Super hard water making our clothes like cardboard... Suggestions?

[QOFE]

They are just horrible, so stiff, they come off the clothes horse dried into whatever shape they were hanging in Fabric conditioner just makes them into better smelling cardboard, tried that. I have a child with ASD who actually cries over how stiff his socks feel, I have to stretch them out for him every morning (and replace them every couple of months with new soft ones).

We have a spring water supply so it's incredibly hard and limescaley, worse than when I lived in a notoriously hard water area. Tumble drying helps but I can't afford to buy and run a tumble drier.

Are water softener tablets what I need? Or...?

a cup of baking soda added to your wash along with detergent should work to soften water.

As in bicarb? Or baking powder?

Thanks!

I have this. I’m about to buy a water softener that will do the whole house but they are NOT cheap.

I put a tablespoon of soda crystals in each wash, works fine. Green bag - supermarket - £1. I don’t use fabric softener and stuff comes out fine now.

Also Viakal all your taps or the limescale will eat off the chrome.

You can get a big bag of washing soda from Asda for about a pound.

Agree with soda crystals and also white vinegar, it doesn’t make the clothes smell but softens and also keeps the machine clean.

Had a water softener for 15 years. Makes a big big difference.

I can't afford a water softener!

But I am passing The Big Asda tomorrow so will pick up some soda crystals and try them, thanks all :)

You can also put a tbsp of white vinegar in your rinse

Couldn't find soda crystals in any shops so I've ordered some online instead.

Tried white vinegar in the last wash and it made no difference whatsoever. Clothes still crispy

Oh that’s annoying! They are usually in the supermarket or Home Bargains/Wilkins etc too.

Hopefully they turn up soon and help

Nope, Asda didn't have them, neither did B&M bargains, and the independent local hardware store only had "liquid soda crystals" which I wasn't sure would work the same!