Are you considering buying a water softener and are wondering where to get salt for your system?

Or perhaps you already have one and need to refill your brine tank?

Water softeners are designed to remove minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron from your water. While having minerals in your water can seem like a good thing, these specific minerals can damage your appliances, plumbing system and lead to dry skin and dingy clothes.

Now, to work efficiently, water softeners need to ‘’regenerate’’ every now and then. It means that all the minerals and impurities captured during the softening process must be flushed out. And to flush out these impurities and minerals, you need to add salt to your brine tank.

So, to help you find the salt you need for your water softener, we’ve listed below some shops you can visit and some of the most popular water softener salt brands available.

Buy Your Water Softener Salt From Your Local Store 

The first option is to purchase your water softener salt from your local home improvement store. Stores such as Walmart, Lowes, or The Home Depot all sell salt for water softeners. The major advantage of purchasing from your local store is that you’ll be able to talk to a water system expert. They’ll be able to advise you on the best type of salt for your water softener. 

Buy Your Water Softener Salt Online 

With the shift to online over the last few years, buying water softener salt online has never been easier. Not only do brick-and-mortar stores such as Walmart or The Home Depot all have websites you can purchase from, but you’ll also be able to browse more options from online platforms such as Amazon. Some of these stores also offer free delivery depending on the amount of your total purchase, so if you’re time-poor and know what you need, this is a great option. 

What Are the Most Popular Water Softener Salt Products? 

Morton 40-LD System Water

Morton is one of the most popular brands out there when it comes to salt for water softeners.

This particular product enjoys raving reviews, so we had to include it on our list.

These Morton 40LD water softener pellets have been designed to help decrease the buildup inside your plumbing system and appliances. The manufacturer also mentions that using these pellets will help keep your skin and hair soft while preventing staining on your dishes, glassware, and water fixtures.

Depending on the size of your household, you’ll need between two and four bags a month for the regeneration process to be efficient.

And the bonus is that The Home Depot offers bulk prices in case you want to stock up for the year ;)

Diamond Crystal Potassium Chloride Crystals

If you have high iron levels in your water, these crystals can be a great solution!

Iron causes rust stains on your laundry, water fixtures, and appliances.

These Diamond Crystal Potassium Chloride Crystals are specifically designed to decrease the iron in your water - in addition to calcium and magnesium. And the reason it has made it on our list of the best salt for water softeners is that it’s another product that comes highly recommended online.

The crystals contain 99.6% pure salt, meaning that they’re highly efficient at softening your water and protecting your appliances. And because the company is 100% confident in the quality of their product, it even comes with a warranty!


Cargill Salt 7304 Crystals


The Cargill Salt Crystals can be used with commercial or residential water softeners. These crystals dissolve very slowly and are extremely efficient at preserving the resin bed located inside of the brine tank, making your water softener last for longer. 

Also, using these crystals will help avoid salt mushing, decrease calcium and magnesium levels in your water and prevent salt bridges from forming.

Many customer reviews mention that these crystals are much more efficient than rock salt.

Some other products we recommend include:

  • Morton 40E Solar Salt
  • Morton U26624S
  • Cargill Salt 7376

What To Consider When Buying Salt For Your Water Softener?

At FilterSmart, we specialize in manufacturing high-quality filters and water softeners made in the USA. We’re passionate about helping our clients access pure water for themselves and their family and that’s why we always recommend that customers talk to water system experts like us when wondering what products to buy. 

So, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss what salt brand you should use for your water softener.

Alternatively, as a general rule of thumb, here are a few things you need to consider:

  • The type of salt you want: solar sea salt, rock salt, salt crystals, potassium chloride, or evaporated salt pellets.
  • The level of purity you want for your salt.
  • Your water hardness and usage.
  • Your budget.
  • Your maintenance preferences.