system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Household water softeners

I recently visited the US midwest where it seems everyone has a water softener in their house. Growing up with hard water, I was really annoyed at how my hands/body felt really soapy and slick after trying to wash off the soap I used. Also, it felt like the extra soapiness make my skin break out more. 

**ELI5:** Why do people use water softeners in the first place? Is there any advantage to having soft water over hard water, or vice versa?
gpt
Hard water is full of dissolved minerals in the water, typically calcium and magnesium. A water softener uses an ion exchanger to remove them, and replace them with sodium ions. 

Soft water reduces the calcium deposits that form in the pipes and shower glass. It also reduces soap scum buildup on shower tubs. As for that soapy slimy feeling, that's a personal preference issue from soft water, but soaps tend to work better in soft water compared to hard water.