rinses will be more effective and less slippery.
2. Use Only Pure Soaps
   Try using soaps that have no heavy fragrances or dyes since you won’t need these additives to feel clean. Bar soaps or clear liquid soaps will help reduce the slippery feeling.
3. Get Used to the Feeling Over Time
   After six weeks, you’ll notice that you get used to the soft water and no longer notice that slippery feeling. Instead, you’ll be able to enjoy your moisturized skin and shiny, healthy hair!

Keep Your Water Softener Running Smooth!

Now that you know the benefits of soft water make sure your soft water is here to stay. Angel Water provides water softener maintenance and repair throughout Chicagoland and Southeast Florida. So, if you feel your skin or hair starting to get dry and itchy, we can help you fix the issue and make sure your water feels slippery again!

At Angel Water, we have been servicing water softeners in Barrington and the surrounding region for nearly 50 years. In that time, we’ve found that the best way to keep your softener working well is by having it serviced at least once a year.

Please give us a call today at 847-382-7800 to schedule a service call. Our licensed professionals would be happy to answer your questions and help you keep your water soft and clean! Or you can use our free online Water Wizard tool to determine what type of services you need.