When your water is hard it has a high concentration of minerals like Magnesium and Calcium. Why is this a problem? Those minerals can be corrosive and cause premature degradation to your pipes, appliances and yes, even the fabrics and elastics in the laundry you do. The minerals also impact the performance power of your detergent (the surfactants in your detergent think the minerals are dirt and they get distracted by them instead of cleaning your fabrics).
What does this mean for washing diapers? Well, untreated hard water can prevent your diapers from getting fully clean during the wash cycle, and if left untreated over time the hard water can damage your fabrics and elastics and degrade the waterproofing leading to holes in the cotton, overstretched leg and waistbands on your diapers, and leaking of your Outers and storage bags.
Rest assured, Esembly Washing Powder is formulated for use in soft, normal and moderately hard water. So for many families, this is a non-issue. If you have hard water beyond that, we’d recommend either a. investing in a household water softener (this will protect not only your laundry but your pipes and appliances too), or b. adding a water softener like Borax or Calgon to each wash cycle (follow instructions on the box/bottle).
Additionally, it's very important to limit your diapers’ exposure to your hard water. Meaning no spraying, soaking or extra rinses.
If you need extra assistance troubleshooting your water, don’t hesitate to email us at hi@esemblybaby.com with a photo of the control panel of your washer and your water's ppm (if you don't have this info, you can contact your town to ask or buy at-home test strips easily online) and we'll work with you to creating a custom wash routine.