Washing Cloth Diapers in Hard Water - a list of dos and don'ts
Posted by MAJALIWA BASS
Washing in Hard Water
If you are washing in hard water, minerals from the water can over time get left behind and lodged in the fibers of your diapers. This mineral build-up can cause your diapers to repel, stink, or feel hard and crunchy – and if left untreated can also lead to diaper rash and open sores. Below are some dos and don’ts of washing in hard water:
DO:
DO NOT:
HARD WATER STATES:
Below is a list of water hardness by State. Most states have hard water. To find the exact water hardness in your city you can Google the name of your city and the words "water hardness".
Arkansas average 42, range 21 to 104
Hawaii average 35, range 10 to 110
Maine average 11, range 6 to 17
New Hampshire average 44, range 29 to 65
Oregon average 35 ppm, range 22 to 76
Rhode Island average 47, range 32 to 70
South Carolina average 43, range 19 to 174
North Carolina average 65, range 22 to 127
Virginia average 64, range 35 to 101
Vermont average 62, range 55 to 69
If you live in one of the following states, you have hard water and you should use a liquid detergent.
Alaska average 101, range 63 to 142
Alabama average 86, range 81 to 144
Arizona average 300, range 140 to 619
California average 174, range 34 to 393
Colorado average 162, range 72 to 246
Connecticut average 170, range 153 to 194
District of Columbia average 95 range 70 to 120
Delaware average 129, range 122 to 135
Idaho average 146, range 17 to 350
Kentucky average 123, range 45 to 218
Louisiana average 145, range 44 to 382
Maryland average 136, range 70 to 274
Michigan average 154, range 99 to 380
Missouri average 160, range 132 go 210
Mississippi average 172, range 154 to 210
Montana average 99, range 25 to 205
New York average 70, range 16 to 149
Ohio average 145, range 47 to 362
Oklahoma average 176, range 140 to 272
Pennsylvania average 153, range 10 to 310
Tennessee average 115, range 47 to 393
Washington average 89, range 12 to 262
Wisconsin average 177, range 90 to 350
West Virginia average 82, range 33 to 160
Wyoming average 122, range 10 to 208
If you live in one of these states, you should use a liquid detergent, plus a booster like Calgon, Borax, or Bentonite Clay.
Florida average 197, range 103 - 317
Iowa average 273, range 154 to 378
Illinois average 183, range 50 to 311
Indiana average 248, range 124 to 370
Kansas average 221, range 110 - 320
Minnesota average 210, range 45 to 393
North Dakota average 213, range 123 to 300
Nebraska average 211, range 30 to 320
New Jersey average 197, range 65 to 400
New Mexico average 228, range 120 to 410
Nevada average 290, range 210 to 410
South Dakota average 236, range 90 to 314
Texas average 193, 8 to 500
Utah average 345, range 164 to 598
