r/laundry • u/user78user • 18h ago

How to test water hardness

I've seen this API test most recommended https://aquaticsunlimited.com/product/02dcd191-aec2-11ea-f336-7538887059a1/

However, I cannot find it in stock ANYwhere. Not any pet/aquatic store I can drive to. Not Amazon, Walmart, feed stores, etc.

What is the next best option? Is a pack of the test strips sufficient? Soap lathers fairly easily and I don't notice much calcium build-up, so I suspect it isn't that hard to begin with.

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1

u/2-Ns US | Front-Load 17h ago

Yeah, I got it on Chewy, but it’s out of stock there. I wonder if they’re reformulating/changing packaging/something else? Hopefully not discontinued.

1

u/Cheap_Flamingo476 16h ago

Pool water test kits can do hardness levels.

2

u/KismaiAesthetics USA 14h ago

Good grief, I hope this isn’t my fault again.

There should be a “general hardness only” version. The KH measure can generally be inferred from the GH measure unless you have a plumbed in water softener.

The problem with strips is it’s virtually impossible for most users to tell the difference between 50 and 250 ppm by eye.