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Water softening is the removal of calcium, magnesium, and certain other metal cations in hard water. The resulting soft water requires less soap for the same cleaning effort, as soap is not wasted bonding with calcium ions. Soft water also extends the lifetime of plumbing by reducing or eliminating scale build-up in pipes
Water for the laundry would be hand-carried, heated on a fire for washing, and then poured into a tub. This meant the amount of warm, soapy water was limited; it would be reused to wash the least soiled clothing, then to wash progressively dirtier laundry. Removal of soap and water from the clothing after washing was a separate process.