Wisk It Out

My mom used two kinds of detergent, plus bleach, when she did the wash.  Of course not all in each load - one main well-known powder for everything, and one to scrub into stains and on my dad's shirt collars (Wisk).  The bleach she used on whites generally.

Throughout the years I've tried lots of different detergents, but mostly going back the one my mom used, but in liquid form.  None of them are really that good at anything but run-of-the-mill daily soil.  Most get the wash smelling clean, or at least not having any smell.  But I've been so disappointed that none of them clean stains as advertised.  (Now, don't ask me why I believe advertisements - I guess hope springs eternal that they are telling the truth and it's as easy as they advertise.)

So I've also tried all sorts of the additives, like the pod things and oxy-type boosters.  None of them has really worked.  I've even scrubbed liquid detergent into shirt collars and other stains -- nope.  Although most stains fade some, the stains are still there.

So the other day I picked up a bottle of Wisk.  My mom would only use it on Dad's shirt collars.  And if I remember back into the cobwebs of that time, it even came in a small, dish soap size bottle. I bought Wisk at a full $.05/ounce less than the other popular/well-advertised liquids, too.

Mr. H got a nasty "rug burn" the other day.  Which just looked like slightly shiny place on his elbow - it hurt a lot more than it looked like it would.  No bleeding. Well, during the night it decided it was going to bleed.  There went my nice white sheets… It looked like he took a rubber stamp to the upper half of the sheets and his pillow case (sorry, TMI?)

Enter Wisk.
Today I pre-treated those spots on the sheets and his pillowcases with Wisk and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then washed.  (Pre-treating meaning mostly just pouring the detergent on those areas and let it sit.)  Thinking it would turn out the same as when I've done that same thing with my usual liquid.  But hooray!  Pulled out the sheets and my only disappointment was that there are a couple spots I missed treating specifically and they didn't wash out.  The other whites in the load looked good, too.

Now, I understand the needs for more than one laundry product, but if I can get away with just using one I will go with that.  I am disappointed it didn't get the stains I didn't pre-treat as those are the buggers, but at least I know it will get the ones I do.  At least it did this time.  Time will tell, but today my white sheets are white w/o nasty leftover stains and that works for me.

Your mileage may vary.