Just as with any appliance, a water softener needs to be routinely cleaned to maintain optimal performance. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to clean a water softener frequently — roughly once or twice every five years should be adequate.

If you notice dark stains near the water line in the brine (salt) tank, you should clean it now! Those dark stains are mold. You don't want mold, fungi, or bacteria to thrive in your water softener.

Over time, the resin beads in your water softener can become contaminated with dirt and other debris, which can reduce the effectiveness of the softener. If you don't service your water softener regularly, you may experience a variety of problems, including reduced water pressure, clogged pipes, and more.

Salt mushing occurs when the salt congeals into a thick sludge at the bottom of the brine tank. Salt mushing obstructs the water intake valve at the base of the brine tank. As the valve clogs, the brine tank will take on more and more water with each regeneration cycle.