I Left Hard Water Behind (Thanks Mom & Dad!)
When we made the move from Texas to Arizona, I lamented a bit on things I would miss about our home.
My kitchen that I loved.
The extra bathroom.
My trees in the back yard. Well, trees in general.
Colors. ?Everything here is just so… brown.

We’ve owned five different houses as a married couple. But this is the first one we have owned with what has become my #1 must-have appliance in any future homes: a water softening system.
But this is the first one we have owned with what has become my #1 must-have appliance in any future homes: a water softening system.
Sexy, I know. ?But hear me out.
I. Love. It.
This was a housewarming present from my parents. ?They couldn’t believe we had gone so many years without one in our previous homes. ?While it wasn’t on the top of my wish list (pool! pool! pool!), it was an absolutely welcome gift.
What is hard water and how do you know if you have it? ?First of all, you can get a free test strip for your water by visiting Morton Salt.
Hard water happens when rainwater passes through the ground. ?The water can pick up materials that will eventually cause problems in your home. ?The “hard” materials can clog pipes or even damage appliances. ?On a smaller scale, it can leave spots on your dishes and make your laundry and hair feel a little stiffer than normal.
Our house was already plumbed to accept a water system, so that saved on both the installation costs and time involved. ?The handyman showed up and had us up and running within a matter of hours. ?Super easy.
Also easy? ?Maintaining the system.
When the blue light on my system starts blinking, I know it’s time to add a bag of Morton salt pellets.
The bags come with an easy open pre-scored corner and a plastic handle that makes transporting it from store to home easy for anyone. ?Even my recent lack of gym time did not stop me from buying this 40-pound bag at my local grocery store with my complimentary coupon (thanks, Morton!).
Why do I love my water softner so? ?Let me count the ways.
Our clothes are cleaner and not as worn looking and I’m using less laundry soap as well. With four kids in sports and activities, this is HUGE. ?If I can make jeans last all year, and maybe even pass down to the younger kids, that’s clearly a win.
My dishes have far fewer spots left on them and my bathtubs don’t have hard water stains. Everything just looks cleaner around here- and it makes me feel like an A+ housekeeper.
But my biggest reason for loving on the water softener? ?Our hair is fabulous, people!
I have a great, thick head of hair and I’ve passed that trait on to my two daughters. One of my biggest pet peeves is tangled?unmanageable hair. Drove me crazy! ?And my girls had a hard time properly maintaining their long hair.
The water softner has gone a long way in solving that problem.
I love brushing the girls hair after a bath and love the way it feels after it dries.
And, well, I love the way mine looks and feels too.
(Yes, I’m a little vain! ?Aren’t we all, though?)
It only the water softener could do something about coloring my grey… alas, it’s not a miracle worker!
I’m a believer in the system and I will never live in a house again without one.
Want to find out if you have hard water in your home? ?It’s easy. Visit Morton Salt?HERE and learn more about your water. ?You can get a free test strip too!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
What? I can get better hair?!
Yes! Get you a water softener, girl!
Just an FYI, if your house wasn’t brand new, watch for leaks. The soft water will actually clean out the calcite in your pipes and sometimes that calcite has minutely pushed your pipe joints apart. If your house was newish, shouldn’t be a problem. If your house has been using the horrible Phoenix water for years and years though…
It’s just a few years old, so I hope that means we are safe. But thanks for the heads up! I had no idea that it could actually “help” that way. Eeeep!
I feel you on the not realizing what you were missing all those years you didn’t have a water softener. I lived in the same house for about 10 years now but only had a water softener installed last January because my wife wanted some added protection for our first child. All I can say is, WOW! I never thought water softener actually made a difference!
Water softening is really very vital process for us. But I didn’t have that much knowledge about water softening process. Thanks for sharing useful info.