# Cold water washing



## Tilly (Oct 16, 2007)

Our cold water is cold, like out of the fridge with ice cubes cold. I would like to try washing in cold water, but it is also hard water, and I can't seem to get the detergent to dissolve. We are using gain, the cheap Sam's Club stuff, Costco's detergent, whatever is cheaper at the time. Anyone else with cold, hard water? What do you use?

Tilly


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

Can't you make your own homemade liquid soap? I've seen the recipe for it on here a lot, and it's a lot cheaper than store bought too. I've never used it, but the people who do say it cleans well. If not, then try any liquid detergent, or mix your powdered detergent in a cup of boiling water before adding it to the wash?

Sorry, can't be more help, as I only use liquid because I'm also washing in ice cold water too.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I have the exact same water and just use my own homemade liquid soap.
The store bought liquid was fine but I like the homemade better, cheaper and cleans better, IMO.


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## Tilly (Oct 16, 2007)

I didn't even think to use liquid detergent!! We do a lot of laundry, well, I guess everyone else here with kids and animals does lots of laundry,too, so I had been thinking about making my own, but I still have one baby in cloth diapers. I worry about the soap part building up in the diapers. They would have to have a hot wash wash. I washed with cold all the time before we moved here, but we had nice soft water that was always slightly below room temp staight from cistern, but still washed the dipes in hot. Has anyone used the homemade laundry soap on diapers?


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

Hi *Tilly* - We had the same problem here before we installed a softener. I also used homemade liquid detergent as well. It is tough to find, but Calgon still makes a detergent that is specific for hard water. You could try the Calgon.com website and see if this might work? I think they offer sales thru the site, too.

We don't have kids, but DH has sensitive skin (awww, cute) and he's been fine with the homemade liquid! Oh - and I usually was most everything in cold!


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

Hi Tilly, We have hard well water, too and it's full of lime. I prefer liquid soaps because they dissolve better. If you can't switch to liquid, try putting the powdered detergent into the water without the clothes and let that agitate for a minute or 2 to help dissolve it.

Use white vinegar in the rinse water to help get rid of soap residue. We don't want that baby's bottom irritated. Good for you for using cloth diapers!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Tilly, I have ice cold well water with a ton of iron in it - to the point where I don't wash my whites and lights at home any more. I use the Costco Kirkland powdered detergent and haven't had any trouble with undissolved detergent. But, if you are having a problem, might I suggest taking a small amount of hot water and putting the detergent in it to make a liquid detergent before adding it to the machine? Powdered detergent is generally cheaper than liquid, and this way you can save money and still have detergent that works well in your cold water.

And I second an extra rinse with some vinegar.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

I use Seventh Generation or Toni products..good for the earth and use less than store brand soaps for washing clothes. Have the hard water too and don't feel the need to spend money for a softener. I usually let the washer fill up with the water and soap and splash around for a few mintures before putting clothes into the washer. Use the vinegar with whites as mentioned for your diapers and the fabic softener by these companies is great too as is their "bleach" products. I use a wringer washer to save on the water and it does get cold on your hands when soaking them in the rinse tub. Once in a great while I feed the "need" to use hot water for some whites but think it is just a "habit" my mother instilled in me from the olden days. Good Luck !!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

i just bought some nellies laundry soap from lehmans havent tried it yet but its supposed to be non-irratating and good for cold water. i always use cold water. i 2nd the vinger it does work and when your close dry they dont smell at all.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

When I used a top loader, I put hot water in first, with some detergent (liquid, no scent). After a couple of inches of hot water, I could then switch to cold as the detergent would have dissolved in the hot water. For diapers, I didn't use any detergent, I used hot water and just added bleach once a week (on advice from a pediatrician). Diapers are so light, that I washed them on the lowest water level. They line dry fast.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Yep, really hard water here! And I only wash in cold. I use Arm & Hammer, _half or less_ of the amount suggested, added _before_ the clothes and have never had trouble. Clothes come out clean, no clumpy soap.

I also have the ingreds set back for home-made in case I can't get to the store (although I have a huge extra box also set back ). I expect little trouble with that, either.


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