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Old 07-09-2011, 08:06 AM
 
21 posts, read 35,028 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello to all! Just recently moved to St Augustine where we are renting for the next year before we decide to buy. Our rental unit doesn't have a water softening system and the water is practically solid! We've solved our drinking water situation with a combination of bottled water and a Pur pitcher. So my next dilemna is the laundry. I cannot seem to get my clothes as clean as I used to back in the "northlands." Spots won't come out no matter what pre-spotting method I use. Any ideas???? Thanks
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Old 07-09-2011, 08:10 AM
 
43 posts, read 83,773 times
Reputation: 27
sorry I don't have any "advise"b
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Old 07-09-2011, 10:41 AM
 
Location: On the banks of the St Johns River
3,863 posts, read 9,523,914 times
Reputation: 3446
My wife had these thoughts when I asked her about your "dilemma":
1.) Have you tried adding Calgon to the water to start? It's like a small water softening product just for the wash. Some friends use Borax instead. I'm not that picky. I use liquid detergent without all the bleaches or fabric softeners and dissolve it in the water before adding clothes.
2.) Make up a bucket of hot water and OxyClean and soak overnight before washing whites that need a boost.
3.) Add a cup of vinegar with you laundry soap. (no it doesn't smell)
4.) Don't use bleach, which can cause further yellowing of clothes when used in hard water
5.) Use a detergent based laundry product, instead of a soap based product.

I hope this works for you ... here's a link that you may find to be useful ...

Hard Water and Laundry Problems - Hard Water Stains in Laundry
or; Read more:
How to Do Laundry with Hard Water
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Old 07-09-2011, 04:07 PM
 
21 posts, read 35,028 times
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Wow! So many suggestions! Sounds like I have alot of experimenting to do in the next few days. Thanks!
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Old 07-11-2011, 08:09 AM
 
Location: Charlotte, NC
28 posts, read 41,424 times
Reputation: 17
We cloth diaper and hard water is a huge problem with that. Rocking Green makes a Hard water formula for detergent. Also, Calgon works wonders.
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Old 07-11-2011, 10:21 AM
 
21 posts, read 35,028 times
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Rocking Green and Calgon...thank you! Wanted to report on using one of the methods for getting greasy/oily spots out suggested on one of the links posted above. I sprinkled corn starch over the spots to let the powder draw out the spots, shook the powder out after about 30 minutes, used Dawn dishwashing liquid to pre-spot (rubbed it in with a little water,) rinsed that after 15 minutes and laundered as usual. Worked! This was after pre-spotting with Shout and using a liquid detergent several times with NO results. Not sure which component of the routine worked but I finally got the spots out. Living with the water in NE Florida has presented quite a challenge! Oh well, still like the place!
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Old 09-08-2011, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl
82 posts, read 167,631 times
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Thanks for presenting your problem. We are considering moving to your area or around JCP from NC. I've never lived anywhere else and wouldn't have thought about that problem with washing clothes occuring. I will follow this post and learn what others have to offer. Thanks for sharing the small stuff that makes life easier !
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Old 09-08-2011, 06:33 PM
 
Location: Jacksonville, FL (Mandarin)
2,560 posts, read 6,514,156 times
Reputation: 1840
I'm surprised I didn't see this when it was first posted. Sorry!

Have you asked your landlord/mgmt company about allowing you to install a water softener? Usually, as long as you repair any holes, etc, this should have minimal impact to the property. One of my past tenants did this and was very happy when the owner let them do it.
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Old 09-09-2011, 04:22 PM
 
Location: Nokomis Fl
1,008 posts, read 2,638,733 times
Reputation: 475
Water because of the age of SA comes through old pipes and differs from place to place. We now live on the island whilst our house is being built in Heritage Park and we find water out here is softer but by no means perfect
I suggest as oters have a water softner, but that can be a few hundred dollars
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Old 10-16-2011, 10:13 AM
 
21 posts, read 35,028 times
Reputation: 10
Default Still here!

Hi all,
Been off the grid for awhile. Will be closing on a great home in Turnberry in WGV in a few weeks. As far as the laundry issue goes... since we have been in a rental in a known short-term situation, we never entertained installing a water softener system. However, the home we are buying does have one already installed. So, I look forward to cleaner clothes! Water softeners are a new thing for us. Does this system also "clean" the drinking water of impurities? In our rental, we've been using a Brita water pitcher for all our drinking and cooking water. All I know for sure is the water finally tastes...well, it tastes like nothing! The previous taste and smell is non-existent once we started using the pitcher. Is there anything special we should be aware of when using a (salt) water softener system?
Gotta say, love this area and have been having a wonderful time exploring its many charms. Sat on the beach, yesterday, watching the dolphins and a wedding at the same time! Can't beat that.
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