How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Clothes
You know you have hard water when your laundry appears gray, dingy and stiff after washing. Hard water stains look like gray or white streaks on your colored fabrics. The cause of hard water comes from magnesium and calcium--the more these minerals appear in the water, the harder the water becomes. Hard water also does not clean well. The magnesium and calcium combines with the soap, creating a scum on your clothes. You must use more detergent when washing your clothes in hard water. However, when you use an acid like white vinegar on hard water stains, the stains dissolve. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Hard water-stained clothing
- White distilled vinegar
- Water conditioner
- Low-sudsing, phosphate detergent
- Bleach (optional)
- Baking soda (optional)
- Washing machine
Instructions
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Vinegar Method
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Spot treat hard water stains by soaking your stained clothing in one gallon of warm water with one cup of white distilled vinegar for 12 hours. You can also fill your washer with warm water, then add a cup of vinegar for every gallon of water. Let the clothes sit for 12 hours.
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2
Wash your clothes as usual in your washing machine. Use detergent made to soften hard water, such as a biodegradable detergent without perfumes.
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3
Run a second wash cycle adding bleach this time, unless you have a washer full of colored clothing.
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4
Wash a third time, or second time if you did not add bleach, using the same detergent.
Dry your clothes in the dryer.
Water Conditioner Method
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Select the hottest water possible for the fabric type and fill your washing machine with it. Detergents work best with hot water.
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Add four times the usual amount of low-sudsing, phosphate detergent plus one cup of water conditioner to the washer.
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Let the washer run just enough to get your clothes wet, then soak the clothes for 12 hours or overnight.
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Drain the washer without letting it wash the clothes, and select the spin cycle.
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Select the regular cycle and wash your clothes using one cup of water conditioner and no detergent. Repeat if you continue to see dingy, gray clothing, using one cup of water conditioner and no detergent. Add a safe bleach for your fabric if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Install a water softener system to your water lines if not on a sodium-restricted diet. The sodium replaces the calcium and magnesium to soften all of your water, preventing hard water stains.
Add a cup of baking soda to your wash if you do not have water conditioner. Baking soda softens the water to prevent hard water stains.
References
Resources
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