Can You Eat Water Softener Salt?

Water softeners function by adding salt to the water, to help remove potentially harmful minerals such as magnesium and calcium.

Magnesium and calcium are essential human minerals, but can be hard to digest.

Water softeners can save your life, while also giving you clean and healthy water to drink.

But, are they edible?

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Can You Eat Water Softener Salt?

Ingesting small amounts of water softener salt will not significantly impact health, but water softener salt eaten in large quantities can be harmful. Water softener salt is potentially poisonous to your health and may have drastic effects.

What Makes Water Softener Salt A Safe Eating Option?

We know it is a concern for some people that water softener salt may be harmful if consumed.

Since regular salt is generally used in water softeners, sodium chloride (minerals in salt) is not toxic when ingested in moderation.

What Should I do in a Survival Situation?

If you’re ever out in the wilderness, and you know think some water recently had some water softener salt poured in, you should ingest small amounts to stay hydrated, and continue to look for resources that have clean water.

If you suspect the water softener salt has been in there a while, it’s completely safe to drink the water.

However, if you believe your electrolytes are low and potentially need additional salt, eating actual water softener salt may prove to be life-saving and is suggested in small quantities.

Eat a small portion to rebalance your electrolytes, and continue your search for more resources.

Remember to carry some with you.

Benefits of Using Water Softener Salt As An Edible

Water softener salt can sometimes be a beneficial food to eat because it helps to keep our electrolytes high, and in really drastic situations, keep your blood pressure regular preventing heart disease.

While some people choose not to use a water softener with salt due to concerns about ingestion, It’s important to remember that water softener salt’s safe usage is based on quantity.

Different Types of Edible Water Softening Salts

There are many edible water softener salts, each with unique properties that can be useful in specific applications.

The most popular edible food grade salt includes sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride.

Remember to check the ingredients on the bag/bottle for which the main ingredient is in your water softening salt!

Rock Salt

Rock salt is a mineral that has been used as a hard water softener for centuries.

It is cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly to soften water and works by absorbing excessive amounts of calcium and magnesium from the water.

This causes the hardness of the water to decrease, making it easier to drink and use.

The chemical process is straightforward: when rock salt comes into contact with water, it reacts with these two minerals and absorbs them.

Rock salt is a mineral that has been used for many years to soften water.

The Egyptians and Romans used it in public fountains and the Babylonians’ private baths, and it can be used in public fountains and private pools without harming public health.

Solar Salts

Solar salt is one of the best hard water softeners because they work rapidly and are safe for the environment.

They also produce less waste than other softeners, making them more environmentally friendly.

It is a good choice for people who want to soften their water quickly and without spending too much money.

The worst part about solar salts is that they aren’t a permanent solution.

Once the water has run through the solar salt long enough, it will degrade and become less effective.

However, depending on your setup at the campsite/cabin, you can use them for a few years before replacing them.

Evaporated Salt

Evaporated salt is one of the best hard water softeners because it is non-toxic, easy to handle, and has a high clean-up rate.

Also, evaporated salt is the only wholly soluble salt, making it very easy to control the evaporation rate.

The salt evaporates depending on the water’s temperature, and high temperatures are required to keep salts dissolved in hot water.

Therefore, salts must be added slowly to prevent over-evaporation so they can be removed as they evaporate.

Is Using Hardwater Softener Salt for Cooking Purposes Safe?

Hardwater softener salt is a common ingredient in many home kitchens, and it’s a coarse salt processed to remove all the hardness and minerals from water.

Many assume that cooking with hard water softener salt is safe, but this isn’t always the case.

Water treated with hard water softener salt can contain harmful concentrations of magnesium, calcium, and other minerals.

In addition, these salts can react with food and create poisonous compounds that can harm your health (and teeth).

Again, this is a quantity game. Make sure the amounts that you are taking are realistic and make sense.

How to Use Hardwater Softener Salt In the Kitchen?

Hardwater softener salt can be used in place of regular table salt if the correct salt is being used in the softener, always double-check that it is not potassium or another type of salt.

As an ingredient, it can be used in any recipe that calls for salt, and it is commonly used as a finishing salt on meats and fish.

The mineral content of hard water softener salt varies depending on how it is sourced; it is usually derived from evaporated seawater and contains minerals like calcium and magnesium.

When using it as an ingredient, these minerals melt raw flesh and are also helpful in sustaining melted ice for long storage.

Is Unprocessed Sodium Chloride salt safe for eating?

Sodium chloride is a mineral found in salt, and it is also found in processed foods, comes in packaged canning, and can be eaten without worries.

However, everyone should avoid excessive salt intake as it can increase their chances of contracting different heart diseases.

Sodium Chloride is the common salt used for cooking in homes and restaurants.

Distinguishing Features of Canning Salt and Water Softener Salt?

Canning salt is a type of salt used for vegetables and fruits.

On the other hand, a water softener is a type of salt used to soften water, while bath salts are usually Epsom salts utilized in the bath (mostly for healing purposes).

While all of these have a place out in the wilderness, canning salt has a higher mineral content than water softener salt and bath salts, making it better for preserving foods.

Steps of testing Water Softener Salt for Normal Table Salt

Salt is an essential part of a water softener; it helps remove the water’s hardness and prevent build-up on appliances and fixtures.

Three basic steps to put regarding conducting a test for water softener salt for regular table salts :

Dissolve

To dissolve the salt, it should be placed in a pot and covered with water.

The pot should then be heated until all of the salt has dissolved.

Precipitate

To precipitate the salt, a small amount of vinegar should be added to the dissolved salt solution and mixed in well.

The solution will turn cloudy or milky white when the vinegar is added.

Filter

The last step is to filter out any impurities by pouring the solution through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.

The salt should be tested for normal table salts, and the results should be used to determine the amount of sodium chloride in the water.

Potassium Chloride and Its Relation to Water Softener

Throughout the rest of the article, we break down what water softener salt is, and how a KCL (Potassium Chloride) has made a claim as a primary component in water softener salt.

Though, this newfound relationship doesn’t come without its fallbacks.

Is Potassium Chloride the best Alternative for Sodium Chloride Softener Salt?

There has been an increase in the trend of people turning to potassium chloride as an alternative to water softening salt.

This is due to the many benefits of potassium over traditional water softener salt.

First and foremost, It is cheaper and easier to procure than traditional water softener salt.

Second, KCL (Potassium Chloride) does not contain harmful chemicals or pollutants that can harm the environment.

Lastly, softener salt made with Potassium Chloride is still effective at removing hardness from water.

Impact of Switching Sodium Salt to Potassium

Switching from sodium salt to potassium may negatively affect your health.

Sodium chloride is the most common table salt type, while potassium chloride is normally used in metals, medicine, and food processing.

That was until recently, we started to see a blend.

Bath salts (Epsom Salts) have a similar composition to regular table salts (like the ones in water softening salt), but sodium chloride has a lower melting point than potassium chloride, making it more likely to dissolve in lukewarm water. (See More)

Potassium chloride can also cause intestinal problems, such as constipation and diarrhea.

Potassium chloride can affect your health in other ways, such as causing heart arrhythmias and excess potassium levels.

However, many have seen success curing hypokalemia with potassium chloride, stating the increase of potassium (that their diet is lacking) has helped them on long hikes and other wilderness activities. (More On This)

Can You Eat Series (Other Articles)

Knowing what can or cannot be eaten outdoors is essential for survival.

That is why we have many pieces going over other foods found outdoors, noting if they can be consumed or not.

Some of those articles can be found here:

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

In conclusion, water softeners are a great way to reduce magnesium and calcium hardness in your water.

While these minerals are essential for human health, they can be hard to digest, and softened water can reduce these minerals and make drinking your water easier.

In addition, softening salt is a vital thing to have in your home.

Not only do they soften the water, but they also remove other minerals and chemicals from the water.

This is important for both your health and your appliances.

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Jack Kaplan

Jack has spent years refining his knowledge so that if SHTF - He's ready. An expert in many things wilderness, he's here to share his expertise with you throughout this website.