Water softeners

bumpuser5078523

If I want to use baking soda, when should I use it in my wash routine?

I have tweaked my original routine, as a result, I'm using less detergent and doing less rinses, since I have hard water.

Routine

Rinse and spin with warm water. (This agitates, spins, drains, agitates, spins, drains. It has a ton of water, which is why I switched from a speed wash)

Wash on normal. Hot/cold. Heavy soil. Extra water. Extra rinse. 1T Tide. 1T powder oxyclean. (I was originally using 2T of Tide because I have double the diapers, but I was having to rinse a lot more, so I cut it back down and it's much better.)

Speed wash to rinse. Warm/warm. No extra water, no extra rinse. 1/4 cup baking soda. (My thought on this is the hard water will redeposit if using baking soda, and extra rinses in general means more hard water deposits. Thoughts?)

bumpuser5078523

I was having slight ammonia issues if I didn't bleach. I use bamboo inserts, prefolds and for ON I use S'bish fitteds and WAHM fitteds. My fitteds still smell bad after use (working on that), and my inserts are slowly getting a little funky. I figured out I was using too much Tide.

PipSqueak0313

Yay, I was able to get back into it. Try https://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/20/19738.htm

freezorburn

So, your post inspired me to go back and re-construct the steps I've taken the last few weeks to address my ON ammonia stink. Maybe it will give you some ideas as to what adjustments you can make.

1. Did a couple of hot water strips on my ON stash. First 2 hot water washes had Calgon, then I did 2-3 more hot water washes. Result: Morning stink was gone!

2. A little over a week later (one full rotation through my ON stash), started to get a hint of ammonia in the morning, so I decided to tweak the laundry routine. I was already soaking the diapers in the morning. The routine I've been using for the past two years was: warm quick wash with Calgon, hot wash ("Cottons") with Calgon and 1/2 scoop Tiny Bubbles, and a final rinse (cold) and spin. New routine: warm quick wash with Calgon, hot wash ("Intensive" - which is about an hour longer than "Cottons") with same amount of Calgon and detergent as before, followed by warm quick wash.

3. It's about 2 weeks since I made that change and so far, so good. Still a bit early to say if that's my long-term solution, but hopefully this gives you some ideas for your own routine.

Also, I think the distinction between precipitating and non-precipitating softeners in Pipsqueak's article is an important one, so I'm gonna swear by the Calgon.

bumpuser5078523

Freezorburn - Is intensive the same as a sanitary cycle? That's the only step up from my normal cycle, but I heard you shouldn't use it because the water gets too hot and wears out your diapers faster, like the dryer does....

Pipsqueak - That article makes baking soda sound scary! Especially since I have used a fourth of a cup in my rinse cycle three times already...

Where do you guys find your calgon? Walmart has a 16 wash bottle for like $5, I think. It's only like $5 a month, I guess. It seemed more expensive than that in my brain.

Would it be fine to put calgon in my wash cycle, in the bleach dispenser? It comes out in the last agitation, I think.

bumpuser5078523

I could switch to covers and use my inserts and prefolds. That way I could wash the inserts on sanitary and just do a quick wash on my covers, seperate. But I'm stubborn and, apparently, a glutton for punishment. I could probably do that with my pockets and fitteds also. Hmmmmm

freezorburn

No, on my machine Intensive is just a longer cycle. I have it set to the same temperature as before. 

 I get Calgon at the supermarket. The directions say to put it in the same compartment as your detergent. You want it to soften the water so that the detergent can do its job.

bumpuser5078523

Is your calgon liquid? Do they have powder? I have to take the liquid tray insert out of my FL so I can use powder. Should I dump it in the drum?

freezorburn

Mine comes in tablets. It also comes as a liquid and in powdered form.

bumpuser5078523

Amazon has powder calgon but they want $26 for two small boxes! I found Arm and Hammer Rain Drops for $11, same number of ounces. The reviews said it has a scent, so she couldn't use it for her diapers. My Tide has scent, so you think it would be okay?

Oh, and I'm running all my fitteds, inserts and prefolds through the sanitary cycle with calgon as we speak. They should be detergent and build up free, so I can start fresh. Cross your fingers for no poosplosions tonight, as the boys are in disposable diapers. Eek!

PipSqueak0313

The only thing I know is that the Raindrops is in the same category as washing soda, precipitating, while Calgon is in the non-precipitating category.

freezorburn

"If a large amount of water conditioner is used each week, it may be cheaper to install a mechanical water softener. In general, about 15-16 grains of water hardness can be controlled with detergents and packaged water conditioners. Above that, special mechanical softening equipment is recommended." 

This quote, from the end of the article, has me wondering if there are situations where it is a good idea to use both a mechanical water softener and a packaged water conditioner. Because we are honestly shelling out a lot each month on Calgon. It's too bad we don't own the house we live in, because I would have installed a softener already.

PipSqueak0313

freezorburn said:

"If a large amount of water conditioner is used each week, it may be cheaper to install a mechanical water softener. In general, about 15-16 grains of water hardness can be controlled with detergents and packaged water conditioners. Above that, special mechanical softening equipment is recommended." 

This quote, from the end of the article, has me wondering if there are situations where it is a good idea to use both a mechanical water softener and a packaged water conditioner. Because we are honestly shelling out a lot each month on Calgon. It's too bad we don't own the house we live in, because I would have installed a softener already.

I would say yes, because one house we rented while living in southeast Nebraska had a water softener and the softened water still left indications of hard water - just not as bad as the places we rented that didn't have a water softener. The biggest difference I remember was that I could use the dishwasher in the house with the softened water while the dishwasher in a house without a water softener was unusable due to the mineral deposits/build-up that would occur with just one running of the dishwasher. However, the water was not palatable for drinking either with or without the water softener.

bumpuser5078523

PipSqueak0313 said:

The only thing I know is that the Raindrops is in the same category as washing soda, precipitating, while Calgon is in the non-precipitating category.

Well, crap. I even looked at the list before asking. Haha. I didn't look at the precipitating line. Duh.

freezorburn

Really? I'm going to have to research that!

bumpuser5078523

Logan is in his first diaper after the strip. Cross your fingers!

ETA regular diaper, not ON.