How a Water Softener Works

Name: Southern Softflow
Price range: ££

Water Softeners Work Via A Process Called Ion Exchange

Although there are different types of water softener, the principle of ion exchange remains constant. The process, described below, would be true of a single cylinder, electric softener as well as a twin cylinder, non electric softener.

Ion Exchange Process +

Regeneration +

Over time, the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium ions and there is no available surface area to continue softening water.
The water softener enters a regeneration cycle, where a brine solution is flushed through the resin.
The waste, including the displaced calcium and magnesium, is flushed out of the system, and the resin beads are recharged with sodium ions, ready to soften more water.

Rinse and Repeat +

This is the basic concept of how water softeners work. Different types of water softeners will perform the regeneration process in a different way. We explain more on the page “Types of Water Softener”