Morton softener salt quality getting worse?

[dc4517]

I'm coming across an issue with Morton softener salt purchased from Home Depot where the pellets are no longer white, but now a greyish, brownish, dirty color. Hopefully this is visible in the photos that I attached. Earlier bags with this color salt pellet didn't leave any residue, but just made the water brownish in color. My current bags of salt are now leaving a visible residue, which you can hopefully see on the sides of my tank in the photos. I'm concerned that it's going to clog up my softener as it's recharging.

Are you finding this issue as a common one? Are there other brands of softener salt that I should consider? My local Home Depot only has Morton.

I'm debating on whether to empty out the remaining salt in my talk and clean up the residue. Not relishing that task.

 

[Charlie Bosco]

WOW!!! I'd send those photos directly to Morton Customer Service.. is it superficial? or is that all the way through the pellets?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[dc4517]

The entire pellet is consistent (i.e. it is not just the surface of the pellet). I have reached out to Morton directly and waiting to hear back. I read a review on Home Depot's website of someone else coming across the same thing, and they showed it to Home Depot staff in the store. They examined every bag of Morton's Clean and Protect (yellow), and they were all the same brownish pellet. I have yet to do the same with my local Home Depot store.

Any suggested alternatives? Not sure who else produces softener salt of good quality.

 

[ditttohead]

Most salt is locally sourced. Shipping 50 pound bags of cheap stuff is difficult as shipping can quickly cost more than the product. This is common with items like gravel. We purchase 40,000 pounds every couple of weeks, the shipping is way more than the gravel. Morton pellets in California are not likely the same as Morton pellets in New York. I would try the solar crystal salt they have available to you locally, see if that is any better. Regardless, this is normal and cleaning your brine tank should be done regularly if your locally sourced salt is dirty.

 

[Reach4]

Diamond should be good. Costco carries 50 lb bags, but smaller in the iron-treating verison.

I have not opened my latest Morton Clean and Protect Water Softener Pellets (44 lbs.) from, Sams.

 

[ErnieO]

The entire pellet is consistent (i.e. it is not just the surface of the pellet). I have reached out to Morton directly and waiting to hear back. I read a review on Home Depot's website of someone else coming across the same thing, and they showed it to Home Depot staff in the store. They examined every bag of Morton's Clean and Protect (yellow), and they were all the same brownish pellet. I have yet to do the same with my local Home Depot store.

Any suggested alternatives? Not sure who else produces softener salt of good quality.

I have noticed the same thing. I was at a customer's house who had been buying that salt and the tank was really dirty. I cleaned out the tank and switched over to Diamond Crystal Bright water softener salt pellets. Seems to be cleaner and not leaving the black film in the brine tanks.