Household and or cleaning products from your past.

[xraytech]

Some of the cleaning products I miss are:
I loved BAB-O scouring powder and I think it was more effective than Comet, I can occasionally find BAB-O creme cleanser but never the powder which I really want.

LaFrance Blueing, Mother always had it on her shelf for laundry, even as far back as the late 80's the only place we could ever get it was this tiny little grocery in our town.

Rinse N Vac carpet shampoo, my grandparents used to rent Rinse N Vac shampooers from in the late 60's until probably the mid 90's. I thought their shampoo was the best smelling and effective shampoo for carpets.

Also grandma used to use this chandelier cleaner on her crystal chandelier in the living room, it was an aerosol cleaner that you sprayed your chandelier with it and had newspaper laying under it and the cleaner removed the dirt and it would drip off onto the newspaper, it would make the chandelier crystal clear and very shiney. I dont remember what this product was called but I cant find anything similar to it

 

[danemodsandy]

Sam:

I think you're thinking about Sparkle Plenty chandelier cleaner, which is still around. They have a Website, linkie is below.

If this is the same product your grandmother used, it's in a pump formulation now, instead of aerosol.

http://www.sparkleplentyinc.com/SparklePlentyChandelierCleaner.html

 

[xraytech]

Thanks Sandy,

That is the cleaner grandma used and has been looking for. She also used it to clean her cut crystal table lamps.
I will have to order some

 

[danemodsandy]

Sam:

Glad I knew what it was.

 

[westingman123]

lestoil & jubilee

I've had success finding both these at Ace hardware stores. Pricey, but worth it to me. Lestoil is great on really soiled laundry (read gardening clothes), too.

 

[polkanut]

I had forgotten about LaFrance and Blu-White. My mom, and my wife used it faithfully until it was suddenly NLA.

 

[vacbear58]

More from Britain

Laundry Powders/Liquids
Omo
Tide
Radient
Drive
Whisk
Stergene
Dreft
Lux Soap Flakes
Robin Starch (the proper stuff not spray starch)
Reckkits Blue

Household cleaners
Handy Andy
Fairy Household Soap - Big green bars - lovely smell, at one point advertised by Fanny and Johnny Cradock (Google them) with Fanny gazing down at a grimy shirt cuff - F to J "Been down the coal hole" (coal hole = coal cellar)
Sunlight Household Soap - Big yellow bars
Ajax Liquid ("Mary! Mary! Its a white tornado!" - Never mind white tornado this used so much ammonia it would clear even the most blocked sinuses)
Ajax Window Cleaner - in the squeezable bottle
Original Min (Thick white liquid in metal tin with screw top)
Topps (mentioned by others - but brilliant for scratched furniture - FATAL if splashed on the wall paper )
Flash Powder (Still available commercially and still "cleans baths without scratching")
Flash Gel with Bleach - best household cleaner EVER! Thick liquid that makes the place smell like it has been cleaned - Thank God Waitrose stil stock it
Brasso - Metal Polish
Duraglit - Chemical impregnated wadding sold in a round tin
Silvo - Similar to Duraglit, but for silver.
Mansion Polish - hard wax polish

Al

 

[washlogic]

Glamorene?

What about Glamorene Rug Cleaner? It was basically saw dust soaked in some type of cleaning fluid. With the kit was a specific brush that you used to scrub in the compound. When it dried, you then vacuumed up the saw dust that supposedly absorbed the dirt. Anyone remember that? It smelled like dried coconut shells when the carpet was dry

 

[alanlendaro]

I remember Glamorene.....

Also remember Carbona... I know Carbona had a upholstery cleaner that was in a plastic bottle and had a foam/brush applicator on the top. There was also a foam upholstery product that came in a blue aerosol can with a blue cap that you had to put your finger in a slot to operate - not sure who made that. Does anyone know?

 

[alanlendaro]

also thanks to Hunter for the link to the Jubille like produ

Will check it out.

 

[danemodsandy]

Goodies You CAN Still Get:

As this thread shows, a lot of old favourites have disappeared or have become hard-to-find specialty or Web-only items. But what about those good old products that are still pretty easy to find, if you're smart enough to know about them and how well they work? Here's my list of goodies I can't do without:

- Fels-Naphtha Soap. Great for spot removal, excellent preventive for poison ivy - if you're exposed to it, wash the affected area immediately with Fels and chances are very good that you won't break out.

- Murphy's Oil Soap. Excellent for washing furniture and floors, also works in a pinch as a car wash, since it does not strip auto wax. But car use should be for emergencies when you're out of car-wash liquid, because Murphy's will build up on car paint if used too often (it's the oil).

- Ajax Cleanser. It was around before Comet, and I still like it better.

- Bon Ami. For surfaces you don't want dulled, it's great. Very eco-friendly, with no perfume or pumice.

- Future Floor Finish. You can't get Aero Wax or Klear any more, or Glo-Coat either. This is really the only hard-surface floor wax left. Not for wood floors, of course.

- Johnson's Paste Wax. Fantastic for hardwood floors, where you should not use a water-based polish like Future. You need a buffer, though.

- Palmolive Soap. Colgate has cut the bar size, but at least they're still making it. Smells good, mild, and it's inexpensive.

- Cashmere Bouquet Soap. Since the demise of Lux (I will never forgive Unilever for that), this is a very good, mild and mildly-scented bar soap for hands.

- Old English Scratch Cover. Excellent for hiding furniture scratches temporarily - how do they always show up when guests are expected in five minutes? You can do a better touch-up later, but for the moment, scratches are not noticeable.

- Old English Lemon Oil. Cleans and puts a bit of shine on furniture, without buildup. The White House staff use this on the antiques there.

- Parson's Ammonia. Yes, there are lots of discount ammonias out there, and they do work as well. I'm including this because ammonia is an overlooked product that cleans fantastically well. Use with ventilation, of course.

- Pine-Sol. You either love this one or hate it. I love it.

- O-Cel-O cellulose sponges. Something that absorbs liquid, rinses clean, saves a fortune in paper towel costs. Disinfect periodically with bleach or by microwaving. Plastic-foam sponges are nowhere near as good.

- O Cedar sponge mop heads. Replace a plastic-foam mop head with one of these, and you'll get your floors cleaner and drier, with less work.

- Brasso. Great on metal, but also shines plastic and wood finishes. You can make a dull tabletop gleam again with Brasso if you're willing to put in the time and expend the elbow grease. The solvent in Brasso can cloud some finishes and plastics, so always spot-test before going to town on something with it.

- Lime-A-Way. With the cost of designer faucets nowadays, you really don't need to be scratching away at them to remove mineral deposits.

- Zud Cleanser. Rough, scratchy stuff, but it gets rust stains off porcelain like nobody's business. Use with care, and you're fine. Actually, you often don't have to rub - sprinkle Zud onto a wet surface, wait, and often the rust stain disppears because of the chemical action.

- Cameo Stainless Cleaner. I like this better than Bar Keeper's Friend. BKF isn't bad, but Cameo polishes a bit better.

- Ajax Dishwashing Liquid. Comes in Lemon, Orange Antibacterial and Lime with Bleach Alternative formulas. I use the Lemon - don't like splashing antibacterials around indiscriminately, and the Lime smells unpleasant to me personally. Excellent value, cuts grease as well as Dawn for less money.

Anyone have others that are still relatively easy to find and do a good job?

 

[westie2]

Goodies you can still get

The Tabitian Almond Stick. Great for scratches. Here is a link to it. We have had it for years. Ace or True Value usually carry this.

http://www.zcwinc.com/

 

[zanussi_lover]

in the UK

Jif Micro Liquid concentrate (now cif)
Frish Toilet Cleaner
Down to Earth Washing Powder (last saw in 2000)
Radion washing powder (1989-1999)
Lenor Alpine Spirit, Oriental Blossom and Carnival Passion
Ariel Alpine washing powder (1999-01, sell in france still)
Bold Summer Meadow Fresh
Q matic (Kwiksave used to sell this)
Comfort Silk (soft pink bottle) and Vitality (Yellow Bottle)
Fairy dishwasher powder
Wisk Laundry Liquid
Persil Washing up liquid (stopped selling it as of 2009)

 

[aquarius1984]

Al

Topps

I distinctly remember getting a smacked backside for getting hold of a bottle once. Not sure if I spilled it and if I did then the wallop was deserved.

If I didnt spill it then the wallop certainly prevented me from getting hold of it again.

I know its a B*tch to remove from places you dont want it!

Morrisons still stock it, well they did the last time I was in there 6 months ago. I may go its worth a look to grab some Just in Case kinda thing, everyone always had some theu used for years and years. Doubt it has a shelf life.

IIRC it has a rather potent smell.

 

[aquarius1984]

Topps

Topps even in the Original Bottle. What a hoot!

 

[circlew]

Sani-wax

Can't believe I forgot to mention this. Mom always liked cleaning and waxing the natural finish woodwork with this product.

Sandy mentioned Cashmere Bouquet soap. I've always loved the smell of it. We rarely bought it, but many motels had miniture bars of this by the sink and tub. My mom would take a couple bars (unopened) and place in the suitcases to keep them smelling fresh. I remember opening the suitcase up when it was time to take another trip, and how it would smell. So this soap always reminds me of the trips we took to Mississippi when I was small.

 

[twinniefan]

Reckitts blue bags

Yes I remember Reckitt's blue as well here it was called Reckitt's blue bags as the blue was in a small twine bag which was dunked tea-bag style in to the wash or the copper for boiling the clothes.
Interestingly enough Reckitt's blue bags had another purpose they were very good for putting on bee stings, ant bites and so forth for taking the swelling and itching out of the wound, you would dampen the bag with cool water and place on the sting and it would remove the pain/itching almost right away, you then just removed the stinger and cover it with a band-aid.
Very good stuff.

 

[butch-innj]

Not one person has mentioned........

PINE JELLY

Back in the 50's it was very popular in my area.
It not only cleaned good but its odor lasted more than one hour.
I really miss that stuff.
It was great on white woodwork and kitchen floors and just about anything in the bathroom.

 

[suds14]

Here is my list of laundry & cleaning products I miss.

1 Lafrance bluing I miss this product the most.
2 Top Job
3 Spic n Span original powder
4 Dash in the red box
5 Rain Barrel fabric softner
6 Coconut Nu soft fabric softner