Water Softener Salt FAQs

Water softener salt is a specially formulated salt used to regenerate the resin inside a water softener system. During the softening process, the resin collects hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium. The brine solution made by the salt is then used to flush these minerals away during the regeneration stage, so the system can continue to work effectively. 

Head to our guide on how water softeners work to learn more about this process. 

The amount of salt a water softener uses depends on your water hardness and household water usage. On average, one person will usually use around 4kg – or one block – of salt per month. Our Kinetico water softeners are designed to be highly efficient, only using the amount of salt needed to regenerate based on actual water usage. 

Most traditional water softeners, including our Kinetico softener systems, use a brine solution to regenerate the softening resin. There are salt-free systems available that use alternative methods, but these are generally less effective in hard water areas. For true softening and long-term protection against limescale, a salt-based system is the most reliable option.