Confused about soft water, RO and DI...

[Wandslinger]

What's the best for carpet cleaning?

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Strictly as it pertains to cleaning, they are all pretty equal in that they exhibit the desired characteristics to permit efficient detergency to cleaning agents. However, the cost of each is quite different. While RO and DI may have some advantages, the cost and logistics of creating them often takes larger consideration.

Generally, softening is the least expensive, and gives the best "bang for the buck".

 

[curt johnson]

Lance Golden is the guy to talk with about RO/DI water. He's an expert!!!!

 

[davegillfishing]

We have been using RO/DI water for 8 years

I couldn't imagine cleaning without it

 

[Desk Jockey]

But but Dave you have been cleaning without it. Ever since your softer quit you've been cleaning without and didn't even know. ; )

 

[Ron K]

Strictly as it pertains to cleaning, they are all pretty equal in that they exhibit the desired characteristics to permit efficient detergency to cleaning agents. However, the cost of each is quite different. While RO and DI may have some advantages, the cost and logistics of creating them often takes larger consideration.

Generally, softening is the least expensive, and gives the best "bang for the buck".

My question is can water be too soft so it does not clean well ???????

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

My question is can water be too soft so it does not clean well ???????

Not really. A water's softness, or more accurately its hardness refers to the grains per gallon of certain reactive metallic ions present. These particular ions being measured tend to react with your cleaning agents, producing insoluble "scum" as well as using up valuable chemicals in the process, then not available to clean. These same ions can also contribute to "boiler scale" which is the buildup of limescale on metal tubes and fittings, clogging them as well as reducing heat transfer in heat exchangers.

Ideally, your water would have zero hardness. However this does not mean completely devoid of all minerals and ions. If one goes a step further and completely demineralizes the water, as in Reverse Osmosis, there can be negative consequences on certain metals whereby the water itself becomes mildly corrosive on metals. This does not happen with ion-exchanged conventional softening.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Our experience with RO water is similar to Dave Gill's.

We find that it rinses more completely . . . due to it's affinity for any other material

Our informal testing showed one RO rinse pass = two rinse passes with moderately hard water.

Larry