Water Softener Safe for Washing?

[X-Rizzo]

My parents' new house has a water softener and it goes to every faucet in the house, including the outside hose. I'm just curious if the salt in the water can damage the paint on my truck in any way when I wash it?

 

[brokenvendetta]

My dad used to sell those things for a living, and we've have had one in every house since I can remember. It has never affected the paint. I'm not sure that the water is actually tainted by the salt... I'm pretty sure the salt just acts as a cleaner to get rid of iron and whatnot from the water. I know the water seems "slimy" whenever I take a shower at their house, but I think it's safe.

 

[X-Rizzo]

Yeah the only thing is I've been washing it here since I got out of school and I've noticed a few bad water spots on certain parts of my truck that won't wipe off without some wax and rubbing compound and I thought the water at my house might be the cause of it.

 

[DOGSTOY06]

thats what you need is the water softener.it takes the iron & calcium that makes water hard & water spot. best way to wash it .however you must keep the salt up to snuff or it just reverts back to plain old hard water and spots.:top:

 

[djdevynator]

ive got a water softener at my place and ive been washing my truck with it every since ive had it which is a year now and no problems with water spots or anything

 

[rpmspeedyblue]

My parents had a water softener for their house and the system was hooked up to most of the hot and cold water pipes except in the kitchen cold water and the outside water pipes. Not good for drinking/cooking and outside plants other than that it shouldn't harm the paint on cars. Not sure if it would corrode bare metal.

 

[SUODRAXAH]

thats what you need is the water softener.it takes the iron & calcium that makes water hard & water spot. best way to wash it .however you must keep the salt up to snuff or it just reverts back to plain old hard water and spots.:top:

Yeah I always thought that soft water was the way to go when it comes to washing cars...

 

[Organic Mechanic]

the salt is not mixed with the water in any way.

the big cylinder by the container of salt is a giant filter. It has about a mile of this plastic material rapped up in a roll, and the water flows through it.

the salt is used for filter regeneration, when brine solution (heavily salted water) is back-flushed through the filter to clean it. It does this at like 4 am or so, and you don't notice.

 

[DOGSTOY06]

if the water is not mixed with the water in any way PLEASE explain where it goes in the 1 foot of line from the brine tank to the filter einstein?:biggrin:

 

[BlackXrunner05]

I have a softener system Ive been washing my truck with it for a long time no problems but when i wash i run straight well water ,and as long as it stays wet and i dry it well no water spots . See the salt doesnt make the water salty it acts as a catalyst taking the minerals out of the water . I think that regular filtration wouldnt take all the minerals out of the water ,but the salt captures minerals make the particle bigger and able to be removed through filtration . I think thats how it works anyways lol

 

[DOGSTOY06]

blackx I believe thats how it works also.I know the salt has something to do with the filtering process and resultant softening process.if it never touched the water the salt block would not disolve.:top:

 

[SUODRAXAH]

Here this should clear things up
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm