If your home has hard water, which 85% of American homes do, then you also find yourself thinking, my shampoo isn't working like it used to! It is doing the same work, it's just your hair has a problem. Read on!

Hard water contains dissolved minerals, usually carbonates of the metal ions calcium and magnesium. Calcium sulfate and iron deposits are also not unusual. Hard metal ions found in water are positively charged. Hair is negatively charged. Positive and negative charges are attracted to one another. The result is hard water's metal ions will attach itself to the most negative charged areas of the hair, which happens to be the damaged areas.

The acids are called "chelating agents," and some examples are EDTA (ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid) and citric acid. They can be found in shampoos designed specifically to remove the hard water build-up of minerals on your hair. They are generally labeled as Chelating, Detox, or Clarifying shampoo.

Removing the hard water build-up each week with a chelating shampoo will not only make your regular shampoo better able to do it's job, but it will also improve the performance of your conditioner and hair mask. In fact, you may be happily surprised, if you first use that detoxifying shampoo and then apply the intensive hair mask.