Knowing Your Water Hardness Matters When Using Cloth Diapers

As a parent, you want the best for your baby, and that includes choosing eco-friendly cloth diapers. But did you know that the quality of the water you use to wash those diapers plays a significant role in their effectiveness, cleanliness, longevity, and how comfortable they are for your little one? Understanding water hardness is part of ensuring your cloth diapers are doing their job effectively.  

Why Does Water Hardness Matter for Cloth Diapers?

1. Diaper Efficiency:

Hardness minerals build-up in fabrics over time. This residue can trap detergents and bodily fluids which can lead to persistent odours and a decrease in absorbency as the trapped residues prevent the fabric from fully absorbing liquids.

2. Effective Cleaning:

Hard water can interfere with the detergent's ability to clean diapers effectively. Hard water minerals react with soap and detergent making these cleaning agents less effective and leaving behind a residue that can make the diapers less absorbent and cause them to retain odours.

3. Continued Comfort:

Over time, minerals from hard water can accumulate on the fabric of the diapers, leading to build-up. This build-up from hard water makes fabrics stiff and less supple, and causes them to be scratchier for babies skin. 

4. Reducing Irritation and Rashes:

Mineral residues left on the diapers can irritate your baby's sensitive skin, leading to rashes. Properly washing diapers according to your water hardness can help prevent these issues and keep your baby's skin healthy.

5. Optimizing Detergent Use:

Knowing your water hardness allows you to adjust the type and amount of detergent you use. In hard water areas, you might need to use more detergent or a specific formulation designed to work with hard water.

6. Extending Diaper Life:

You can prolong the life of your cloth diapers and preserve the integrity of the fabric by making sure they are cleaned properly. Other components of cloth diapers, such as plastic covers and velcro plastic snaps, can also deteriorate due to hard water.

What Is Water Hardness?

Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved minerals, primarily compounds of calcium and magnesium, present in your water supply. Water hardness is naturally occurring and is the result of water being exposed to rocks and minerals as it moves through the environment. Different water sources have varying levels of hardness - ground water supplies tend to be very hard while water from lakes and rivers tends to be less so.

How to Determine Your Water Hardness

Discovering your water hardness has never been easier. Aquatell maintains an extensive water hardness chart that covers most Canadian cities and towns, providing you with a quick and convenient way to determine your local water hardness. You can access it for free here.

Our data is sourced from reliable government publications, direct communications with municipalities, and is regularly updated to ensure its accuracy. Once you know your water hardness, you can adjust your washing routine to ensure your cloth diapers remain in top condition.

Diapering your baby in cloth diapers is a decision to do something better for your baby and the environment. Understanding and managing water hardness is an important but often overlooked aspect of cloth diaper laundering. It ensures that your diapers are thoroughly cleaned, keeps them soft and absorbent, and protects your baby's skin from irritation. By knowing your water hardness, you’ll be able to maintain the quality of your cloth diapers and keep your baby dry and comfortable.