Resin Cleaners
To prevent the buildup of iron and manganese in the water softener, a cleaner can be added to the brine solution. The typical dosage of cleaner is 1 pint to 50 gallons of brine.
There are many powdered or liquid resin cleaners. Some of the available products include ResUp, Super Iron Out, and Industrial Cleaner 3105.
The simplest, but more expensive, method is to use salt and resin cleaners. These salt products inhibit iron buildup in the water softener and remove iron buildup on the resin during each regeneration cycle.
The most popular salt products are Morton Rust Remover and Diamond Crystal Red-Out.
In some areas, iron can be present in the form of organic compounds. Such iron-based organic compounds carry a negative or anionic charge. These organo-iron compounds can be removed by anion exchange resins.
However, these compounds can accumulate and foul cation exchange resins in high concentrations. Resins fouled with organic iron require a brine/alkali soak.
The resin is typically soaked overnight, rinsed thoroughly, regenerated with brine, and then returned to service.
The following is a typical procedure for cleaning organically contaminated cation resins:
Backwash the resin thoroughly. Regenerate the resin in the normal manner using twice the normal brine dosage.
Isolate the softener by closing the valve at the main outlet.
Depressurize and remove the upper manhole cover or container head.
Lower the water level until it is 3 inches above the resin bed.
Add caustic soda solution.
Drain the solution from the bottom of the softener until it is just above the resin bed.
Soak in the alkaline solution for three to four hours.
Drain the alkaline solution.
Pass the spent caustic solution through a neutralizer before draining it to the sewer.
Replace the manhole cover or container cap.
Flush the softener in a downstream mode until the water is clear.
Regenerate the resin using twice the normal brine dosage.
Regenerate again under normal operating conditions.
