Living in an area with hard water brings many disadvantages. When it comes to washing clothes, these will come out dingy with weakened fabrics. As for dishes, you will notice mineral build-up on them in time.
But it’s not only your dishes and clothes that get affected by it. Showering in hard water greatly affects your hair and skin. Many people think that all they need is a change of cleaning products. But it’s actually just hard water that’s the culprit.
Most detergents will bond with the hard minerals found in water instead of cleaning your dishes. This also depends upon the type of water, refer cleanersofterwater.com has covered water types and properties in detail. So, when the detergent bonds with water, the scum will stick to your silverware, plates, and cups instead of effectively cleaning them. Fortunately, there are detergents out there and you can buy best home supplies designed specifically for this problem.
Why some detergents handle hard water better
The method we recommend most is using the best natural dishwasher detergent against hard water. While not all natural detergents are specifically made to combat water hardness, most of them still handle it better than those with chemicals.
The explanation is simple. Chemicals found in regular detergents bond with calcium and magnesium. They form soap scum, which in turn gets stuck on dishes no matter how hard you rinse them. Since natural detergents don’t have these chemicals, the cleaning process will be much smoother.
Now let’s take a look at some of the best detergents for hard water and go quickly through their pros and cons.
Lemi Shine Natural Dishwasher Detergent Pods
Lemi Shine’s formula uses natural citric extract to increase the detergent’s efficiency against hardened minerals like calcium and magnesium.
While the brand may not be as known as Cascade or Finish, many people who have used it specifically for its water softening capabilities stand by it as one of the best purchases they’ve made in their lives.
The only bad thing we can say about it is that it’s slightly more expensive than regular dishwasher detergent. This is considered the best dishwasher detergent for hard water according to DishWasherProReview.com website.
Method Smarty Dish Plus Dishwasher
Coming from a company that has dedicated itself to creating natural products, the Method Smarty Plus is an efficient detergent if you have problems with hard water.
These tabs also double as a rinse aid, so they will also help dry dishes better without any of the streaks you would regularly find when using a dishwasher connected to a hard water supply.
The downside is that the tabs are fairly large. They won’t fit inside compact soap compartments.
Finish Quantum Max Powerball
One of the leaders in the industry, Finish has made some outstanding detergent pods for hard water.
These pre-soaking powerballs are efficient at scrubbing away even hardened food remains. What we don’t like is the fact that you may still require a rinsing agent. And the pods are not individually wrapped. You’ll need to keep them far away from moisture to avoid them breaking down.
Bubble Bandit Dishwasher Detergent
Made with natural phosphates, the Bubble Bandit detergent for hard water has the resiliency of commercial detergent.
The concentrated powder allows you to use less of it for the same result as other detergents on the market. It also acts as a limescale deterrent which will keep your dishwasher running for longer. Fair warning, though: 17 states don’t allow soaps containing phosphates. Make sure to check your local laws before purchasing online.
Amaze! Dishwasher Tablets
These hard water dishwasher detergent tablets come in a biodegradable enclosure. You don’t need to unwrap them when putting them in the dishwasher.
In this sense, they are extremely convenient. But despite their capability of dealing with hard water, they are not so great at clearing up hardened food remains. Still, we recommend them because they prevent limescale more efficiently than other hard water detergents.
