• Water contains all kinds of minerals.a rusty old tap with a drop of water at its mouth image by Rudi van der Walt from Fotolia.com
  
  Rust can enter home water supplies in a couple of different ways. It may be dissolved naturally by groundwater in iron-rich soils or it may build up on the inside of water tanks or pipes. Either way, it can be a real nuisance on laundry day causing discoloration or stains on your whites.
  
  

Prevention

• Remove or neutralize the dissolved iron particles by using a water filtering system or water softener. If possible, run water before loading clothes to remove rusty sediment from pipes. Look at the color of the water before adding clothing; do not add laundry to water that has a rusty color.
  
  

Correction before washing

• Where filtering is not an option, sometimes water softening chemicals will help the problem. Chlorine or oxidizing bleach added to the water helps brighten colorfast fabrics.
  
  

Stain removal after laundering

• Treat stained clothing immediately. Do not dry in a dryer or in hot sun. The heat will set the stain. Rewash in clear water with bleach or a commercial rust remover, following package directions. Rinse clothing well in clear water after treating with stain removers.