Temporary rust treatment for washing machine

[Khadaji]

I have always had rust in my well water, but this year it has gotten bad. I can no longer ignore it and have made an appointment to have a rust treatment solution installed.

However, until then, is there anyway of preventing the water from staining my clothing when I use the washing machine? Anything I can add at the start of the cycle?

[sailor]

Rust will settle at the bottom so it seems like you could decanter the water using several buckets.

[boytyperanma]

I have always had rust in my well water, but this year it has gotten bad. I can no longer ignore it and have made an appointment to have a rust treatment solution installed.

However, until then, is there anyway of preventing the water from staining my clothing when I use the washing machine? Anything I can add at the start of the cycle?

You can use a sodium hydrosulfate product like Rust Out, Iron out etc. I use it to remove existing iron stains from clothing but it could be used in a preventative manner. It can have ill effects on dyes though. I have a few shirts that gotten bleached from it.

[Squink]

Adding borax to each load will help.
Borax is a chelator, so any iron in your water will bind to it, instead of to your clothes.

[Kalhoun]

I have always had rust in my well water, but this year it has gotten bad. I can no longer ignore it and have made an appointment to have a rust treatment solution installed.

However, until then, is there anyway of preventing the water from staining my clothing when I use the washing machine? Anything I can add at the start of the cycle?

I use iron out, which helps a lot. However, it's gone once you hit the rinse cycle so a little bit of rusty water will hit the clothes untreated.

If you can find a rust water treatment that doesn't involve a shitload of money or the exhorbitant use of water in order to clean it thoroughly, please post it. I have not found a solution that is both economical and ECOnomical, but I'm always on the lookout for something that will solve my obnoxious rust problem.

[Khadaji]

Thanks for all the answers. I ordered some Rust Out which should be here today.

The Culligan man just left: all told I'm going to end up paying nearly $2100 to take care of all my water problems. (A new water softener too.)

[holmes]

I am looking into something like this (not this company)Rusty Water (http://budgetwater.com/iron_filters.htm?pmc=iron-g&gclid=COy3nJWFxJsCFc5L5QodXVkxAg). I think i get it locally for a little less money and I can install it myself. I got quoted around $3,000 by the local well guy for the same setup; but most of that was his labour costs.

Unfortunately a broken tooth and a root canal depleted my cushion, so I am going to have to wait on it.

I think I found some "filters" for around $250, but the amount of Iron I have makes a permanent setup the better option.

Any suggestions, welcomed.

[Khadaji]

holmes, without the Water Softener, it was about half the cost. Also though, Culligan offered to finance this and for the 2100 it would have been about 63 dollars a month. The interest is outrageous (between 10 and 14 percent) but if you need to pay monthly, then I guess it is one way to go. I have to replace the filter 4 times a year he said. BTW, that 2100 included installation costs.