Soft Water Washes

[SCP1]

Anyone have any thoughts as I’m looking to add a hot/cold water spicket in my garage. Obviously to use when washing the boat and cars. The concern is salt.

 

[SCP1]

Not a salt water boater here, but read many comments from those on here that are and have seen alot of discussions recommending a product called Salt Away.

Salt-Away Home Page

All fresh water use, referring to the hot water uses the water softener (salt).

 

[WildBillF1]

I have a water softener, washing the boat and vehicle has never been an issue. The water softener doesn't turn the water into salt water, it's an ion exchange that removes calcium and other minerals, to remover water hardness. My softener also has a bypass, so the house can go back to hard water immediately if I chose to do so.

 

[SCP1]

I have a water softener, washing the boat and vehicle has never been an issue. The water softener doesn't turn the water into salt water, it's an ion exchange that removes calcium and other minerals, to remover water hardness. My softener also has a bypass, so the house can go back to hard water immediately if I chose to do so.

Thanks, that’s what I was looking for. I kinda figured that would be the case but just wanted to make sure before I went ahead and did this.

 

[Dixie Highway]

The softener actually exchanges the sodium ion for the calcium, lime , magnesium, or other hardness ion in the water. The chloride part of the salt is rinsed away, so really soft water isn’t “salty” like sea water, it’s just slightly higher in sodium. In WI I’d imagine about 340-400 ppm. FYI, you’ll still want to dry or you’ll get water spots still. They’ll just be easier to remove.

 

[2kwik4u]

The softener actually exchanges the sodium ion for the calcium, lime , magnesium, or other hardness ion in the water. The chloride part of the salt is rinsed away, so really soft water isn’t “salty” like sea water, it’s just slightly higher in sodium. In WI I’d imagine about 340-400 ppm. FYI, you’ll still want to dry or you’ll get water spots still. They’ll just be easier to remove.

Mr Clean used to sell a product years ago that I haven't been able to find lately that helped tremendously with water spots. It was essentially a filter that you could screw onto the end of your hose that would pull something out of the water that helped with water spots NOT forming in the first place. I used it a couple times, loved it, went to buy more and haven't found it since. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

 

[Dixie Highway]

Probably a little mini mixed bed DI tank. I’ve seen setups like that from detailers. Honestly guys, you’re really much easier and cheaper to just dry the thing. Truly purified water isn’t cheap or easy to accomplish at home in the quantities needed to rinse a vehicle.

 

[SCP1]

Mr Clean used to sell a product years ago that I haven't been able to find lately that helped tremendously with water spots. It was essentially a filter that you could screw onto the end of your hose that would pull something out of the water that helped with water spots NOT forming in the first place. I used it a couple times, loved it, went to buy more and haven't found it since. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

That stuff was great, I could not agree (still can’t figure out why they don’t make that stuff anymore).

 

[2kwik4u]

Probably a little mini mixed bed DI tank. I’ve seen setups like that from detailers. Honestly guys, you’re really much easier and cheaper to just dry the thing. Truly purified water isn’t cheap or easy to accomplish at home in the quantities needed to rinse a vehicle.

I 100% agree.....However, having a black truck in a house with no trees makes washing/drying somewhat difficult without getting at least a few water spots. I literally can't get it sprayed and then dried from top/bottom before I get spots on it in the summer time.

 

[Mainah]

I know a private yacht captian and we were dicussing what kind of work is involved. He mentioned that they have a high volume reverse osmosis system on board that they use for everything including cleaning even when shore water source is available. RO is the gold standard of water purification as far as I am aware and while a bit pricey not terribly hard to install for a single faucet if power and drain nearby.

I have pretty good domestic utility water where I live now but could tell not as good that the water I had where I lived before. I installed a whole home media and and activated charcoal system and could immediately tell the difference.

Putting an inline rv water filter on a hose may make somewhat of a difference.

 

[Gym]

I've been boating in salt water, exclusively, for 7 years now. When out of the water I rinse the trailer then the boat with Salt Away. Then while flushing the engines I'm towel drying the exterior.

 

[Elliott]

You can buy de-ionizer filter systems for cars and boats. A decent home grade system from CRspotless costs about $450, and the chemical pack will give you about 100 gallons of water. The replacement packs are $70 for another 100 gallons. It is not worth it to me. Just make sure your wax/sealant layer is in good shape, and that will prevent the water spot from bonding to your paint or gel coat.