Our hot take: cloth diapering really can be as easy as 2 extra loads of laundry a week! An even hotter take? This is still possible, even if you have…dun dun dun… hard water!
Anyone who has spent any time online reading about cloth diaper wash routines has likely come across information on hard water. Some families think they flat out can’t cloth diaper because they have hard water! Other families think it’s going to be too complicated and throw in the towel before they’ve even begun. And then we have families who send themselves into a blind panic worrying about hard water when they don’t even have it. Rest assured, we’re here to help.
Cloth diapering with hard water is like any other challenge we encounter as new parents - it is hard (pun intended 😉) until you have the right instructions and support – then it’s simple.
Table of Contents
What is Hard Water
Simply put, hard water is water that has a high mineral content (meaning lots of magnesium and calcium floating around in it).
Is it dangerous? Nope!
Is it a problem? Sort of. The high mineral content can be corrosive which can cause premature degradation of your pipes, appliances and laundered fabrics. What ends up happening is that households with untreated hard water will notice over time that their washing machine, dishwasher, bed sheets, t-shirts, etc don’t last quite as long as households with soft-normal water. (This article does an excellent job of explaining the effects that hard water can have on laundry)
Three Issues that occur when washing with hard water
Holes in Fabric
Great question. As we mentioned above, washing in untreated hard water can cause premature degradation of your fabrics. This is especially true of diapers that get washed far more than any of your other household laundry. (diapers go through 2 wash cycles 2-3 times per week compared to maaaybe 1 wash cycle 1-2xs per week for your favorite set of pajamas)
Diapers Don’t Come Out Clean
But hard water does something else too. It impacts the cleaning performance of your detergent. How? Well, even the smartest detergents aren’t that smart. The surfactants and chelating agents in your detergent see those minerals that are floating around in your hard water and think they are “dirt” that’s meant to be cleaned. So instead of the detergent attacking the pee and poop in your cloth diapers, it gets distracted by the minerals and doesn’t do as effective of a job at cleaning your dirty cloth diapers as it would if the water were “softer”. In other words, the hard water minerals distract your detergent making it so it doesn’t do as good of a job.
Build Up
And as if that weren’t bad enough, the minerals in your hard water also remain on the surface of your diapers after the final rinse and these lingering mineral molecules give the ammonia and bacteria in future pees and poops something to bind which then makes it even harder to wash your diapers clean in future washes.
Fun.
But is all hope lost? Definitely not. Keep reading.
How do you know if you have hard water?
If you think you’ve got hard water, there are usually some visual cues you’ll see around your home. Such as:
- Chalky white residue spots on your faucets, shower heads, and appliances
- Your glassware and dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots, streaks, or looking cloudy
- Stiff laundry after it’s dry
- Dry, crispy hair after showering
Odds are that if you don’t see any of these tell-tale signs in your home, you’re likely in the clear – but the best way to determine if you have hard water is to test for it.
Hard water is measured in PPM (parts per million) and it’s very easy to test. Our Water Hardness Test Strips make it simple: fill a clean cup with water from the faucet nearest your washing machine, dip a strip for 3 seconds (no swirling!), and hold it up to the included color chart to see your PPM.
You’ve tested, now what??
Once you have your number, here’s how to read it:
0-90 ppm: Your water is Soft-Normal. No concerns about hard water!
90-120 ppm: Your water is Moderate. Some softening is needed to help your detergent do its job.
120-180 ppm: Your water is Hard. Water softening is important to ensure your diapers are getting clean and don’t degrade (holes, elastics wearing out, loss of water resistance on diaper covers, etc).
180-250+ ppm: Your water is Very Hard. Water softening is imperative.
If your water is over 90 ppm, keep reading for treatment instructions!
How to treat Hard Water?
If you have hard water the most ideal way to mitigate it is to install a household water softener. This will not only protect your diapers but also your pipes, appliances and the rest of the laundry you wash. Having said that, a water softener is a bigger home modification and is not something everyone is able to do. That’s ok!
Another option is to simply add a water softener to each wash cycle (along with your detergent). That’s exactly why we created our Hard Water Helper! It softens your wash water on contact, so your detergent can do its job properly and your fabrics and elastics stay intact.
You may have heard of Borax or Calgon, two other common water softeners.* But Borax can leave behind a fine mineral sediment that makes fabrics stiff, and Calgon relies on synthetic ingredients and artificial fragrances. Hard Water Helper softens your water just as effectively, without the stiffening residue, and it’s 100% all-natural, biodegradable, and fragrance-free.
*If using Borax or Calgon: we’ll share that we’ve found that Borax works to a point (under 200 PPM). If your water is harder than that, Calgon is the better option between the two.
It is very important to note that Hard Water Helper (or any water softener) IS NOT a replacement for detergent. It is simply a companion to it. You will need to use both detergent AND Hard Water Helper in each wash cycle.
How to Use Hard Water Helper when washing cloth diapers
Using Hard Water Helper is easy! Add it to both wash cycles along with your detergent, using the amount for your water hardness:
90-120 ppm (Moderate): 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop*) per wash cycle
120-180 ppm (Hard): 3 Tbsp (1.5 Blue Scoops*) per wash cycle
180-250+ ppm (Very Hard): 4 Tbsp (2 Blue Scoops*) per wash cycle
*The Blue Scoop is the scoop that comes with your Washing Powder canister.
Hard Water Helper is formulated for use in standard and HE machines. Just be sure to zip the pouch closed completely when not in use to avoid caking or clumping.
IF YOU PREFER BORAX OR CALGON
The box of Borax does not give clear dispensing instructions 😖. Start with ¼ cup of Borax poured directly into the washer barrel every time you run a wash cycle. If that does the trick, great. If not, try increasing to ½ cup going up to ¾ if necessary. If ¾ is still not doing it, we recommend switching to Hard Water Helper or Calgon.
If using Calgon, you can simply follow the instructions on the packaging depending on how hard your water is.
You have the tools, now how do you wash cloth diapers in hard water?
Ok so you have your dirty diapers, you’ve chosen a water softener, and a powerful detergent (like our Washing Powder – you can read all about why it’s the best detergent for washing cloth diapers here). Now here’s how use them!
We recommend washing “The Esembly Way” which we refined by running a busy NYC cloth diaper laundering service for over a decade! (when you’re washing over 15,000 diapers a week, like we were prior to launching Esembly, you’ve got a great opportunity to master the art of washing cloth diapers, which we certainly have!
You can read all about how to wash “The Esembly Way” in this blog post!). Basic instructions are also included below for those that want to get right to it.
Esembly Cloth Diaper Laundering Instructions:
Every 2 - 3 days, load your washing machine ½ - ⅔ full with all of your cloth diapers, wipes, and accessories. (+ your 4 Agitator balls!)
Cycle 1
Run a “normal” cycle with warm water and 1 scoop of Washing Powder sprinkled on top (or measure for a “normal” load if using another detergent)
+ Hard Water Helper if your water is over 90 ppm (2-4 Tbsp, based on your ppm)
Cycle 2
Run a “heavy duty” cycle with hot water* and 2 scoops of Washing Powder sprinkled on top (or measure for a “heavy duty” load if using another detergent)
+ Hard Water Helper if your water is over 90 ppm (2-4 Tbsp, based on your ppm)
*Never use the Sanitary or Steam cycles of your machine - they simply get too hot for your diapers.
Anything else I need to be mindful of when washing cloth diapers in hard water?
Yes! Avoid any rinsing, spraying, or soaking of your diapers. We caution against this on our How It Works page since these practices on their own can lead to premature degradation of the cotton (along with other issues), but it's especially true when you have hard water.
A good rule of thumb: if you’ve got hard water, you’ll want to limit your diaper’s exposure to the water as much as you can (so no extra rinses or anything like that either).
The Takeaway?
Cloth diapering in hard water doesn't have to be a daunting challenge. With the right knowledge and a few simple steps, you can maintain clean and fresh cloth diapers for your little one. Remember that identifying hard water issues early on and addressing them promptly is key to ensuring the longevity of your cloth diapers. So, if you suspect hard water is affecting your laundry, don't hesitate to test it with our Water Hardness Test Strips and add Hard Water Helper to your routine if you need it.
Cloth Diapering 101
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