Clarifying, well water, baking soda...I need help

[jeanniet]

I'm so confused. We are on well water. We don't have a softener but do have an iron filter, although I know we still have iron in our water because we get iron bacteria. Anyway, I'm pretty sure the water is the reason my hair just doesn't feel right even though it's conditioned and oiled and deep treated and pretty much pampered. But I'm not sure what to do about it.

My understanding is that clarifying removes product buildup and not minerals. Is this right? I thought I would have to use something special to deal with mineral buildup. I went into a salon today to ask if they still had Malibu well water products (they didn't), and a stylist told me to just use a little baking soda in shampoo to remove the minerals and then condition well. Would this work? I'm afraid to use baking soda because I can just see it really trashing my hair.

I'm also looking at shower filters, and it looks like they'll remove iron but they don't say anything about calcium, which is what's in our hard water. I don't need chlorine removed.

Any ideas, advice, words of wisdom? I do have Avalon Organics lemon clarifying shampoo, and I like it, but I'm not sure it will do enough to remove minerals. :confused:

[manderly]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe when it comes to minerals, you need to chelate (which is what the Malibu products do IIRC) rather than just clarify.

Clarifying removes surface buildup, and chelating removes bonded minerals and such. I don't think BS will be enough to help you if you have iron buildup in your hair.

Now, I'm really not sure about this and going from foggy memory, so don't quote me and just hope someone comes along with better advice :D :flower:


ETA: If you're having a problem with hard water (calcium) have you tried a vinegar rinse? That may help you out :)

[jeanniet]

Yes, I do vinegar rinses and does help, but it still feels like there is buildup. Since I've been using this water for over five years, I imagine there is quite a bit of buildup! Malibu has these demineralizing treatment packs, so I think I'll get some of those and see how they work. I'm COing, so I'd rather not have to use a chelating shampoo too often. Thank you for the help!

[minnie may]

try an acidic rinse with 1/4 tsp citric acid and 1/16 tsp ascorbic acid (vitamin c) in a quart water, best if that is filtered (with one of those small filters for drinking and tee/coffee preparation purposes) citric and ascorbis acid are about what ist used in shower filters to get rid of the iron and other gunk. there was a thread about this, try searching for "miracle water"

[Carolyn]

Once you get the minerals and such out of your hair, you could try doing your final rinse with distilled water. A gallon of distilled water was about 90 cents last week when I bought some. After you've washed and rinsed your hair with your tap water, do a final rinse with the distilled water. Pour 1-2 cups in a large cup and pour it over your hair and dunk your length in the cup. Of course do not rinse this out :silly: I've found this helps.

[countryhopper]

If you DO want to use baking soda dilluted in water, try boiling the water first, add the baking soda, and allow to cool. I've heard this helps the BS to dissolve in hard water better than just adding it to plain shower water.

You'll only need a small (1 tablespoon or less) amount of BS. It can be very drying, so be sure to follow up with your vinegar rinse. I only know about baking soda washes done this way, but I'm not sure if it would help with the iron and mineral buildup. :(

[minnie may]

ah found the old thread here (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=51184)

[clichepithet]

Hi. We have very hard water and I occasionally use ion for Hard and Well Water Shampoo and am very satisfied with it, though I do dilute it. Purchased at Sally's. I also do a final vinegar rinse when I remember.

[jeanniet]

Thank you all so much! Now I have some ideas to try out and if one thing doesn't work something else probably will--and your suggestions are all a lot cheaper than the demineralizing packs. :)

[Silver Strands]

Lots of good suggestions on here.
There is also a product called: Cowboy Magic Rosewater Demineralizing Condtioner that you can get at Tack/Horse stores.

[grldollies]

Jeanniet, Your not alone!
I too have very bad well water with lots of iron, lime and a bit of bacteria. No amount of treatment to the water gets the lime & iron totally out of the water. We have a treatment facility in my back yard – a necessary evil. Drinking water in Fl is very hard.
My hairdresser recommended this shampoo to me, Short Sexy Hair - Clean Slate Daily Cleansing Shampoo. It has a Silver & Yellow cap. If you have a lot of minerals in your hair your hair will not take dye well. The first time she used it on me, she lathered my hair with it wrapped it in plastic and stuck me under the hair dryer for about a half hour.
Oh and you don't have to have short hair to use this! Works fab – but the bad news it has cones. Minerals in hair vs Cones in your hair?
I now shampoo with Clean Slate about 2-3 times a month ( I wash my hair every other day – oily & hot here!) & just before dying my hair. But I do not do the dryer thing but leave the shampoo on my head at least 10 min then rinse, condition (more time) & then style. I don’t like the cones in the Clean Slate but at least they are the last two ingredients and this product has really worked, way better then any other product I’ve used for mineral build up. I also like Kiss My Face Big Body Shampoo for a good regular clarifier.

Shampoo info -

Short Sexy Hair - Clean Slate -
Gently cleanses to lift pollutants and product build-up without compromising the health of the hair. Improves hair density. Adds moisture to hair. Leaves scalp feeling invigorated. Safe for everyday use and color-treated hair. Smells like: Fresh mint .

Ingredients: Water , Sodium Laureth Sulfate , Cocamide DEA , Lauramide DEA , Cocamidopropyl Betaine , Polyquaternium-11 , Mentha Piperita Oil (Peppermint) , Glycol Stearate , Menthol , Mentha Viridis Extract (Spearmint) , Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract , PEG-150 Distearate , Hydrolyzed Soy Protein , Methylparaben , Citric Acid , Fragrance , Eugenol , Linalool , Limonene , Sodium Chloride , Magnesium Chloride , Magnesium Nitrate , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone
http://www.thefind.com/search?query=Short+Sexy+Hair+Clean+Slate#page=1&sess[search.pagesize.base]=56&filter[sortby]=price_asc



Kiss My Face Big Body Volumizing Shampoo –
Fuller thicker aromatherapeutic, obsessively natural shampoo with certified botanicals no sodium lauryl sulfate or artificial fragrances. No easy task to create a natural shampoo that achieves thicker and fuller results. We did it and we love it. It works. To top it off our unique natural aroma is uplifting and scent-uous. It gently and throughly cleanses without stripping or drying while sothing your scalp with pure essential oils and organic herbs. Your thicker luxurious locks will luminous. Follow up with our equally effective and nourishing conditioners.

Ingredients: Certified Organic Floral Water of Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Water, Infusion of Certified Organic Herbs of Nettle, Olive Leaf, Calendula, Sage, Lavender, Certified Organic Aloe Vera, Olefin Sulfonate, Cocomidopropyl Betaine, Vegetable Glycerin, Sea Salt, Wheat Protein, Caprylic Acid, Glycine, Tocopherol (natural Vitamin E), Rice Protein, Panthenol, Guar, Chamomile Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.
http://www.thefind.com/search?query=+Kiss+My+Face+Big+Body+Shampoo


Good Luck! - Gay : ) Qapla' :puppykisses: