Isyourwaterhard?H itis,and
washersurfaces.Thehardness
@ orrrmregrains)andifyouwash
ifyouusea.carbonatetypenon-
ofyourwaterandyourwashing
justafewloadsa week,youmay
phosphatedetergent,youwill
frequencywilldeterminehow
seelimestonebuildupsinjustafew
mostprobablynoticelimestone*
rapidlythelimestonewillbuild
months.
depositsonyourclothesand
up.IfyourwaterisVERYHARD
Effects clothes
Althoughlimestonebuildupoccurs
morerapidlyoncotton,it will
eventuallyaffectvariousfabricsin
thefollowingways:
@Givesa stiff,harsh,roughfeelto
fabricssuchastoweling.
~Causescolorsto fadeandbecome
dullanddingy.
@Causesgrayingoffabrics.
@Leavesa white,powdery
residue
ondark-coloreditems.
~Causesspot-fadingofbright
colorsas a resultofdirectcontact
withdetergent.
@Reduceswrinkle-resistanceof
permanentpressfabrics.
~Destroyseffectivenessofflame-
retardantfinisheson cottonssuch
aschildren’ssleepwear.
@Increasesfabricwearbecause
ofthescrubbingactionbetween
limestonedepositson thefabrics
duringwasheragitation.
~Unsightlybuildupon all washer
surfacesexposedto thewash
solution.
@Mat-like,crustyformationscaused
bylintadheringtothe sticky
limestonedeposits.
=Increasedservicecallsbecause
of limestonedepositsin thepump,
recirculationwaterhoses,filters
andotherwasherparts.
~Reducedusefullifeof washer.
R3mnl’nendd methods
Ibuikhlps
* Usea powderedphosphate
detergentora liquiddetergentif
theseareavailableinyourarea.
~Installa homewatersoftener.
Thiswillsignificantlyreduce
limestonebuildup.
~Usea packagednon-precipitating
watersoftener,suchas Calgon
brandwithphosphate.
w washingJpradice$l
maydekiylimestonedamage
toclothes
Thefollowingrecommendations
willtemporarilydelaytheeffects
oflimestoneonyourclothes.
Thesearegenerallygood
w
practicesandwillgivebettersoil
removalwhetheror notyouhave
hardwateror usecarbonate
detergent.
@Usehotterwashwater,for
exampleup to 150°F.forcottons.
Thisalsoimprovesoily-soil
removal.
@If youwashin coolerwaterto
saveenergy,usemore
d t
promotebetterwashing.Alsobe
suretousebleachonbleachable
fabrics.Usehotwaterwhenever
possible.
@Adddetergentandallowwasher
to fillandagitateforthreeor four
minutestodissolvedetergent
beforeaddingclothes.
=Increaseamountofdetergent.
Seeguideon oppositepagefor
recommendeddetergentamounts
in relationto waterhardness. “
~Increaseuseofbleaches,presoaks,
packagedwaterconditioners,prewash
soilandstainremoverstohelpin
removingstubbornsoilsandstains.
~Usegreatercarein sortingloads.
Washverydirtyloadsseparately
andincreasedetergenttohelpkeep
dirtfromredepositingon less
soileditems.Washdelicateitems
separatelyto preventdamagefrom
heavy,sturdyclothes.
@Washsmallerloadsto increase
cleaningactionofwasher.
@Usefabricsoftenertocounteract
stiffnessor harshnessin clothes.
How
t partiallyrestoreclothes
Onceclotheshavedeveloped
deposits,theymaybepartially
restoredbysoakingin a solution
oftwocupsofvinegarin onegallon
ofhottapwaterfor 15minutes.
USEA PLASTICCONTAINER.
Thenwashclothesinthewasher
usingdetergent.
~Donotusevinegarsoak
solutionin washer.Theacidic
actionofthevinegarmay
damagetheporcelain.
@Vinegarsoaksolutionmay
reducethewrinkle-resistance
ofpermanentpressfabrics.
* Vinegarsoakmaydamage
thedyesin somefabrics.
*LIMESTONE—technically called CALCIUMCAR130NATE-is caused by the
reaction ofthe calcium inthe hardwater with the sodium carbonate in the detergent.
