Can hard water yellow ponies?

[Sukey]

So, I am trying to figure out what is going here, so I am asking you guys if anyone has experienced similar problems. I have been collecting and cleaning G1 ponies for years and never had any yellowing issues till I moved to the country. I have always used alcohol, nail polish remover and sometimes magic eraser to clean them. The first one yellowed after cleaning was at my current house that has spring water and I'm pretty sure it is "hard" water.

Just a few days ago I tried cleaning my ponies with a different method this time, using no harsh chemicals- all I used was magic eraser, the body wash I always use and conditioner. Still I ended up with a yellowed Sundance who wasn't yellow before I started cleaning her. So I have to wonder- is it my water? Has anyone else had this problem? I had a Sweet Stuff do the same thing and she eventually turned back to her regular color, but it took months!

[Nebula Light]

Just did some quick research: high iron or chlorine in water tends to cause yellowing in textiles, iron more so. I think high alkaline water combined with soaps causes lime to form (usually in a film on surfaces)  which can also discolor. "Hard" water is due to water that has dripped through the ground, dissolving a high percentage of minerals in the water, usually calcium and magnesium salts, but it can also contain things like iron, sulphur, silt, chlorine, or alkaline salts.

I do a lot of water testing at the pet store I work at, and hard water, along with a high ph and high alkalinity is common around here.

Most of the US has hard water, unfortunately. I've never had this happen to any of my ponies, but I'll keep an eye out for it. Maybe sun fading could reverse it? I wonder if anyone else has any ideas...I'm sorry this happened to you though. 

[mlp4me]

Can't say I've had this happen before, (and we have some gross water here and cast iron pipes) bummer. :o(
Do you dry ponies right away or let them air dry?
I've had a good share of ponies with tail rust end up stained *inside* from the rust even with scrubbing well and using chemicals. I would guess the same is possible with extremely hard water on the exterior of a pony.

[Kazzellin]

Huh. I haven't had that problem with any of the G3s I've cleaned, and we supposedly have hard water. No water softener either, since my dad had to be on a low-sodium diet. Is it just G1s that you're having this happen to?

[bluerose9978]

I have really hard water and never had a problem (my water has been tested by a couple different chemical companies since I've moved in just to make sure it's good for drinking, etc.)

But I was definitely thinking chlorine when you said yellowing because chlorine has a tendency to turn clothes yellow (or white bathing suits yellow) or if you have blond hair to turn it green.

[MiRaja]

Buy distilled water from your local grocer.  It's free of all the minerals and what not, and is generally for putting in your iron to steam and press clothes.  You obviously don't want minerals like lime and what not in something you're using to press your clothes.

Clean a batch a ponies with that and see if there is a difference than what you're using from the tap is all I can suggest.

[Sukey]

Just did some quick research: high iron or chlorine in water tends to cause yellowing in textiles, iron more so.

Honestly, I haven't had the water tested since moving-we don't drink it. It used to be my grandparents' house and I can remember the water tasting very irony. In the winter we put bowls of water on top of radiators and it leaves behind a white residue.

Do you dry ponies right away or let them air dry?
I've had a good share of ponies with tail rust end up stained *inside* from the rust even with scrubbing well and using chemicals. I would guess the same is possible with extremely hard water on the exterior of a pony.

Yes, I shake them dry and I always remove their heads and let them air dry for a few days. The yellowing seems to occur after a few minutes. So far happened to 3 ponies- Sweet Stuff, Quackers and Sundance.

Huh. I haven't had that problem with any of the G3s I've cleaned, and we supposedly have hard water. No water softener either, since my dad had to be on a low-sodium diet. Is it just G1s that you're having this happen to?

Yep, just G1 ponies- I haven't cleaned G3s.

The odd thing is that I noticed the whole pony didn't yellow with Sundance and her inside stayed white.

[Mirnyj]

Sounds very weird, but I do suspect some chemical residue in the water that's causing the yellowing, not just the hardness of the water.

[Diamond]

I think  MiRaja suggest is a very good to find out if your water is the culprit.  Also it could be those ponies had something on them that reacted with your water when cleaning them.  Ponies will absorb oils and creams from our hands as they are to a degree porous so cleaning them can sometimes cause a reaction.

Have you tried re-washing them yet?

[Elfpony]

Well, my mom's place is out in the country and they're on a well with an extremely high iron content. The dishes slowly turn yellow-red as they're washed. I've never washed ponies there, but seems possible that the water could be the culprit.

Elf

[hathorcat]

I agree with testing the theory with some distilled water. While I dont doubt the water could be causing the issue, I doubt its simply because its hard water its more likely to to with the fact there is some other chemical content in the water. I would certainly be getting it tested if the washing in distilled water does not cause the same problems.

[Sukey]

Have you tried re-washing them yet?

I think I did try with Sweet Sweet years ago, but she eventually turned back to her regular color- but it took months. I wrote her off and bought a new one. Then one day I looked at her and she was back to normal- strange. I hope that happens with Quackers who only yellowed in a few spots.