Do Water Softeners Remove Chlorine?
does a water softener remove chlorine
Standard water softeners do not remove chlorine. They are designed to eliminate hardness minerals like calcium and magnesium through ion exchange, not to filter out chemicals such as chlorine or chloramine.
How Water Softeners Work
Softeners use a resin bed to exchange sodium ions for hardness ions. Chlorine, added by municipalities for disinfection, passes through unchanged unless the system includes a special carbon filter or hybrid unit.
- Ion exchange targets minerals only
- Chlorine remains in softened water
- Can damage softener resin over time
Solutions for Chlorine Removal
To remove chlorine, install an activated carbon filter either before or after the softener. Whole-house systems or point-of-use filters effectively reduce chlorine, improving taste and protecting appliances.
For comprehensive water treatment, combine a softener with a filtration system tailored to your water's specific contaminants.