We Talk Shop

I was skeptical of this product at first, but really like it now that I’ve used it. I have a problem, sometimes, with mix colors in the laundry. I’ve pulled out new shirts that have purple stains on them because I washed something read with something blue. I thought all dark colors can go together.

So, to save my sanity and not have to wash 10,000 loads of laundry every week, I purchased the Shout Color Catchers. They look like dryer sheets, but they go in the washer. As your clothes are washing, and those mystery colors are floating around in the water just waiting to cling to the wrong garment, the Color Catchers absorb the color from the water.

When you move your clothes to the dryer the Catcher sheet will not be white. It will turn whatever color it picked up from the water. Now, sometimes I find that there is nothing on the sheet, but other times it is red or purple. Sometimes blue. It’s always a faint color, but there is ink on the sheet. Ink that I suppose would have ended up on my husbands new colored shirt I just bought for him. This sheet saves me a lot of worry. I still sort my clothes, but if I’m in doubt, I toss a sheet in for extra assurance. It’s been working so far. The only downside to the sheets is the price. It’s about $5.00 for a box of $24. It’s not outrageous, but not cheap either.

Get it: Most stores, in the laundry aisle.

For people who have sensitive skin or are prone to having skin allergies, All Free Clear Laundry Liquid Detergent is a godsend. Years ago, I had a terrible skin rash for days and I couldn’t figure out what was causing it, despite having an allergy skin test. Finally, after talking to a co-worker, she suggested that maybe I developed an allergic reaction to my laundry soap (Tide). That made a lot of sense! I quickly went to the grocery store and purchased the only non-perfumed, irritant free laundry soap that I could find, which was the All Free Clear Laundry Liquid Detergent. Immediately the very next day, my rashes were not as itchy and the redness was gone.

The only downside to this laundry soap is that it doesn’t remove tough stains, so for that you may have to spray on some stain remover prior to washing clothes. But it’s so gentle for my skin and my clothes that I’m willing to live with that.

Git it: This is perfect for sensitive skin, babies, and for use with HD washers. Prices may vary but it’s around $6.00 for 100oz. bottle. Available at Target, Publix or your local grocery store.

I’ve been on a hunt for a polo I liked since accidentally making a hole in my previous one (will save that story for another product review) and yesterday I found it in the clearance section of my favorite Gap Outlet. There was only one in all the section and frequent with scouring clearance racks, this coveted polo had a stain of unknown origin, although it looked like marker. Fortunate for me my mom works at Publix and likes to bring me new products to try when she comes to visit. This time she brought Zout.

That’s right, Zout, not Shout. Apparently Zout has been around since the ’60s in use in hospitals. It made its way into the household market and has a new spray bottle on the shelves, which I used. Zout creators claim it works on set-in stains and penetrates into the fiber, lifting the stain out from the inside. They don’t lie.

Even before I put my shirt in the wash, the stain was lifting. After washing, the stain was completely gone - see for yourself below. Thinking I may have now have to put this product to the test on the remaining spots of my futon cover.

Recently I was walking down the stairs to the cafeteria at work and shopgirl_alicia noticed a yellowish stain on my new shirt. I gave Zout a second try and it did not disappoint.

I was on a roll this weekend with oxyclean so I must share my second success story. It’s almost too much to believe — two in one weekend.

Anyway, I was washing clothes and had a dirty cloth diaper. It had a few large stains (either puke or poop, not sure which) on it even after being washed. The stains didn’t come out in the regular wash. As I was about to put it in the dryer I thought that by drying it the stains would never come out. Now was my opportunity. So, I put it in the laundry room sink with some water and oxyclean. I made a paste of the oxyclean and rubbed it in the diaper then let it soak in the oxyclean water that was in the tub. I left it overnight. What do you think I saw the next morning? Yes, ladies, a perfectly clean, sparkling white cloth diaper — ready to be pooped or puked on again

I did my latest oxyclean test today — Blood Stain on a pair of nice slacks. The stains were right where they could be seen, on the thigh area. So, I put some oxyclean in my hands and wet it just enough so that I could smear it into the pants. Then, I let them sit in it overnight. And, guess what the results were … drumroll please … it came out. Yes it did. And I have to admit, that I let the stain sit for two weeks before I tried to get it out. Now, I also have to admit that I don’t think I was going to mention that part if my experiment didn’t work, but oxyclean is amazing so I’m not suprised it came out. Pants are as good as new.