Can You Wash Hair with Hard Water? Yes? No?

Maintaining hair quality requires washing when necessary. But it doesn’t stop there; it’s equally essential to understand the effect of different water types on the hair. You may be doing your hair more harm than good without adequate knowledge.

Many people wash their hair with hard water, which has a detrimental effect on the hair. Understandably, not everyone knows that it damages and compounds hair problems. But does it mean you cannot wash your hair with hard water? 

That is what this article seeks to answer. You will discover some facts about hard water and its uses for hair maintenance.

 

What is Hard Water?

From the way it sounds, you might think hard water is ice. However, it is far from your thought, as it relates to the mineral content in water. The high concentration of minerals in water is why they call it hard. Tracing water back to its origin, one can understand the mineral content source, which is the earth’s surface.

The primary minerals that make water hard are calcium carbonate and magnesium when above 100 ppm up. Water containing as much as 200 ppm implies the extent to which the liquid can damage the hair. Unlike hard water, soft water contains lesser dissolved minerals, usually between 10 and 50 ppm.

 

Can You Wash Your Hair With Hard Water?

Using water with highly concentrated dissolved mineral content reduces hair quality. Additionally, it makes the hair vulnerable to itching scalp, hair breakage, and ultimately hairloss. But perhaps you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have much of a choice. If it is compulsory you use hard water; you must treat it properly. After all, it’s better to prevent the effects of hard water than to have to reverse it.

 

What Effect Does Hard Water have on the hair?

When you combine hard water with low-quality hair treatments, the dissolved mineral content in it fills your scalp with a residue. It is so because the combination of both produces salt, which prevents the moisturizer from gripping the hair thoroughly. That results in hair dryness, eventually leading to breakage and further hair problems.

That further emphasized the need to know the water source before applying it for hair treatment. It neutralizes the power of shampoo and soaps, making them lose their lathers. Do you know what that means? Washing the hair becomes difficult. Apart from that, it deposits minerals into your scalp, weighing your hair down.

Fading and discoloration are a few issues from using hard water to wash the hair.

 

Can I Reverse the Damage Caused by Hard Water?

Like certain things cause discomfort for the body, hair suffers a lot from using hard water. For some people, using hard water is out of their control. That is because they live in municipalities where groundwater is the primary water source. The best you can do in such a situation is to deal with it in the best possible way.

Fortunately, you can manage the harshness by using high-quality hair treatment products. For example, investing in clarifying shampoos will help to prevent mineral build-up. These products, in general, combat hard water’s damaging effect on hair.

 

Can I Manage Hard Water Before Using It?

If using hard water to wash your hair is unavoidable because of your location, you can treat it before using it. Boiling the water will remove the dissolved mineral content. Doing this whenever you want to wash your hair softens the water, making it harmless. It gives you the freedom to use your hair treatment choice.

Another thing you can do is add a water-softening filter to your showerhead if you have one in your home. It is a cost-effective alternative to removing all harsh substances that may damage your hair. Switch to soaps and shampoos made for hard water to prevent detrimental effects of the mineral content.

 

Practical Tips for Washing the Hair with Hard Water

Suppose you are lucky to reside in an area where water is soft, that is good for you. Some people do not find themselves in this category. Butt should that be a reason to worry? No, it shouldn’t. There are steps you can take to keep your hair healthy. These include:

• Rinsing the Hair with Vinegar

Vinegar works amazingly to neutralize mineral content in hard water. It also keeps the scalp free of fungus growth. Thanks to the acidity and antibacterial features it possesses.

• Invest in a Leave-In Conditioner

Hair can grow weak when you use hard water consistently without treatment. A moisturizing leave-in conditioner can prevent this. It contains the hair from getting dry. The oil content in this product moisturizes the hair strands, making them look shiny.

• Use Moisturizing Masks

This product ensures that moisture never leaves the hair and the scalp. It increases the hair’s glossy appearance and combats the harsh effect of hard water’s mineral content. The moisturizing hair mask will keep it hydrated if you are already experiencing dry hair.

• Rinse with Purified Bottled Water

Bottled water also prevents breakage, considering that it comes filtered. As a convention, rinsing with purified water should be the final step after washing your hair. Get a bigger size to store filtered water. It saves you the stress of using many smaller bottles.

 

Final Thoughts

Hard water is harsh, but that doesn’t mean you can use it for your hair if there are no other options. You only need to adhere to a few TLC methods and use high-quality products specially designed for hard water. The article highlighted proven ways to prevent dissolved minerals from damaging your hair. Don’t ignore these insights if you want to keep your hair healthy.