Do you know the difference between hard water and soft water? While hard water is loaded with mineral content like magnesium and calcium, soft water is filled with less mineral content. Hard water can have certain detrimental effects on your pipes, like water clogging, rusting, and reduced water supply. Is there a solution for this? Yes! Hard water can be treated using water softener salt. It helps in reducing the mineral content in hard water, eventually leading to less water clogging and damage to your pipes and appliances. While there are different water salts available in the market, which one would be the best water softener salt? To help you pick the right one, we are here with a list of the 11 best water softener salts.
Benefits Of Using Water Softener Salt
Hard water is known to damage your pipes. Using water softener salts can help reduce the damage caused to your pipes and eventually save a lot of money on costly repair bills. Hard water has a high chance of causing skin irritation and hair damage. Softening it can lead to healthy skin and hair. Hard water can make your clothes look dull. It can also harden it. Water softener salts help in retaining the softness and comfort of your clothes.
Types Of Salt For Water Softener
Before you plan to buy water softener salts, you must understand the different types as each is made uniquely. Once you know about the different types of salt for water softeners, you can make the right decision.
Evaporated salt:
Known to have the highest purity rate, evaporated salt is made through an evaporation process by using steam and water. Salt is made to look like crystals. Later, they are turned into water softening salt pellets.
Rock salt:
Rock salt is mined from underground salt mines. It usually undergoes very less processing and is in the shape of pebbles
Solar salt:
Solar salt water softener is made using an evaporation process involving seawater and sunlight. Among the different types of salts, this has the highest solubility. Let us now look at the different types of water softener salts so that you can find the best option suitable for you.
11 Best Water Softener Salts
1. Best For Most Dishwashers:Finish Dishwasher Water Softener Salt
Recommended by all leading dishwasher manufacturers, this water softener salt can reduce chemicals that cause hardening of water in dishwashers and helps in better cleaning of your utensils. Hard water is known to clog your dishwashers and reduce the efficiency of their functioning. This water softener salt ensures that your dishwasher performs well and your dishes end up squeaky clean. Pros
Suitable for most dishwashers Dissolves faster Reduces glass clouding Protects dishes against limescale residues
Cons
Works in dishwashers having softener containers only
2. Best To Prevent Rust:Pro Products Rust Out Water Softener Cleaner
Sometimes rust can prevent your softener from acting efficiently. Pro Products Rust Out Water Softener Cleaner removes rust and acts as a water softener by restoring its efficiency. Since your softener’s resin bed must perform efficiently, this softener has got it covered by removing the rust and reducing the hard water components in the water. Watch this video to get a detailed review of the product. Pros
Boosts the life of your household fixtures Suitable for fabrics and dishes Prevents rust Removes foreign matter
Cons
Should be used cautiously as it is highly reactive
3. Best Easy-To-Handle:Morton Pure And Natural Water Softening Crystals
Morton Pure And Natural Water Softening Crystals take pride in being a water softener that is made naturally. This water softener salt is known for its high-quality salt crystals. It is recommended by major brands like Whirlpool and Northstar. You are assured of its top quality as it also helps in improving the quality of water. Here’s a video to help you know more about this product. Pros
Easy to handle. Sturdy packaging Works on all water softeners Boosts the life of your appliances
Cons
Must be mixed with softener frequently
4. Best With Highest Purity Rate:Morton Salt Clean Protect Water Softener Pellets
Morton Salt Clean Protect bears the goodness of nature. It is a naturally made water softener and is rich in high-quality crystals in the form of pellets. It helps in extending the life of your electronic water heaters. Recommended by softener manufacturers like Northstar and Kenmore, this softener is a one-stop solution for removing hard water minerals. Pros
Prevent accumulation of minerals. Easy to handle and carry Cleans your water softener too Highest purity rate
Cons
Must be mixed with softener frequently
5. Best NSF-Certified:Cargill Salt Diamond Crystal Water Softener Salt
Known to abide by its high-quality standards, Cargill Salt Water Softener is known to be an efficient substitute for softener salt. It also takes pride in not being made through channeling or mushing. This softener exists in five sizes and is loaded with the highest quality of sodium chloride. This salt has one of the highest purity rates of 99.6% pure solar salt and has a low insolubility content. Pros
NSF certified Soluble in water Suitable for food processing and poultry Seamless packaging
Cons
Might leave residue in the tank
6. Best Bridging And Mushing-Resistant:Diamond Collection Diamond Crystals Solar Natural Water Softener Salt
Are you looking for an economical water softener? Your search ends here! Diamond Crystals Water Softener Salt is solar-powered and is rich in natural ingredients, thanks to the eco-friendly process that goes into making the salt. This water softener is a must-buy because it can reduce brine tank residue. It can also boost the life of your appliances. Experience the best of nature through Diamond Crystals Water Softener Salt. Pros
Highly soluble Pure sodium chloride crystals Works with all water softeners Resists bridging and mushing
Cons
Might lead to salt bridges
7. Best Efficient:OUT Filter Mate Water Softener Cleaner & Salt Booster Powder
Do you know that over time, the effectiveness of a water softener may reduce? This happens due to the presence of contaminants. OUT Filter Mate Water Softener Cleaner And Salt Booster have got you covered when it comes to this. It can be used not only as a water softener but also helps to maintain the pH level of water. This salt helps in removing the iron buildup. It helps in preventing any sort of coating on the inside of your pipes and also reduces the leaching of copper in drinking water. Since the system also requires hard water, this salt also helps in reducing rusting and segregating low levels of iron. Pros
Suitable for city water applications High efficiency Longer shelf life Improves water taste
Cons
May have a peculiar odor when mixed with water
8. Best With Purest Salt Quality:Somat Dishwasher Salt Water Softener
Do you know that tap water contains lime? It can be detrimental to your dishes and your dishwasher. Is there a solution for this? Well, yes! Somat Dishwasher Salt Water Softener helps in removing the lime from the water and ensures that water does not contaminate your dishes and dishwasher or leave any residue. Free from any sort of insoluble ingredients, this is a must-buy! Pros
Works on all major dishwashers Purest salt quality Improves the dishwasher’s performance Easy to pour into dishwasher salt container
Cons
May not always work for silverware
9. Best Vegan:Impresa Dishwasher Salt Water Softener
Do you know that your dishwasher works well if you use coarse grain salt? Impresa Dishwasher Salt Water Softener cuts across all sorts of additives and provides a clean softener and appliances. This salt water softener reduces limescale in your water, leaving your dishwasher residue-free. Recommended for dishwashers from popular brands such as Whirlpool, Bosch, Theramador, Miere, among others, this water softener salt is made in the USA. Pros
Universally compatible Food-grade Non-GMO Vegan Easy to use
Cons
Does not work for dishwashers without softeners
10. Best Low Solubility Content:Diamond Collection Diamond Crystal Sun Gems Water Softener Salt
Diamond Crystal Sun Gems Water Softener Salt bears the goodness of nature, thanks to the natural evaporation techniques used in its manufacturing. The solar evaporation of seawater gives it a clear and clean appearance. While it helps in minimizing the residue in your tank, it helps in reducing bridging too. Pros
Contains 99.6% pure salt NSF certified Low solubility content Free of anti-caking agents Free of free-flowing additives or conditioners
Cons
Dissolves slower and leads to maintenance issues
11. Best Safe-To-Use:Compass Minerals True Value Extra Coarse Water Conditioning Salt Crystals
Extra Coarse Water Conditioning Salt Crystals bear the goodness of purity with over 99.8% pure salt. Since it is extra coarse salt, you can be assured that this water softener salt is made from the highest quality of naturally evaporated saltwater. This salt helps in improving the performance of your softener by reducing the presence of hard water. Recommended by professionals, this is a must-buy. Pros
High solubility Suitable for all water conditioning systems Suitable for all water softeners Safe to use
Cons
Can leave dirty water in your brine tank over time
You might have checked out the different types of water softeners, but are you confused regarding what to buy? Read on to know more.
How To Choose The Right Salt For A Water Softener?
Manufacturing process
Water softener salts are different in terms of the way they are manufactured too. The manufacturing process affects the purity of the salt and the life of your appliances. Since solar salt involves sunlight, it is natural and does not involve a lot of processing.
Solubility
You must also consider the solubility of the salt that you plan to buy. Solar salt is known to have the highest solubility. Salts having high solubility do not leave a residue. The ones that leave a residue undergo a lot of maintenance, leading to mounting expenses. Pellets dissolve faster and do not leave a residue.
Day-to-day purposes
Water softener salts help enhance the quality of water which we use on a daily basis for purposes like washing clothes and bathing. The best water softener salt will not cause damage to your skin when you have a bath, and to your clothes when you wash them. For this reason, look for salts that are of food-grade and free of questionable chemicals. Evaporated salt is a recommended option for those who are looking for food-grade water softener salts. They exist in the form of pellets.
Maintenance
You must consider maintenance as a factor for buying a water softener salt because if water softener salts leave a residue, it can lead to maintenance issues. Solar salt dissolves slower when used, leading to maintenance issues like bridging. If you are looking for a water softener salt that does not require much maintenance, choose pellets because they dissolve faster when added to the water.
How Do Water Softener Salts Work?
When salt crystals for water softener are added into water, an ion exchange process takes place where softener salts remove calcium and magnesium ions from the hard water. When this happens, the water’s efficiency is boosted along with reducing damage to pipes and appliances.
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