A substance or device that makes something less hard, stiff, or harsh, commonly used in laundry or water treatment.
From 'soften,' which comes from Old English 'softe' meaning 'soft' or 'gentle.' The suffix '-er' indicates something that performs the action of softening.
Water softeners remove minerals by trading hard minerals like calcium and magnesium for sodium ions—it's a chemical swap that happens automatically in your pipes!
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