If you have lifted the lid on your water softener and found a white, crusty build up of salt crystals around the cabinet, don’t panic. This is one of the most common things customers ring us about, and in almost every case it is completely harmless. It even has a name: salt creep.

What is salt creep?

Salt creep is the white, crystallised salt residue that slowly forms on and around the salt cabinet of a water softener. Customers describe it in all sorts of ways: salt build up, salt crystallisation, a salt crust, white powdery residue, salt bridge, or simply “salt crystals everywhere”. It is all the same thing, and it does not mean your softener is broken.

Why does salt creep happen?

Your water softener uses salt to make brine, which rinses and recharges the resin inside the machine. Salty water is surprisingly good at climbing. It wicks its way up surfaces, and when the water evaporates it leaves a thin layer of salt crystals behind. Those crystals then draw up more brine, which evaporates in turn, so the crust slowly “creeps” upwards and outwards.

That is all it is: brine plus evaporation. You can see the same effect around the rim of a jar of sea salt, or on harbour walls at the seaside.

Is salt creep a problem?

For the softener itself, no. It is cosmetic, and it is not a sign of a fault. That said, it is worth keeping on top of, for two reasons:

• Left for a long time, a heavy crust can spread onto the floor or nearby pipework and fittings, and salt is not kind to metal surfaces.
• A thick build up inside the cabinet in a block salt softener can jam the salt blocks and stop them going down, so the salt looks full, but it never touches the water. No brine is made, and your water will then go hard.

There are two tell-tale signs:

• Your softener doesn’t seem to be using any salt.
• Your water no longer feels soft.

If you spot either of these, just give us a ring on 01225 782216 and we will happily talk you through what to do. Free advice is part of what a local business is for.

How to clean and prevent salt build up

Cleaning it is easy, and no special products are required:

• Lift out the loose bits. Remove any loose crystals or flakes of crust by hand.
• Wipe down with warm water. A cloth and warm water is all you need, and the area can be dried off afterwards. Avoid any chemicals/cleaners, as warm water dissolves salt perfectly well on its own.
• Don’t overfill the cabinet. Keep to the salt level recommended for your machine, and make sure the lid sits properly closed.
• Use good quality salt. We stock the right block salt and tablet salt for every softener we sell, at our showroom in Holt.

Do that once in a while and salt creep will never be more than a minor bit of housekeeping.

When the crust is telling you something more

Salt creep on its own is nothing to worry about. But if your softener is getting on in years and the crust keeps coming back thicker than ever, or it is joined by leaks, heavier salt use, or water that never feels quite as soft as it used to, it may be time to think about changing your old water softener over for a new one.

Changing over an old water softener? We make it easy

We call it a “water softener change over”: out with the old machine, in with the new, all handled for you. When you buy your new softener from us:

• The change over work is free. We don’t charge for fitting.
• New stainless steel hoses are included. Your new machine gets a fresh, reliable connection rather than inheriting tired old fittings.
• You get a 10-year parts warranty. This comes as standard on every softener we sell.
• We are local. If you ever need help or advice, we can come to you. No distant call centre.

We supply and install Harvey and Kinetico non-electric softeners across Wiltshire, Bath and the West Country. If you are not sure which to go for, our guide to Harvey vs Kinetico is a good place to start.

Pop in or give us a call

Whether it is a bit of salt creep, a suspected fault, or a softener that has served its time, we are happy to help. Call us on 01225 782216, get in touch online, or visit our showroom in Holt. The kettle is always on.