Are your sheets, clothes and towels looking dull and faded or do they feel harsh and rough to the skin? Do you have powdery residue left on clean clothes? The problem could be the water you are using to wash your clothes. So what is the problem when hard water and fabrics mix?
Hard water is defined as having high levels of calcium and magnesium; the greater the concentration of these minerals, the harder the water. With a high concentration of these minerals in the water, unless the water is treated, the calcium and magnesium attach to the fabric in a laundry load and leave clothing and linens feeling stiff and covered with a residue that dulls color. In excessively hard water, the fabric fibres can actually break and create holes due to the amount of mineral coating.
There are several unmistakable signs that hard water is having a negative effect on your clothes and linens. The most noticable is a general dinginess, greying, or yellowing of the fabrics which makes them look old and worn far more quickly. These fabrics will also feel stiff and rough to the touch which can make them unpleasant to use or wear. You will also notice white or grey streaks on coloured fabrics where the water has evaporated, leaving behind mineral deposits. Not just appearance problems howver. As the hard water does not combine well with detergents, it is harder for soil build-up on clothing to be washed away leaving them in an unhygenic state. Finally, constant exposure to hard water leaves fabrics with a weakening of fibres which will cause them to tear more easily.
In hard water, rather than cleaning the clothes, most of the ingredients in your laundry detergent become attached to the minerals in the water. This means that you will need to wash at a much higher temperature than usual and use up to 30 percent more detergent in order to get satisfactory cleaning results. Having to use more detergent is expensive and higher water temperatures can damage clothes and costs more money in energy bills.
Rather than tackle the problem by using more laundry detergent, it is far better to use softened water in your washing machine. The simple answer to this is to get a water softener installed in your home. Studies have revealed that by using softened water in washing machines, detergent use can be reduced by 50 percent and that water temperatures can be reduced to 30 degrees and under whilst still achieving the same or better stain removal and cleaning. Further research has found that significant savings were noted for all levels of hardness, when the water used in your washing machine is softened. Specifically for stain removal, half of the entire amount of manufacturers' recommended levels of detergent is needed for softened water compared to hard water. It has been found that using softer water is better at removing stains than increased water temperature or more detergent being used. We have a range of water softeners to suit all households, many of which are small enough to fit under your kitchen sink.
If you are noticing the signs that hard water and fabrics are not good together, please get in touch and we can let you know what your best options are. Finally, for those who already have a water softener, we also sell a laundry detergent specifically designed to work with softened water. You can by it in our online salt shop or why not ask for your free sample next time you place an order for salt?
