How to Drain Water Softener Brine and Resin Tanks

Water softeners are the best solution to preventing the effects of harsh minerals that can wreak havoc on our homes’ appliances and plumbing. Normally, you won’t need to drain a water softener, but there are several reasons why you might need to resort to this effort.

We’ve been testing and using water softeners in our own homes for over a decade, so we have first-hand experience in proper water softener draining practices.

Here, we’ve delved into why you might need to drain a water softener, and shared our top recommended methods on how to successfully drain the brine and resin tanks.

🪣 Our Top Recommended Method: Scoop Out The Water

A simple method of draining your water softener’s brine tank is to scoop out the water using a large scoop, cup, bowl, or bucket.

Follow these steps:

1. Get a bucket, scoop, bowl, or cup that fits inside the brine tank.
2. Scoop out the water and dump it into a bigger bucket or container.
3. When the big bucket is full, empty the water down a suitable drain.
4. Repeat the process until you’ve removed as much water as possible, then disconnect the tank and dump the remaining water in a floor drain.

🔩 Great For Brine and Resin Tanks: Use a Shop Vac/ Wet Vac

Another simple way to drain a water softener tank is by using a shop vac or a wet vac. Make sure the vacuum you use is suitable for sucking up water.

Here’s what to do:

To drain the brine tank:

1. Plug in and switch on the wet vac.
2. Submerge the end of the cleaning wand into the brine solution.
3. Vacuum up the water, periodically checking the water level inside the vacuum.
4. Empty the vacuum into a suitable drain. You may need to vacuum in batches.

To drain the resin tank:

1. Program the water softener to automatically regenerate.
2. Activate the bypass valve once the softener starts backwashing.
3. Place a bucket beneath the system and detach the drain and brine lines from the resin tank.
4. Skip the rest of the regeneration cycle.
5. Unscrew the control head (on top of the tank) and remove the riser tube.
6. Plug in and switch on the wet vac.
7. Submerge the end of the cleaning wand into the tank opening.
8. Vacuum up the water, periodically checking the water level inside the vacuum.
9. Empty the vacuum into a suitable drain. You may need to vacuum in batches.

📥 Quick & Easy: Remove the Brine Well & Dump the Water

To get rid of all the water in the brine tank as quickly as possible, you can dump the water out of the tank.

Tip: Ask a friend to help you with this one! The brine tank will be heavy if it’s full of water.

Here’s what to do:

1. Shut off your water supply, then detach the brine tank’s inlet and outlet valves.
2. Remove the brine float and the overflow elbow (if the tank has one).
3. Pull out the brine well (the cylindrical barrier that protects the safety float from the brine solution).
4. Lift and tilt the brine tank over a floor drain so that the water drains out of the tank.
5. Continue until all the water has drained.

🚰 For Working Softeners: Program a Manual Regeneration Cycle

You can also flush the water out of the brine tank by programming your softener to perform a manual regeneration cycle.

This method is only suitable if your water softener can perform a proper regeneration cycle. We don’t recommend it if the system is clogged or leaking.

Follow these steps (check your user manual for specific instructions for your model):

1. Locate your water softener’s control head.
2. Program the softener to manually regenerate. Most systems have a “regenerate” button – press this.
3. Wait for the system water to be sucked out of the salt tank through the brine line during regeneration.
4. Press the “regenerate” button again to skip the brine cycle, preventing the brine tank from refilling.
5. Continue to skip all the other phases of the regeneration cycle which would take extra time.
6. Shut off your water softener and engage the bypass to divert water away from the unit to prevent the brine tank from refilling.

The exact process of scheduling a manual regeneration depends on the type of water softener system you own.

🛢 Good for Resin Tanks: Pump Out The Water With a Compressor

The best way to drain the resin tank is to program a manual regeneration, then bypass the system once backwashing begins and pump the water out of the tank with a compressor.

Follow these steps:

1. Program the water softener to regenerate.
2. Once the softener starts backwashing, activate the bypass valve to isolate the softener from your plumbing and prevent water from flowing into the tank.
3. Place a bucket beneath the softener and detach the drain line from the resin tank.
4. Detach the brine line (connecting the resin tank to the salt tank).
5. Skip the rest of the regeneration cycle.
6. Shut off your water supply, then detach the inlet and outlet valves.
7. Attach a compressor to the inlet and outlet valves, then attach copper tubing connecting to a garden hose.
8. Place a bucket on the floor and direct the hose into the bucket.
9. Wait until all the water has drained. You may need to work in batches.

🤔 Why Drain A Water Softener?

When your water softener is functioning properly, you shouldn’t need to drain it. But there are a few reasons why you might need to drain a water softener, including:

• To deep-clean the brine tank, particularly if there’s a buildup of impurities or salt mushing at the bottom of the tank that’s restricting the brine line.
• To replace the resin in the resin tank. Draining the water from the tank will make it easier to lift and pour out the resin.
• If the softener is clogged/overflowing. There are a few causes of an overflowing water softener, but before you troubleshoot the issue, your first port of call should be to switch the system off and drain the tanks.
• If the softener is leaking. If you notice a leak from your water softener tank, pipes, or valves that can’t be easily remedied, you may need to shut off and drain the softener until you have time to troubleshoot the issue.

Note: We read information from another source that said you should drain your water softener to remove mineral deposits from the resin tank. This is incorrect. The resin gets flushed out when the system regenerates, so you don’t have to drain the system manually for this purpose!

📑 Final Word

We wanted to share our top methods for draining a water softener brine tank or resin tank, regardless of the reason for doing so. Hopefully, you can use this resource as guidance when draining your own water softener tanks. Just remember to check your user manual for specific instructions.

Related Article: Where to Drain Water Softener Backwash

❔ How to Drain A Water Softener: FAQ

Do water softeners need to be drained?

Water softeners don’t need to be drained when they’re functioning properly because they automatically flush and rinse their tanks. But if your softener is leaking, clogged, or overflowing, you might need to drain the tanks before you troubleshoot the issue. You might also need to drain the brine tank before deep-cleaning it, or drain the resin tank before you replace the resin.

How do you empty a water softener full of water?

The easiest and fastest way to empty a water softener full of water is to use a wet vac. If your water softener has a hose bib or a drainage tap, these also allow for fast drainage. Otherwise, you can scoop out the water with a bucket.

How long does it take to drain a water softener?

It takes 10-30 minutes to drain a water softener, depending on the method you use and how many steps you need to take. The fastest methods of draining a water softener are dumping the water, programming a manual regeneration, and using a wet vac.

Should there be standing water in brine tank?

If you have a wet salt tank water softener, then yes, there should be standing water in the tank all the time. If you have a dry salt tank water softener, there should only be water in the tank for a few hours before the system regenerates.

How do you remove brine from a water softener?

You can remove brine from a water softener by vacuuming it out of the salt tank with a wet vac, scooping it out with a bucket, or programming the softener to regenerate and pausing the cycle when the brine tank empties.