Reusable water softener system for clothes washer

The method of softening water for a vertical axis clothes washer having a tub and an agitator, comprising the following steps:

• a. placing a water softening device around the agitator and attaching it to the agitator for movement therewith, said device having a housing with a reservoir at the top thereof for receiving water, a plurality of vertical channels radially disposed around the agitator and extending from the reservoir to the bottom of the housing, a cation exchange resin containing chamber within the housing, the top of said chamber having a water outlet and the bottom a water inlet, and a pump chamber located between the bottom of each channel and the resin containing chamber, said pump chamber having pumping means to provide water pumping force,
• b. introducing water into the tub,
• c. operating the agitator in an oscillatory back and forth motion thereby oscillating the water softener device,
• d. recirculating water from the tub into the reservoir of the water softener device during oscillation of the device,
• e. flowing water from the reservoir downwardly through the vertical channels to the bottom of the housing,
• f. pumping water from the bottom of the housing upwardly through the cation exchange resin to thereby remove calcium and magnesium ions from the water to effect a reduction of hardness of the water, and
• g. discharging the softened water from the water softening device into the tub.