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Media Room
Release date 06/07/2011
YONKERS, NY — Stained clothing can be a bummer, but are there products out there that can remove even the nastiest grime? Consumer Reports tested out stain treatments applied before laundering and found a couple that worked well on a variety of stains.
Each stain treatment was evaluated for its effectiveness on coffee, blood, wine, sebum, motor oil, and grass. CR Best Buy Resolve Laundry ($0.10 per oz.) was the top scoring treatment and worked well on all the stains. Shout Advanced Action ($0.21 per oz.) was almost as good and can be applied up to a week before laundering. It worked well on all stains but wine. The full test results are available in the July issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
For its tests, Consumer Reports technicians took swatches of stained polyester/cotton fabric, applied the same amount of each stain cleaner, let the swatches sit for 5 minutes, and then washed them in a mediocre detergent. For comparison, they also washed the stained swatches in a highly rated detergent, using no pretreatment.
The lowest-scoring treatment was also a Resolve product: Resolve Foaming Aerosol Laundry ($0.15 per oz.). It only worked well on removing motor oil.
Most laundry pretreatments do help somewhat: The top products, including old stain remedy Fels Naptha (which was made into a paste using one part Fels to four parts water), worked better than detergent alone. Scrubbing will probably improve stain removal but may also damage fabrics.
Consumer Reports recommends consumers use caution when considering products labeled “natural,” since that word has no standard meaning in cleaning products. Nature’s Source Natural ($0.20 per oz.) and Green Works Natural ($0.25 per oz.) only did a good job on a couple of the stains. Ecover ($0.66 per oz.), the priciest choice, claims “plant based ingredients.”
For more tips on how to remove various stains, including reviews of laundry detergents, washing machines and clothes dryers, log on to www.ConsumerReports.org.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2011 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2011 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.