If your home is beset by hard water, you may be wondering if basic, at-home water filters can soften it for you. That would certainly be a convenient fix! For example, can PUR water filters remove hardness from tap water?
PUR filters do not remove significant quantities of calcium or magnesium from water and thus cannot be used as a water softener. However, a variety of solutions do exist for removing hardness from the kitchen and shower water.
Keep reading to learn more about what PUR filters can remove, the benefits and risks of hard water, and how to address a hard water situation in your home.
Read my articles What Does a PUR Filter Remove – 15 Surprising Contaminants and Do Pitcher Filters Remove Hardness and Minerals.
Table of Contents
Can PUR Filters Soften My Water?
PUR water softeners are adept at removing various harmful minerals and substances from tap water, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and even trace quantities of hormones, pesticides, and medications.
But one thing PUR water filters can not do is adequately remove the calcium and magnesium that makes water hard. PUR filters are simply not certified to soften water, and any amounts of calcium and magnesium removed are too minute to describe the filtered water as anything but hard and calcium-rich.
While PUR can eliminate chlorine and improve the taste and smell of your tap water, it can not act as a water softener for tap or bath water. So what is causing hard water in your home? Where do calcium and magnesium come from, anyway?
| Key Takeaway |
| PUR filters cannot remove hardness from drinking water |
| Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium |
| Hard water can cause skin, hair, and pipe issues, as well as reduce soap effectiveness |
| Point-of-use or point-of-entry water softener systems can help soften water |
| Reverse osmosis or water distillation units can also soften water |
| PUR filters are effective at removing contaminants like lead, mercury, arsenic, chlorine, and pesticides |
Read my other articles about pitcher filters and hardness:
Do ZeroWater Filters Remove Hardness?
Do Brita Filters Remove Hardness? What You Need to Know
Why is My Home’s Water Hard?
Hard water is simply water that contains higher-than-average levels of calcium and magnesium.
These minerals in your tap water have been picked up as the water traveled through soil, rock, and over land. H2O tends to pick up large quantities of minerals and other substances as it works its way through the water cycle, and calcium is one of those minerals that readily and easily dissolve in water and can be tougher to filter.
The sources of this calcium and magnesium are, therefore, natural, and you don’t have to worry about these substances being toxic or industrial in origin. In moderate and digestible quantities, calcium and magnesium are good for the human body, promoting strong bones, improving heart health, and acting as anti-inflammatories.
This doesn’t sound so bad, and indeed hard water is generally safe to drink. So why would you want to soften water, anyway? If calcium and magnesium are safe to consume, why would I want to eliminate them?
What Are the Risks of Hard Water?
So what makes hard water so undesirable? While generally safe to drink, hard water can make it more difficult to wash your dishes, as it tends to decrease the effectiveness of soaps and detergents. It also leaves spots on glass and can sometimes lead to mild indigestion in small children if calcium levels are exceptionally high.
Hard water can also cause damage to pipes, can reduce water flow in sinks and faucets, and reduce water pressure throughout a home, leading to costly repairs or replacements.
Hard water is especially risky in the shower, as it can cause several skin and hair issues, ranging from mildly annoying to physically painful. These include:
- Dull or damaged hair
- Significant hair loss
- Dry and itchy skin
- Worsening eczema
- Inefficient soap and shampoo
- Soap residue left behind on the skin
None of these effects are pleasant, and some may even leave you uncomfortable or struggling with the emotional stress of noticeable hair loss. Hard water can also cost you extra money on soap, detergent, shampoo, and dishwashing liquid, as you’ll have to use more to get dishes, hair, and skin clean.
So if PUR water filters are not the solution to softening water at home, what options exist? How can I eliminate calcium and magnesium from my home’s water?
How Can I Soften My Water at Home?
The easiest way to soften water at home is with a point-of-use or point-of-origin water softener system. A point-of-use system is relatively affordable and will simply attach to an existing tap or shower head.
A point-of-entry water softener system typically attaches to plumbing in your basement and softens all water in your pipes. Both systems use ionized beads to help draw away calcium and magnesium and replace it with sodium ions. Your water will be softer and will acquire slightly higher levels of sodium.
While this sodium should not be strong enough for most people to taste, those with high blood pressure or sodium intake restrictions should consult a physician before drinking softened water. These same risks are lowered or eliminated in the shower, where soft water is simply gentle on skin and hair as opposed to ingested.
Finally, a reverse osmosis system or water distillation unit will also eliminate calcium and magnesium from your home’s water, though these devices tend to cost more than dedicated water softeners. A reverse osmosis or distillation unit is ideal for those with multiple water contamination concerns who want truly pure water at home without having to buy bottled water.
Conclusion
PUR water filters can not meaningfully filter calcium and magnesium from water and are, therefore, unable to act as water softeners. Calcium and magnesium are safe and beneficial in natural quantities and find their way into drinking water through the water cycle. However, they can cause hair and skin problems in the shower, as well as reduce the effectiveness of soap and shampoo.
Buying a water softener system, either for individual taps or for the entire home, is the best way to soften your home’s water. These systems use ionized beads to draw away calcium and magnesium and replace them with sodium. This makes water soft but adds small quantities of sodium to your water. A reverse osmosis and water distillation system will also soften water.
While PUR filters can not soften water, they are still excellent at straining out lead, mercury, arsenic, chlorine, and pesticides. Feel free to use PUR filters to make water safer and tastier while using water softeners to help eliminate calcium and magnesium.
Read my other articles about PUR filters:
Do PUR Filters Remove Chlorine?
Do PUR Filters Remove Fluoride?
Do PUR Filters Remove Lead?
Do PUR Filters Remove PFAS?