Household Product Reviews: Country Save

When I received my sample of Country Save Laundry Detergent in the mail, I didn’t really pay attention.  I don’t think about laundry detergent, generally; I just buy Tide when it is on sale.  And then I wonder why my clothes don’t look well!  After many washes with me heaping on the detergent (I always fill the scoop to the top), I wonder if there is a clothes hospital for weary clothes.  My clothes droop, sulk and fade on a regular basis!  ALSO and this is IMPORTANT to me – Country Save is all natural and doesn’t have all those scented little balls that seem to gleam as you look at the detergent in the box.  ALL NATURAL means I like it, for I can’t buy clothes often on my budget and have to take care of those that I own. And I don’t like my clothes smelling stronger than my perfume (Chanel #5 of course!).

I read the following tips from Country Save laundry detergent and was astounded!  Who would think that I have been throwing away (lots of) money and hurting my expensive (DIVA) clothes!  Yikes!  My closet even started screaming!  I buy Country Save at Good Earth Health Foods in Utah, and you can look on the internet on the Country Save website to find a retailer near you.

All humor aside, when I tried Country Save I really liked it.  The small sample packet was enough for two loads laundry and I did a white and color load to see if both loads were as clean.  Then I ran both loads in the washer WITHOUT any detergent to see if there were suds left – NOPE!  All clean and no SLUDGE on my (beloved) clothes!

The national crime wave that stunned the nation earlier this spring – coast-to-coast thefts of Tide laundry detergent and its use in illicit drug buys – didn’t surprise Kris Anderson.

“Laundry detergent can be expensive and it’s a product just about everyone values – even drug dealers,” says Anderson, president of Country Save Corp. (www.countrysave.com), maker of all-natural laundry and dish detergents.

“But it’s not just stores getting ripped off; it’s consumers. Anyone who buys laundry detergent and doesn’t pay close attention when they scoop it ends up using too much,” Anderson says. “Not only is it a fallacy to believe that more soap will make your clothes cleaner, it’s a huge waste of money and it’s actually bad for your clothes.” 

Almost every brand of detergent has a declaration of loads per box on its packaging, he says. And for almost every brand, the number on the box does not match the scooper size provided in the box. 

Anderson, whose environmentally safe Country Save laundry detergent is also distributed by the Department of Defense to all soldiers in the field, offers these facts about using your detergent prudently and economically.

• Don’t just fill up the scoop and dump it in   the washer.  “You definitely won’t get the maximum number of   loads from the box,” Anderson says. “For instance, if you use Ultra Tide’s   40-load box and fill the scoop for every load, you’ll get just 15 scoops per   box.” Instead, he says, put on your glasses, if necessary, and look at the   lines on the side of the scoop. The top line, for a full load, is usually well   below the lip of the scoop. Highlight the lines with a dark-colored marker to   help you avoid the problem in the future. If you have soft water, using half   the recommended amount is sufficient.

• Too much soap causes clothes to fade faster.  Over-use of detergent is actually the leading cause of   fading. Clothing may also acquire a thin, filmy layer of soap because your   washer can’t thoroughly rinse the fabric. Do you tend to be itchy? It could be   you’re wearing your detergent!

• Too much soap’s not good for your washing machine, either.  Excess soap can gum up the works as soap   deposits and lint form in your washing machine. These can contribute to mold –   and its accompanying stench; they can plug up filters and other openings; and   they can lead to mechanical breakdowns. In some machines, you may also end up   wasting (and spending more for) water as the machine spins into extended   cycles in an effort to remove the soap.

• Run a test load to see if you’re over-soaping.  Run a load with clothes only – no detergent. Do   you see suds? That’s an indication of how much detergent you are wearing.  

• Reduce pollutants by using an all-natural detergent.  While Country Save had the first phosphate-free   detergent on the market back in 1977, many companies have now removed the   additive because of its harmful effects on rivers, lakes and other fresh   water. However, most companies continue to use other additives, such as optic   brighteners, fragrances and dyes, Anderson says. “The more often consumers   choose the most natural products, the better off our environment will be –   even if some people still use too much!

Country Save became the nation’s first phosphate-free detergent when Elmer Pearson – creator of Elmer’s Glue — introduced it in 1977. A chemist and environmentalist, he developed Country Save products without animal testing or animal byproducts. They’re designed to be environmentally safe and they’re recommended for people with sensitive skin. The line also includes dish detergent and oxygen-powered powdered bleach. Find Country Save products on the company’s website and amazon.com.