My Laundry Question
Help me choose ONE of these products that will do me the most good.
Besides the laundry detergent I have added:
1. Super Washing Soda
2. White King
3. 20MuleTeam Borax
4. Baking Soda
5. Oxiclean
6. Calgon
I know that Oxiclean has Sodium Carbonate in it as does #1 and #2 (besides the active ingredient Sodium Percarbonate).
I will almost always use Oxiclean along with my detergent, but have tried substituting each of the others one at a time.
So if I use #5 is using any other item of any benefit?
I have hard water and a front loader.
Share a Little Background Info
Just trying to soften the water and whiten the clothes without "whiteners." I've tried many different products and want to find the best one for my situation. Do I need to use both water softeners and brighteners?
Lessons Learned
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Laundry Guide, says:
Your question had me dusting off some chemistry books. The hardness of water is the determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium present in the water. The more minerals, the less effective detergents are at removing soil from clothing. The minerals can also redeposit on the laundry during the rinse cycle leaving clothing looking dull. Water conditioners or softeners bind the minerals to allow your detergent to work more effectively. The Nebraska Cooperative Extension service has an excellent article about different conditioners and how they work.
I know that my reply is not what you want to hear - I can't tell you which one of the products you listed is best for you. But, I can offer some advice on what to do next. First, contact your local water utility and determine the level of hardness of your water. If you have a well, contact your local cooperative extension service or county soil and water conservation district for the information. This information will help you determine which additive will work best for you and then you can compare costs.
Now, let's take each product and discuss generalities in turn:
- Super Washing Soda, White King & 20 Mule Team Borax: Precipitating water conditioners, they bind the minerals in the wash water but minterals can redeposit if not rinsed out really well. Can cause minerals to build up on fabric and the inside of your washer. They can also be irritating to skin if not rinsed very well.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is a much milder alkaline and while it does boost the performance of detergent, it is not as effective as other water conditioners in hard water.
- OxiClean: Oxygen-based bleach is an excellent stain remover and fabric brightener for all types of fabrics. It is not effective as a water conditioner in hard water and will not prevent minerals for depositing on your laundry.
- Calgon: Calgon is a non-precipitating water conditioner and binds the minerals into a solution that does not redeposit on clothing or the inside of the washer. It must be added to both the wash water and the rinse water for highest effectiveness. It is more gentle to clothing and skin. It is also more expensive to use.
To answer your question about using oxygen bleach only; the oxygen bleach does help to brighten your clothes but if you have hard water, it may not be enough to give you the level of cleanliness you desire.
To add one more element to the equation, you might also consider a mechanical water softener for your laundry room. This will provide consistently better quality water and eliminate the need for additives in every load.
