Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

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RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Do you use your regular soap power when you use all these other things to get iron from getting on clothes? Thanks, Clara

Post By clara b. (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Thanks for all of the great solutions!!!

Any ideas for getting the iron/rust stains out after it happens? Especially for colored clothes?

Post By Marta (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

I have iron in my well water and get those awful iron-orange spots. I use Whink to treat the spots. Works great. But I wish I didn't have the problem.

Post By Jean R. (Guest Post)

Iron

My hair makes my skin rough. Hair looks dry. Skin looks dry. My cat even scratches after I give her a bath. I want to get a rain soft water system. They are wonderful. Thank you, Charlotte

Post By jamboysmom (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Guys! for the red in your hair - Go to the salon most places only charge $10 for a malibu treatment and deep condition. Also get a water softener if possible, it will take care of most of your problems. Water should never smell like rotten eggs, please have it tested right away

Post By Baileys Mom (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

We have a lot of iron in our water and it stains EVERYTHING! I have found that using 20TeamMuleBorax keeps it out of our clothes. I use a 1/2 cup for a large load. I use The Works on our shower, tub, and sinks and it takes it right out w/out scrubbing. And I use Lysol POWER toilet bowl cleaner and that takes care of that.

BUT, it is turning my hair RED! I have dark blonde hair and have noticed red streaks throughout it lately. My husband actually commented on how nice it looked and he asked me if I colored it recently! LOL! Well, I guess at least it's not ruining it! LOL! I do think the water is drying my hair out though. I have naturally curly/wavy hair and I've noticed that I'm having to deep condition more often since moving here over a month ago.

Post By Janna (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

The Iron Out works great for our whites.

Our problem is the smell of our clothes after washing. Especially our bath towels. I have tried bleach, downy, fabreeze, tide you name it. I have also found that the longer the clothes sit in the washer the worse they smell. So then I end up having to wash the load over.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks Marta

Post By Marta (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

I live in the country and we have well water. I don't drink it as it smells horrible (rotten eggs). Most of my whites have turned yellow. I read on this site to use Iron Out...it WORKS!!! " USE ONLY ON WHITE CLOTHING" For my colors I use a blend of vinegar and baking soda, that has helped my clothes smell much better. Thanks for the advice!

Post by marshamay

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

what can i include in my loads of laundry at the laundry mat that will eliminate rust spots and/or turning my whites yellow from the water, seems when i use bleach on my whites it somehow makes it worse.
What can i INCLUDE in each load to not turn the clothes yellow AND take out the iron/rust build up?
Thank you in advance for your time.
Anita
Michigan

Post By anita (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Well water here is also orange from iron... for the clothes... allow the water to run until it runs clear... expect to drain that water from the washer... then, along w/my detergent, in goes 1/3-1/2 cup each of white vinegar and baking soda. For clothes that are more soiled, a bit of 'oxyclean' and/or 20 Mule Team borax can be added. I'd start w/ 1/4 cup or less until you learn which amount works for your needs.

To the rinse cycle is added same amt of baking soda and vinegar plus scented clothes softener... the water here smells, especially once the water is heated. To avoid setting in iron stains, i've had to use cold water only for both cycles...

From experience i've learned that detergents labeled for use only w/warm or hot water works just as well in cold--there's no need to buy detergent made specifically for cold water...save your money.

If there's grease that needs to be removed, Dawn detergent works well... you can pour some onto the greasy spots... you might have to rewash the clothes.

With the iron-based water, i've learned NOT to let the clothes remain in the water any longer than needed... rust/iron spots can form.

Post by gator10tx

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

MY STEP DAUGHTER GOES TO HER MOMS HOUSE ON THE WEEKEND SHE HAS BLONDE HAIR AND NOW IT HAS TURNED RED DO YOU USE DAWN UNTIL THE COLOR COMES BACK AND THEN ONCE A MONTH I HAD IRON IN MY WATER YEARS AGO AND I DID USE IRON OUT FOR MY CLOTHES I LOVED IT BUT I NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT IT IN MY HAIR

Post By SHELLY (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Our water was red straight from the sink. My daughter and I had our blonde hair turning orange! We finally installed a rather expensive water softener in the house to take care of the problem. We are still having to deal with the sulfur smell and taste in the water.....

Post By 1nascargal (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

My mom uses the IRON OUT it has a weird smell but it doesn't stay on your clothes. I've used it to briten up my whites and it works great.
When I lived in an apartment that had a lot of iron in the water my hair also turned red. I used just a dab of Dawn dish soap once a month to wash my hair then conditioned it well. It took care of the problem. My hair dresser told me to do this, it also takes the build up of gels and hairsprays off your hair.

Post By Amy (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

I searched for an answer and I found out that a product called IRON OUT is what people are using.
I hear it smells horrible, but it works.

Post By Lisa (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

The only sure-fire way to prevent it is to get a water filter for your washer. I use to have so much iron in my water in Alaska (I wasn't doing laundry with it) my future husband complimented me on the beautiful red highlights in my hair. It took two $50 applications of chelation at the beauty parlor to get the iron out of my hair. I had to wash my hair with bottled water from that time on....It wasn't just the red color though; it was the fact that my hair was cracking off and being destroyed.

Post By Allison (Guest Post)

RE: Washing Clothes in Well Water with Iron

Try using a rust remover in your wash. NEVER use bleach as it sets the rust into your clothes. there are several brands of rust removers out there in the laundry section of the store. "Rust out" and RIT has a rust remover. I use borax or WASHING SODA for my whites.

Post by Diamondee

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