Whether a first-time or long-time car wash owner, success is dependent upon understanding each detail of your wash. One often overlooked yet vital element of upkeep is your car wash hard water level. The quality of water you use directly relates to the quality of wash you can deliver. And the harder your water is, the further you’re going to be from an ideal clean. Thankfully, there are ways to identify the hardness of your water and, if needed, ways to soften it for an improved cleaning experience!

What is Water Hardness?

Essentially, the hardness of your water measures the amount of dissolved minerals contained in it. Water with a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium (along with iron, to a lesser extent) is categorized as hard, while water without many dissolved minerals falls on the soft end of the spectrum.

The hardness of your water is often dependent upon your geography. As for the United States, hard water is most prominent in the southwest.

Why is this? It comes down to what the water is interacting with before it reaches your wash. Water that passes through limestone, chalk, or gypsum deposits picks up minerals along the way, ultimately “hardening” the water due to the increase in dissolved minerals.

It isn’t just the southwest, however. Any region of the United States with a high mineral count in the soil is likely to have inherently harder water. Certain areas of the Midwest also fit this description.

Does Hard Water Influence My Car Wash?

Yes, hard water will influence your wash. The thing is, washing a car with hard water will prove less effective than washing a car with soft water. Using hard water when cleaning a vehicle causes some of the dissolved minerals to stay behind on the surface of the car. These minerals will negatively impact various car wash chemicals. Additionally, water hardness reacts with surfactants and detergents creating a neutralization effect, ultimately robbing the detergent of its cleaning power.

Here are a few symptoms you might notice when attempting to clean a vehicle with hard water:

• Streaks or spots
• Reduced suds or foam when using soap applications
• Dull paint

Of course, the effects of hard water when washing a vehicle are dependent upon the exact quantity of minerals present. Thankfully, testing this is possible.

Measuring Your Water Hardness

There are options available to you when you want to measure how hard the water of your car wash is. Here are a few of the most common options:

• Water Hardness Titration Test Kit- These titration kits are quite plentiful, easy to use thanks to step-by-step directions, and deliver accurate results. Here are a few examples. If you’re unfamiliar with titration kits, here’s further insight!
• Digital Hard Water Tester- The digital option is similar to the titration test kit, with the main difference being the step-by-step process. With a digital reader, you’ll typically only need to place it in the water for a period of time before it delivers a result.

You may also be able to notice certain symptoms of hard water just by keeping a close eye on your equipment and water taps. If a white film or peculiar white spots regularly appear around places which transfer water, it’s a strong indication you have hard water.

Making Sense of Hard Water Measurements

So, in what units is water hardness measured? And what’s considered too hard? The favored unit of measurement for determining dissolved mineral count in water is PPM or parts per million. Here’s a rundown of different water hardness levels:

• 0-60 PPM: Water below 60 PPM is soft.
• 60-120 PPM: Water between 60-120 PPM is moderately hard.
• 120-180 PPM: Water between 120-180 PPM is hard.
• More than 180 PPM: Water over 180 PPM is very hard.

What To Do About Car Wash Hard Water?

If it’s clear your wash is suffering from hard water, a few options are available to you. Each of these options can be effective. So, the ultimate goal is to find an effective car wash water treatment for you and your facilities:

• Water Softener: A water softener is a basically a vat or large container which hard water filters through and becomes softened over time. This is possible because the water softener will replace the hard minerals in the water with sodium through the use of resin beads. Water softeners require certain measures of maintenance to upkeep, including the repeated addition of salt to the tank.
• Reverse Osmosis System: Another route is a reverse osmosis system, which leverages high pressure to filter out hard minerals from the water. This type of system is extremely effective. With various reverse osmosis systems available, you can find one which caters to your wash.

Soft Water for a Superior Wash

The more thorough the clean your car wash can deliver, the better. So why let hard water detract from the customer experience of your wash? Take control by measuring your car wash hard water levels. If it’s too hard for your liking, there are ample solutions available to make it softer and more car wash friendly!