Residue/Rash/Soft Water/Stripping with Calgon etc...

[betty14]

Starting to get really frustrated now, as DS has ongoing rash issues - quite painful looking today to me, although he still looked pretty happy...

I'm wondering if anyone out there also has hard well water, and a water softener, can they answer a few questions?

1) Does the softener still leave some minerals behind that could cause buildup and rash?

2) If so, do you use Calgon added to the wash to help dissolve them out? I read that it helps, but we DO have a softener, so why would I add more softening agents?


With softened well water, what detergent works for you? I've used Tide HE free, Charlie's (I think he got detergent burn), Nature Clean, and regular Tide HE. The tide takes forever to rinse out, the Charlie's seemed to cause "burn" although it worked great for our clothes, and I'm inconclusive about the Nature Clean.

Please help if you can! I'm sure it will pass, but tonight I'm thinking of listing all my beautiful new pocket diapers for sale and switching to disposables!

[betty14]

I think I've answered my own question - so I'll post a reply!

Even though I have soft water, I decided to strip my pocket diapers & inserts with Calgon (on pinstripes and polkadots they recommend that Calgon can be used to release residue and is good for removing optical brighteners)

LOADS and LOADS of SUDS came out. It looked like I'd added a whole cup of detergent to the wash.

To make sure that the suds were not Calgon suds, I dissolved some in my mixer bowl and whisked on high for a few minutes. No suds, so the suds in my washer really were detergent residue, not the Calgon (I also cleaned the washer out with vinegar prior to this experiment). Then rinsed, rinsed, rinsed.

After taking the diapers out of the washer, I hand rinsed in hot water to double check for suds, but they were good.

I've been at it all day, but I decided to devote today to scientific experimentation, rather than the haphazard changes to washing routine I've done before.

So now my diapers are stripped and as soon as DS's rash clears I'll start using them again.

Phew!

[smilelykylie]

I have found Tide HE powder to rinse easier for me. I don't have well water but my water is hard and calgon is doing wonders for my stink issues. Wish it wasn't so expensive and hard to find here.

[SeeChicletRun]

Weve got whicked hard water and I battled stink issues for so long, Im glad you are on your way to getting things sorted out!

[in_mommy]

Try using RLR

[betty14]

Originally Posted by in_mommy Try using RLR

I have heard that before, but what exactly IS it?
How often do you use it, and do you use it alone or with the detregent?

[life_alabaster]

Question (because I am also in the process of trying to strip with Calgon)-- did you say you washed one time on hot and then did multiple rinses? Did you add Calgon to the rinse cycles? I did 5 hot washes with 1/8 cup Calgon added (no detergent) and thought all the suds were out, but the next day the rash was back! :-(