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Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts

Monday, February 10, 2020

**REVIEW** Fels Naptha Laundry Bar

I love using things that I think my elders might have liked. This is why I use cast iron and Borax and started putting bleach in my dishwater from the time I started doing dishes. I got it from my mama, as the song says. This is how I also learned - long before Nestles did - about adding fresh fruit and/or canned fruit nectar to my iced teas.

One thing I think that my mother and grandmothers might have is this:




That's a Fels Naptha laundry bar. I learned about it while looking for another soap bar that my mother did use: Zote. She used a big pink bar of Zote to pre-treat stains. And, listen, my mother was a laundry goddess. She got clothes so clean that you'd think they were new. She ironed and folded so beautifully that other military wives asked for tips. I'm serious. To this day, my two older brothers can iron and fold better than a professional laundry service. They got it from our mama. (I don't know what happened to my skills. Right this minute, I have fitted bedsheets rolled up in the top of my linen closet... So sad.)

By the way, this is my old Zote bar I put aside once I got the better Fels Naptha:



Warning: a really important difference between Zote and Fels Naptha! I know that some people use Zote as a bath soap. You cannot do this with Fels. As a matter of fact, I make sure to use gloves when using it because it irritates my sensitive skin. Although Naptha is no longer an ingredient in Fels Naptha soap, there is something strong in it that I didn't like on my skin.

These are the ingredients in the Fels Naptha. (These are not on the package; I had to go to the Purex site for them.)


The soap is from Purex, a brand of Henkel. You can get comprehensive ingredients info here.

Anyway, I usually can find a good laundry bar in Walmart but we all know how I hate leaving the house. When I checked on Amazon, I was amazed at the choices. Then I saw the Fels Naptha and... it looked really familiar. It was cheap so I ordered a few bars and when I got them, I remembered the smell. I am pretty sure that this is one of the soap bars my mother used!

The best thing about Fels Naptha is the smell. It's very vivid and bright and "clean" smelling. It's hard to describe but I like to keep one bar in the closet with my dirty clothes basket. The scent masks that icky odor of dirty clothes and slightly damp towels. When you wash with it, it gets rid of nasty odors in the clothes but doesn't leave a strong scent behind.

Using Fels is easy because it's so pliable. Some laundry bars can be almost rock hard. I could use Zote as a weapon if needed, but Fels is more like a medium soft wax. I like to cut the bars down into pieces. I even grated one part of a bar so I could add the shavings to the wash water. Also, I added some of the shavings to a bottle of water that I use to spray down the sink and around the faucet.



This soap is really versatile. Because of the clean scent that it leaves behind, I like to spray the soapy water into the toilet bowl for scrubbing. I also wipe down the shower curtains with some of the water and I love cleaning the hard water spots around the faucets with some of the soap.

As far as stain removal, the soap works best if you get to the stain before it sets, of course. I did try using it on some older stains and it worked better on non-greasy food stains. I did get some turmeric off of a kitchen towel by applying some of the Fels Naptha right away. Turmeric stains are a disaster if you don't catch them asap. The Fels only did a so-so job of getting most stains out of white kitchen towels. I've had better luck with other fabric cleaners.

To be totally honest I give this a 3 out of 5 as far as for laundry use. Personally, I like this more as a general cleaning bar than as a laundry agent. I add some shavings to the laundry just because it gives clothes a nice fresh clean scent. And, as a mention, our laundry room doesn't have the hottest of water and the soap shavings did melt in the wash cycle, thank goodness. What I have done laundry-wise is to start applying some Fels to stains before I toss items into the dirty clothes hamper. Hopefully, this will help when I finally get around to doing laundry every week...




Mainly, I use this around the kitchen and bathroom to clean counters, around the sink and, as I mentioned, the shower and toilet. I am in love with the scent. It reminds me of wash days back when I was young.

The soap is so incredibly cheap that I paid $0.88 per bar and I see that the price has not yet changed as I type this. I cut up one bar in fourths to basically place pieces in cabinets and under sinks for odor control. I'm currently using a piece of one bar in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. From that same bar, I shaved enough to make soapy water for a spray bottle that I cart from kitchen to bath to laundry room. I am about to buy another trio to give to neighbors because we all tend to share things like this.

I thought that I was being thrifty and smart by finding so many uses for the soap but then I saw this list and, wow. (NOTE: The page loaded funny for me. Just scroll down and you should see the entire article.) At least now I see why the soap works so well on the hard water stains around my faucet. Here is another helpful post with some history of and uses for Fels Naptha.

So, I feel like I have found something my mother would love - or probably did love. It's affordable and versatile so it's going to remain a part of my housecleaning arsenal. I'm not kidding when I say this is the kind of thing the women in my family would like getting as stocking stuffers.


Peace
--Free







I fell so in love with this song after hearing a brief snippet 
while watching The Sinner on Netflix.
Not crazy about that show but this song... It's 
going to be stuck in my head forever.


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

**REVIEW** Mesh Laundry Bags Set of 6

I just got this set of mesh  laundry bags by Poliyu to review and I already like them quite a bit


The zippers are made to stay closed and to last

The mesh is stronger and not as prone to ripping or wearing down as a lot of laundry bags.

Now, I've used laundry bags before to separate and protect certain items when I wash. Mostly, I like not having the hooks on my bras tear into or snag other clothes. Also, it's really nice to be able to keep all my socks together since I otherwise lose about 3 socks per a load of wash... But I've found other uses for my laundry bags:

  • Separating items when packing luggage,
  • Tucking dirty items away from clean ones when traveling or packing, and
  • Sorting and separating clothing items in bedroom drawers.
This may sound odd, but I actually separate my laundry items when putting them in the hamper. That way I'm good to go when I don't want to do all my laundry but need to do bras and socks or bedding items. I think what I like most about this set is that there are various shapes and sizes. You can get creative with which items you put into which bags. I'll use the bra one sometimes for socks and tights:





This one is going to be good for when I do bed linens. I can separate my pillowcases and shams from the large sheets and duvet covers. Nice.

Keep in mind that you can use these in both the washer and the dryer.

The price is dang good. I've seen similar or higher prices for fewer bags in sets. Here is what you get in this set for a price that is currently less than $12:
  • 19.5" x 23.5" - will fit a jacket/coat or sheets
  • 15.7" x 19.5" - for sweater, blouse, pants
  • 11.8" x 16.7" - t-shirts, lingerie, scarves
  • 11.8" x 16.7" - delicates/silks (same size as above, but different mesh style)
  • 6" x 7" - can fit 2 bras (I fit 4 non-padded bras)
  • 8" x 8" - undies and socks

So if you haven't tried using laundry bags or are looking for quality ones at a good price, this is the
set. Once again, this is the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077MDPHQH

Peace
--Free








DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the goods in this post in exchange for giving my fair and honest opinion.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

**REVIEW** Extra Large Natural Cotton Laundry Bag from Ohuhu

Since this review is for an item with a specific and basic use, I will keep the post brief and simple.

The product is the Ohuhu® Natural Cotton Laundry Bag (extra large size).

photo from Amazon product page
photo from Amazon product page

That's pretty specific and basic, right? However, I have a feeling that some people will find other uses for this natural cotton laundry bag:

Because the bag is so big (and it's much bigger than it looks when you first see it in the wrapping), it's great for use in a dorm room. On the other hand, if it's filled up, it could be kind of heavy. For laundry use, I think it would be better for storing dirty laundry neatly in a wash area.

Like I said, it's a simple product, made for storing and carrying  (or temporarily hiding) dirty clothes. The standout features:
  • Holds a LOT of clothing (4 to 5 loads)
  • Is machine washable and won't shrink
  • The 100% "natural colored cotton" material is breatheable to prevent mildew
  • Can also be used as a hamper liner
  • Is quite large - 36 inches high & 28 inches wide 
(By the way, I'm not sure if we all consider a load of laundry by the same measures!)

When I was younger, I remember my mother talking about having learned from her mother to multi-purpose everything she bought. If she bought Crisco for cooking, she also used some as a skin moisturizer. I also remember her talking about having used flour sacks to make clothing and curtains.

The material of this laundry bag is so sturdy that I immediately thought, "My mom would probably multi-purpose the heck out of this!" And, of course, I started thinking of other ways the bag could be used for "modern" household use:
  • As a toy sack (for a kid's playroom)
  • To carry around anything that's bulky or in pieces, and...
  • ...My favorite idea - to hide Christmas gifts in.
  • Lining the hamper used for diapers or smelly exercise clothing is a great idea
photo from Amazon product page


Actually, if this were dyed or decorated, it would make a super-cute "Santa" bag. Maybe because it's close to that time of year, that's one of the first things that popped into my head. Since 2 of my nieces are both pregnant, the idea of using this to line a hamper in the baby rooms is nice. I don't know if my girls plan to use cloth diapers or not  (NOT!!!), but infant clothes can have their own special funk once they get stained with formula or poop... I'm just saying.




One last thing I want to mention is that the material of the bag is a bit on the rough-feeling side when you recieve it. I'm hoping that it will soften up some after a run through the machine with some fabric softener.

The price is great for a bag of such a large size, especially the Prime price.

Peace
--Free




DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Monday, September 28, 2015

**REVIEW** Feeling Fluffy Handmade 100% Premium Organic Wool XL Dryer Balls

I've heard about people using dryer balls as an alternative to dryer sheets, but this was my first chance to dry such a product.

This is what the Premium Organic Wool Dyer Balls from Feeling Fluffy look like:


These are the 100% Organic Wool XL Dryer Balls and are 3 inches in diameter - but not heavy.

Nice touch!

Let me get something out of the way right off the bat (or ball, heh heh): While I do like using natural food and beauty products, I'm not always as picky about my laundry products. All I really care about with that is whether or not the product works and is affordable. However, I know that some people do care about things being natural and organic - maybe for health reasons. So, for those with those concerns, here are some benefits of this product:
  • Chemical-free
  • Hypoallergenic
  • PVC-free
  • No synthetic fibers
  • Eco-friendly
These dryer balls are made of 100% New Zealand wool.

The first thing that struck me about these is the size. Even though the dryer balls are not heavy, I was curious as to how much noise they would make in the dryer. And that's when I was still assuming I'd be using only one ball at a time. When I read the instructions to use all 6 dryer balls, I was sure that, no matter how light weight, they would bang around the dryer like a pair of tennis shoes.

The second thing I wondered about was whether or not I'd really need to use all 6 balls for a load of clothes.

So, how'd my product tryout go?

I washed a mixed load of 4 pairs of jeans, 3 light poly-knit shirts, a pullover, a pair of knit track pants, 6 panties, a pair of tights and a light hoodie. That's a heavier load of clothes than I usually do, but I wanted to see how the dryer balls would work on that many items.

(Oh - and are they noisy in the dryer? Nope, not at all. I tested that by running the dryer for a just a moment with only the jeans to see if the dryer balls would be noisy with a small load of clothes.)

By the way, since I dried the clothes on a timer, I can't tell you whether my drying time was improved or not. My bad. However, I can tell you that I set the timer for 30 minutes on a medium-low temp and didn't get back to the dryer for at least an hour after it went off. I'll get back to that in a minute.

My results? The clothes were super, super soft. Even my jeans came out softer and feeling great. 

There was no static and - this kind of surprised me - the dryer balls didn't pick up the lint and coloring that dryer sheets sometimes do. But the softness was the biggest benefit that I liked.

Okay, remember I had left the clothes untended for a while after the dryer went off? When I've done that with a dryer sheet, I've had to re-tumble the clothes (or, sometimes, even toss in an ice-cube or wet towel) to remove wrinkling. I didn't have that problem with the dryer balls. I think it must be because they left my clothes so much softer.

Can't say enough how I love the way my clothes felt (especially my jeans). I can't wait to do a load of bed clothes now.

I almost didn't think to do a comparison but, because my niece does so much laundry that we tease her about it, I had some of her just-washed clothing to check mine against. There was a huge difference in the feel of the clothes. 

My niece uses a well-known brand of dryer sheet. Of course, she has to buy them from a club store because she goes through them at a phenomenal rate... (This woman's washer and dryer are almost never at rest. I'm not kidding, I think we are going to need to do an intervention one day!)

Now, like I said, I don't really care about how organic my dryer sheets are, but I do care about saving money. 

For myself, I do the bulk of my laundry around once every other week. I will hand-launder underwear about twice a week if I need to. It's not easy catching the machines empty! Still, that's using up a dryer sheet for every load of laundry. With my niece, you can see how the cost of dryer sheets adds up. Even with the amount of laundry I do, I will save quite a bit by not having to buy dryer sheets.

My personal preferences aside, I'm glad that there is something available for people who do have to worry about allergies and other health issues. I'm also glad that when a product is re-usable. And that leads me to probably the only questions I have:
  • How often will I need to replace these (if ever)?
  • Can I use fewer dryer balls with smaller loads of laundry?
  • Do I need to wash the dryer balls every now and then?
I'd like to see basic information like this just printed on the product label. The label that came with my item didn't have the 24-hour phone number for questions.

To get some of the information I wanted, I checked answers to questions submitted by other users via the Amazon product page (answers are from Brijati Products Co.)

  • For the best results we recommend using all 6 dryer balls at the same time. This allows less fabric to fabric rubbing while drying (which ensures no static buildup), a quicker drying process, and softer feeling clothes.
  •  You will need to replace them once you see their size begin to diminish. After several thousand loads they will get smaller and this will not allow them to be as efficient. (my underline)
This product is excellent and new so I'm sure that the company will probably work on improving the labeling that comes with their item. That's just my picky 2-cents' worth. 

Speaking of money...  A large box of dryer sheets from Walmart up here can run 5 bucks - or more. For someone like my niece - with an active little boy (who goes through clothes like we own Old Navy) and her husband (who has to be kept in clean business shirts and pants) - getting even 6 months' use out of the dryer balls would save her a fortune.

A one-time purchase of the dryer balls matches the cost of 3 boxes of those dryer sheets - dryer sheets that you will throw away after using once. And the dryer balls come minus the chemicals and synthetic fibers - but with a 100% money-back guarantee. You can get a refund with no questions asked. Period.

I mentioned in my review on Amazon that, as much as I like some of the products I get to try out, I don't always end up purchasing or using them regularly. This is going to be one of those items that my family and I will continue to use. I like the dryer balls that much.

I'm just so happy with how soft my clothes are. This is one case of the whole "natural" and "organic" thing is just a plus. I'm all about my soft jeans right now! When I do another load of clothes, I will test out using just a few of the dryer balls. Then I will update this review to let you know what my results were...

Peace
--Free


DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.