Hard water laundry problems - My washing machine is giving me stiff fabrics and making my towels scratchy
Hard water minerals will cause stiff fabrics by remaining in your laundry and making the fabrics feel hard. This is particularly noticeable straight after washing when you feel your once-fluffy towels and notice that they are no longer soft, but rather stiff and scratchy. If you want to keep your towels fluffy for longer, there are a couple of temporary solutions – first, try washing them on the hottest possible setting with one cup of ammonia. Secondly, avoid overstuffing your washing machine, as this may prevent your laundry from getting a proper rinse, leaving mineral deposits and detergent residue in your towels.
Hard water laundry problems - Can hard water cause faded, yellow clothing?
One of the main hard water laundry problems is that the mineral build-up on your clothes will cause dullness and white patches, just like the limescale that will appear on your appliances and taps. The minerals also work to corrode the fabrics, wearing your clothes out, resulting in thinning and holes. Also, keep an eye out for reddish stains on clothes, effectively rust, which can be caused by the iron in hard water, especially when it is combined with any bleach-based detergents. To avoid these laundry stains, until you invest in a water softener, you may be able to use packaged water softener alongside your detergent. To remove the red stains, try a commercial rust remover, which will combine with the iron to loosen it from the fabrics.
