Editor's note: Why should Thursday get to keep our consumer columnist all to itself? Starting with these test drives, John Ewoldt will occasionally give his thumbs up or down to new products.
As a consumer reporter, I rarely try new household products just because they're new. I save cash by waiting to see what independent testers say and if a product gets a thumbs up. Even then, my system not foolproof. Consumer Reports steered readers wrong on the Tide Buzz ultrasonic stain remover for $30, now discontinued. Periodically, I like to pass along the good news or bad news about highly recommended products. This time, we take on Good Housekeeping and the Everyday Cheapskate.
Good product Mayonnaise, shmayonnaise. As much as I love those homespun tips using ordinary household products to clean up messes, I'm no fan of using mayonnaise to remove water rings on wood furniture. A much quicker, more effective product, albeit more expensive, is Jasco Furniture White Ring Remover. Take the small saturated cloth and rub it over the ring for a couple of minutes. I felt delighted and stupid after using it-- delighted that it was so easy and stupid that I once spent an hour sanding water rings out of a nightstand. It isn't 100 percent effective. A hot baking dish left a heat stain on my dining table that Jasco minimized, but did not erase. Jasco is available for about $7 a jar at most Frattallone's Ace Hardware stores and on eBay. Mary Hunt, the Everyday Cheapskate columnist, clued me into what a great product it is.
Bad product The new Shout Advanced Action Gel is supposed to remove set-in stains. Good Housekeeping recommended it in its January issue. Sorry, but that recommendation doesn't get my seal of approval. I tried the $4 product (14 ounces) on a T-shirt with a small, unidentified yellow stain on the front and on a white towel with several splotches of dirt that no amount of spraying, soaking and rubbing had gotten out. The product didn't remove or fade the stains one bit. I knew it was a tough assignment, but per label instructions, I even let the product work on the stains for a week before laundering. One note of caution: Don't allow the treated stains to touch other clothes. The bleach in the product may spot colors.
If you know of a "miracle" product that worked where scores of others failed, let me know.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. His articles are online at www.startribune.com/dollars.
