Anyone Ever Use Vintage Laundry Products?

[launderess]

Wondered if people actually use vintage laundry products from the 1940's/ 50's or 60's; or are they just for show?

Have used Fels soap form the 1950's and 60's (when the formula actually contianed Naphalne otherwise know as lighter fluid). And am here to tell you it cleans very well, but wonder if vintage laundry powders and liquids would have long gone off by now.

Launderess

 

[toggleswitch]

Lestoil

I bought Lestoil to clean my basement and garage floors when I first bought my house some years ago. They were beyond filthy. Also threw Lestoil in the washer with a dropcloth (used to protect the floor) when the sewer line was cleaned out.

Realized it had petroleum distillates in it. It was OK, and I used it with an old mop-head so as not to spread the chemicals to the main living space. Would not buy it again [due to toxicity] in ordinary circumstances.

I was reminicing about the smell of "Cheer" powder the other day and actually went to buy some. The product did not have the smell color or texture that it did back when. HATED IT!Rumor has it that the manufacturers used to add fine saw-dust as a "filler". Made you have to use softener!

 

[lavamat_daniele]

Old detergents

I also collect old detergent box, but don't use them when they're very old. The perborate (bleaching agent) in the powders doesn't work well because of humidity, and liquids sometimes just leave my clothes not smelling properly!!
Daniele

 

[alr2903]

oxydol

redox (sp) is marketing liquid oxydol in the midwest, Mom had a bottle and I was truly surprised. She said it was "cheap and something different". It did work well.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Laundress, lately I have only been using vintage detergents. I have given up on most modern detergents because of the reside they leave and their horrible floral scents. The vintage detergents are more expensive to buy obviously but I find they are such a luxury. The powder melts the instant it hits the water, it leaves no residue and because of the phosphates the rinse water is so very crisp and clear, the light clean fragrance is wonderful too. I also find they seems to clean very well and they have not lost their effectiveness due to age. Dash works so well in my vintage front loaders I hope never to be without it again. Dash seems to work so much better than Tide HE, although the results with Dash are much better in the vintage machines than in the Asko, the Asko seems to prefer modern HE detergents.

Between the estate sales and Ebay I stocked up recently on vintage detergents for actual my use over the next few months...

 

[tlee618]

Oh my Robert, I had all but forgot about "Climalene" my mom used that alot. Thanks for the memories. I wonder when they stopped making it? Terry

 

[launderess]

What a Haul

Now I know who is bidding against me on those vintage products! *LOL

What, pray tell is Climatine? Sounds like a feminine hygine product.

Launderess

 

[DADoES]

Climalene is a new one on me! Maybe wasn't marketed over here?

And how old is that blue Surf? With a sample of Pepsodent, no less! Didn't know Surf has been around that long, have never seen a Surf box like that.

 

[maytagbear]

Climalene

was a water softener/booster made not too far from me here in Ohio. We used it once in a while (on sale), but Ma preferred Calgon, and Mrs Femec, our "lady who helps us" during the school year preferred LaFrance.

Climalene Company also made a toilet bowl cleaner called (hold your hats) Bowlene.

I miss Dash. I hate most of the scents of the current detergents, and sometimes use the "free" versions.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[maytagbear]

Climalene PS

I think the company went out of business in the early 80s-- certainly don't remember seeing it since then, and this would be the last area to have it, one would think.

When I use a booster these days, I use OxiClean or similar.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[gansky1]

How about Glamorene? Sounds like eye shadow but is really a rug cleaner!

 

[Unimatic1140]

Yes I found all those boxes of Climalene, the Final Touch and Oxydol at an estate sale last saturday, the rest came from eBay. The Surf is from around 1952, I can't wait to get the tube of Peposident out of it! And I know what you're thinking and no I will not be brushing my teeth with 53 year old toothpaste. I just opened a late 1960's box of Duz and got a beautiful Juice Glass out of it. Next I have to find a box of Breeze, I can always use more dish towels!

I tried the Climalene on a load of really dirty shop towels in the Norge, it seemed to work really well.

I'm going to bring some vintage detergent to the convention for all of us to use and enjoy.

 

[frigilux]

Robert---I'm amazed there's still enough vintage detergent out in the world for you to use it for all your laundry! I'm also amazed it still works and hasn't clumped up into a ball of cement. What I wouldn't give to smell a load being washed in hot water with classic 60's-era Tide. That is probably one of the strongest laundry 'scent memories' I have from childhood. We had an open laundry tub for the suds-saver and that scent would fill the whole lower level of our house on washday.

In fact, since Tide seems to have 30 variations these days, I'm surprised they don't market a 'Classic Tide'. You'd think the formula would still be safe in a vault somewhere...

 

[geoffdelp]

Robert - Oh boy ... vintage Final Touch; my favorite!! Didn't they add bluing to it?

I also love the Tide box where you can win a washing machine full of $10 bills - wonder who won and what brand of machine they got?

I ocassionally use some of my vintage detergents, too. Recently, I got a 1970's/1980's box of Rinso; still has slight fragrance to it, but it's not the best at cleaning. I just finished using a 3 lb. box of 1960's/1970's Oxydol that still had traces of the fragrance - one of my all time favs.

You can't beat classic Tide!! I agree, you would think they would market a classic Tide; but who the heck are we? Just consumers, that's all!!

 

[spiralactivator]

I've had one experience with a vintage laundry product. We found a full bottle of Wisk from the late '60s or early '70s in an elderly relative's basement. When I went to pour some into the washer, nothing came out. I squeezed the bottle, and solid blue clots of detergent went GLUNK...GLUNK onto the clothes. I didn't know liquid detergent could lump up like that. Fortunately it liquified when the water hit it, but it was still a surprise.

 

[launderess]

Thanks all for the replies!

Unless I come into a great haul at an estate sale or elsewhere, can't see how I could justify paying the sometimes insane final bidding price for a box of vintage MIB detergent; only to use the contents. Since I already use STPP (phospates) as a detergent additive, I'm guessing those that bid on these sort of things want them for "show" not "go".

How ever will keep my eye out for vintage laundry detergent at a good price and nab one if possible.

Oh by the way, speaking of CLIMALENE,

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[DADoES]

Weeooooo!! In Texas, no less!

 

[petek]

I like that FAB deal, save 6 cents on the purchase of two cans of Ajax..

 

[MrX]

Be careful!

Just be aware that some of those vintage cleaning products contain some potentially dangerous solvents and other ingredients that would be illegal in the US or Europe thesedays.

Just because they're "old and traditional" doesn't meant that they weren't quite toxic.

They also deteriorate after a few years so should be long long past their best before dates by now.

While I wouldn't think the laundry detergents are likely to have anything too nasty in them. Some of the other products mentioned with petrolium distilates in them are not a great idea to use!

Sorry for being a bit of a spoil sport, but it's just worth mentioning!