Need Some Laundry Advise

My dad is the same way with smells! the smallest amount of scented lotion can put him in pain for days! -and having worked at so many of the 'scent & flavor' factories, I can understand why! ;) I use, and my mom uses MelapowerX6 and I throw in some Melabrite on esp soiled loads. Not expensive at all, and both come unscented. Not only unscented, but they don't have the harsh chemicals that grocery store brands have. And they work awesome! We tried Method- as I love their wood floor cleaner, but I still have mine, it didn't work so good for me.

For my baby's cloth diapers (and our other laundry with heavy stains or odors), I've had great success with using unscented Rockin' Green detergent, which I bought online. They have detergent for hard water, soft water and in-between, and they have many scented versions PLUS an unscented version to choose from. Even if you decide not to buy their stuff, their blog has very good information for laundering hard-to-clean clothing... tips on water hardness, temperature depending on type of stain, length of wash, amount of clothing in machine, etc.

You might try Krogers or other Grocery stores. Our local Walmarts all quit carrying the Arm and Hammer Powder detergent about 6 months ago. I now have to go to Krogers to get it. I completely agree with you on it being the best. We did cloth diapers and it was the only thing that got the smell out. My mom also recently asked me what I was using that kept our white clothes so white. I told her that I use a combination of Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent and a full scoop of Oxyclean in the wash. I do not buy the Arm and Hammer with the oxyclean already in it, because I don't put oxyclean in certain washes such as delicates. I worry that it might be too harsh on the fabrics.

Try Calgon Water Softener or something similar. You can usually find it in the laundry aisle. It's in a small white bottle. I don't think it's scented.

I have hard water too and use Mela Power 6 detergent. It gets my clothes clean (even gets out stains I thought wouldn't come out), it saves me money, and it is easier on the clothes themselves as well as the environment.

http://www.armandhammer.com/fabric-care/laundry-detergent...

Arm and hammer has a locator on where you can buy on their site. :)

You punch in your zip code and it will tell you the stores around you that carry it.

Good luck!

I agree with the advice below, but also consider (although it's expensive) a water softener system. If your water is really full of minerals, they can erode metal plumbing. Of course, you can replace pipes if needed, but a softening system might make your water taste better and ease your washing issues. I'm sure you can find A&H online or add baking soda (that's basically what you were using anyway!)

We use the Tide Free and Clear and havent had any problems with our hard water.

Hi Popmom,

Have you considered a water softener for your tank?

Good luck!

"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA

I have had great results with Method combined with the Tide pre-wash packets, BUT I have a steam washer (pretty sure I could go without detergent and it might work just as well, who knows).

Prior to that, I always used Tide with Bleach and it worked GREAT. They have a scent-free version, I believe.

Add baking soda to your wash load, it will soften the water and will put you back to normal. Probably a half cup should do it. Play with it till you get the result you are looking for.