Many people spend a lot of time finding the perfect shampoo for their hair type but do not realise that the hardness of the water can have a huge effect too. Hard water is not ideal for washing because it can make hair limp, lifeless, and dry. Here are four problems that hard water can cause for your hair, as well as a potential solution.

1. Hard Water Doesn't Get Hair Clean

If the water supply to your home is hard, you might notice that the shampoo does not form a lather. Minerals in hard water react with shampoo to form insoluble chemicals rather than a rich foam. The shampoo is not able to clean the hair or scalp as well without a lather, so you might notice that your hair always feels slightly dirty or greasy.

2. Hard Water Increases Shampoo Usage

Many people compensate for the reduced cleaning power of shampoo in hard water by using a larger amount of shampoo. Once you factor in the cost of buying more shampoo, you might find it more cost-effective to install a water softener to remove minerals from your hard water supply.

3. Hard Water Causes Dry Hair

If you keep trying new shampoo brands but being disappointed when you don't get the kind of silky, smooth hair you see in ads, the problem might be the water supply to your home. Hard water reacts with shampoo to form calcium and magnesium salts, which lie on your hair strands like tiny scales. This can make hair feel dry and prevent the strands from sliding over each other, leading to frizziness and tangles. For easier styling, stop shopping for the perfect shampoo and ask a local plumber to install a water softener in your home.

4. Hard Water Weighs Down Hair

Between the extra product you have to use to clean your hair and the insoluble magnesium and calcium salts formed by the reaction between hard water and shampoo, washing your hair in hard water can leave it heavy and limp. To get the life back into your hair, you need to start washing it in soft water, which can remove the buildup of salts and excess shampoo. The easiest way to make soft water available for your daily shower is to get a plumber to install a water softener, which automatically removes minerals from your water supply before it gets to your taps.