How to Check Water Hardness – 3 Easy Ways of Water Hardness Test
Hard water is neither preferred in homes nor the industrial setting for a reason. Hard water contains minerals. Usually, the content of magnesium and calcium ions is high in hard water. And this makes the soap less effective.
Hard water results in a scaly and itchy scalp, white stains in clothes, scales in dishes, and reduced lifetime of various appliances.
If you doubt whether the water that you are using is hard or not, you can carry out a water hardness test.
By checking the water’s hardness, you can be sure of whether the water you are using is hard or soft. And then, accordingly, you will have to take precautions to convert the hard water into soft water.
If you are wondering how to check water hardness, you are in the right place.
The most straightforward way would be to find a water testing lab near your home and get the water sample tested for hardness.
In this post, we will discuss three ways to check water hardness at your home. You can choose any one of the processes at your convenience.
How to Measure Water Hardness – 3 Easy Ways
1. Quick In-Home Testing
For quick in-home testing, you will need a clear transparent bottle, liquid soap, and water. Fill the transparent water bottle with approximately 360 ml of tap water. Now add ten drops of the liquid soap to the bottle. It would be best if you now capped the bottle, after which you have to shake it vigorously. Ensure that the soap is mixed with the water thoroughly.
Allow the water to settle for the next five minutes. Now observe the water. If the water has proper soap foam, the water is soft. However, if you find plenty of soap scum, the water is hard.
This method will only give you an idea of whether the water you are using is hard or soft. You won’t be able to determine the degree of hardness of the water. However, it should be the first method to determine easily whether the water is hard or soft.
You may also like to read more about the difference between hard water and soft water.
2. Using Water Hardness Test Strips
The water hardness test strip is another common method to check whether one is using hard water or soft water. You can buy the water hardness test strip easily from any online store.
Click to read: Why Hardness and TDS are not the same?
All you need to do is dip the water hardness test strip and check the color change in it. The guide that comes along with the water hardness strip will guide you to know the level of hardness of the water.
We recommend you use the Hach Total Hardness Test Strip. The best thing about this water hardness test strip is that it has different hues between two different colors, which helps you in determining the exact level of hardness. Also, it is not much sensitive to lighting conditions and is neither water-soluble, and this makes it a trustworthy product.
3. Using a Water Hardness Test Kit
If you want to measure the level of hardness of water accurately, you might consider using a water hardness test kit. The water hardness kit comes with all the essential accessories and solutions which are needed to check the level of water hardness.
Generally, the kit comes with a bottle, and you will have to fill it with water to the mark. Then you have to drop different chemicals in the water drop by drop. This will change the color of the water, and based on the final color, you can determine the level of water hardness.
AQUASOL is a brand that you can trust when it comes to a reliable water hardness test kit. AQUASOL Plastic Total Hardness 250 Test Kit is one of the best water hardness test kits available online. It is easy to use and is based on proven methods. This Kit is backed by sound chemical research. The guide that comes with it will help you to check the level of water hardness.
What’s Next?
You can use any of the three methods to check the level of water hardness. If you have confirmation that you are using soft water, you can go ahead without making any changes. However, if you now know that the water that you are using is hard, you should consider using a hard water softener.
If you are not sure which water softener to buy then you may please check out the list of best water softeners for bathrooms and best water softener for washing machines.
Remember that hard water is neither good for your body nor for the appliances that you use.
I have been deciding to buy a water testing kit but was uneasy about its use. Thanks for highlighting the usage and benefits of it.