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The Daily Insight

Is it healthy to drink softened water?

Author

Christopher Snyder

Updated on March 15, 2026

Softened water is considered safe to drink in the majority of cases.

Why is soft water not suitable for drinking?

If you have a hardness of 200 mg/litre (or 200 ppm), a softener will add 92 mg of sodium to every litre of water. You have to remember that your drinking water will already contain some sodium, which is why adding more can make it unsafe to drink.

Is it safe to drink softened water?

While most softened water is perfectly safe to drink, the amount of sodium in the treated water will depend on the hardness of the original water. If the water hardness is below 400 ppm calcium before you soften it, then you can drink it with little concern.

Is it better to drink hard or soft water?

Many people believe that soft water offers a better clean for your body and your home because it doesn't leave behind a mineral residue like hard water can. But the truth is that neither type of water offers a better or worse clean.

What are the negative effects of soft water?

Cons of Soft Water

Regularly drinking soft water increases a person's sodium levels, which can lead to multiple health problems including blood pressure. The process used to make the water soft also makes it more volatile, which means it picks up more unwanted elements from your pipes.

Is Drinking Soft Water Safe?

Does drinking softened water raise blood pressure?

Because hypertension can cause kidney and heart damage, it is important to limit the amount of sodium in your diet, especially if you already have high blood pressure or are at risk of developing the condition. However, drinking water with salt added, such as softened water, won't likely raise your blood pressure.

Does soft water cause mold?

Although this isn't bound to happen often, it's more likely to occur if your water softener tank hasn't been used or cleaned for a while. In some cases, the dark spots could also be dirt. Nevertheless, if your water softener tank is oxygen-rich and there are organic substances, simple mold spores will start to grow.

Can a water softener make you sick?

For most healthy adults, the amount of sodium added to tap water by softening is too small to be harmful or cause any health concern. It's safe to drink and doesn't change the way the water tastes.

How do you remove sodium from softened water?

The most common and effective way to remove salt from water is through physical filtration. Specifically, reverse osmosis systems are capable of removing salt and a wide variety of other contaminants from softened water.

Why does soft water feel slimy?

Soft water replaces those magnesium and calcium ions with sodium ions. The result is soft water, loaded with salt. The salt is what makes the water feel slimy. After you buy a water softener, you might feel slimy and slippery after you take a shower, like you haven't gotten all the soap off of you.

Does Brita filter remove sodium from softened?

Can a Brita Filter Remove Salt? There is no evidence that a Brita filter can remove salt from your water.

What are the pros and CONs of a water softener?

There are a number of pros and cons about softened water to consider:

  • PRO: Reduces the “hardness” of the water, which can have several benefits for consumers, including: Less soap and detergents needed. ...
  • PRO: Only removes the minerals that cause hardness. ...
  • PRO: Reduces scaling and lime deposit build-up. ...
  • More CONs:

Is it OK to water houseplants with softened water?

Most plants cannot tolerate high amounts of salt. The sodium in softened water actually interferes with the water balance in the plants and can kill plants by “fooling” them into thinking they have taken up more water than they have. Softened water essentially causes the plants in your garden to die of thirst.

How do you make softened water drinkable?

4 Ways to Make Softened Water Drinkable

  1. Add Sodium Ions. Sodium-ion exchange is a process that adds small amounts of sodium into your water. ...
  2. Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter. ...
  3. Potassium Chloride VS. ...
  4. Distillation.

Does drinking soft water dehydrate you?

The additional sodium in softened water upsets this balance and some babies have been known to suffer from dehydration. If you have been advised by a doctor to be on a low sodium diet, it is recommended not to drink softened water.

Can soft water cause headaches?

Myth No.

Water softeners are specifically designed to reduce the hardness of water. They do an excellent job of removing minerals and metals that cause scale and create all sorts of household headaches.

How does soft water affect hair?

Soft water requires less soap and fewer rinses to achieve optimal results, meaning your hair will maintain its color and condition for much longer. Soft water also balances your hair's pH level, so you're left with silky smooth hair after every wash.

Is salt free water softener safe to drink?

Are salt free water softeners safe? While a salt-free water softener system is ineffective compared to a salt-based one, there is no reason to believe it is dangerous.

Does a Brita filter soften water?

Brita water filters do not soften water. Brita filter pitchers, bottles and faucet filters use carbon cartridges to improve taste, odor, and remove heavy metals. However, they cannot remove dissolved salts like calcium and magnesium. The Brita PRO Home system can be used to soften water.

Does softened water give you diarrhea?

Can Drinking Softened Water Make You Sick? Because most adults are healthy and consume low levels of salt, softening the tap water adds only enough sodium to harm them or cause any health concerns. There is no harmful effect on the taste of water from this mineral.

Can babies drink softened water?

Artificial softened water is NOT suitable as drinking water for infants. Water softeners have little to do with water filtration/purification. A water softener DOES NOT remove microbiological contaminants that cause illness. They simply make the water more pleasant to wash with.

Can drinking soft water make you bloated?

However, soda water doesn't have any healthy mineral properties and gets it's bubbles from CO2, like all other soft drinks. Some seltzer water, as it's also known, can contain additives including sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate, which can also increasing the bloat factor.

Is soft water better for your skin?

Soft water won't dry your skin and strip it of its natural oils, leading to clearer skin and fewer breakouts.

What is the black stuff in my water softener?

If you've owned your water softener for a few years or more you may notice some dark stains near the water line in the brine (salt) tank. You guessed it, that's mold. It's a good idea to clean that out so your water softener has a nice, fresh start.

Should you run soft water to your kitchen sink?

It's safe for almost everyone to drink softened water. The exceptions are babies and anyone who follows a low sodium or sodium-free diet on medical advice. They should drink water from a hard water drinking tap.