An Eco-friendly, Biodegradable Household Cleaner that Removes Grease, Tar, Wax, Oil, and Other Stains

Removing stains such as crayon, gum, wax, grease, and others, has always been a problem for me-but not for lack of trying. I used one household cleaner that claimed it could take the grease off a bear's hide and another cleaner which promised the removal of Lady Macbeth's blood stain. Well, okay, I exaggerate slightly ... but I have tried all types of cleaners for different problems, and never been satisfied.

Enter, stage left, a horrible stain on a lovely Milliken carpet that was not cheap. (The carpet, not the stain. The stain was very cheap.)

Do I hear a gasp and a muttered "Out, damned spot"? Well, join the club, because that's just how I felt upon discovering that fluorescent orange Silly Putty had melted into my beautiful, floral carpet in three different places.

The family responsible for the accident had already tried removing the stain numerous times. Therefore, with a, "Woe is me" and a heavy heart, I proclaimed the carpet ruined. I'd seen the effect of Silly Putty before ... mostly because I'd managed to melt it into carpet myself, as a kid.

I mentioned it to a friend, who came over with a bottle of De-Solv-It, sprayed the household cleaner on a damp cloth, rubbed the spot several times, and the stain dissolved. I was amazed at the results, as well as pleasantly surprised to find the product was considered environmentally friendly and biodegradable.

I can't report it will remove Lady Macbeth's "damned spot," especially since that blood is dried, or that it will take care of every household problem, but I can tell you what the parent company, Orange-Sol, states: "Fast-acting, no harmful vapors, 100% organic, biodegradable, works 100% of the time, even in laundry."

The company claims it's, "The #1 brand used on over 12, 000 workers at the Alaska oil spill," as well as "Featured in The American Journal of Surgery as safe on skin." They also state it will remove adhesive, bumper stickers (ooo, I wonder if it will take off that "Peace and Love" sticker that I stuck on my car in 1968), candle wax, chewing gum, dirt, disposal build-up and odor, fresh blood, fish and onion odor, grass stains, grease, heel marks, liquid foundation, make-up, oil, pasta sauce, rubber cement, shoe polish, scuff marks, soap scum, stickers, tape residue, tar, trash pail odor, tree sap (wish I'd known about it before I gave up on my favorite, pine-sapped shirt), vegetable oil, wax, and wet, oily paints.

Wanting to buy a bottle of my own, I searched everywhere for De-Solv-It household cleaner, but I didn't have much luck finding it. I finally discovered it at Amazon.com, and ordered a bottle-a large bottle!

Most of the reviews at Amazon for De-Solv-It are highly favorable, although one woman did complain that she didn't think it took off stickers in the way she'd like. Another loved it, but cautioned against using it on finished wood. The product received 4.5 out of 5 stars for reviews and comes in 12 ounce, 32 ounce and 64 ounce sizes.

Aside from Amazon.com, Orange-Sol advertises that De-Solv-It is carried at Ace, Aco Hardware, Albertson's, Bashas', Bed, Bath & Beyond, Bering's, Bi-Mart, Blish Mize, Boaters World, Camping World, Central Wholesalers, Do It Best, Detroit Hitch, Duron, Gardner Hardware, MAB Paints, Drug Emporium, Meijer, Nash Finch, Pro Hardware,Rite Aid, Safeway, Sherwin Williams, Smart & Final, Spartan Stores, Strosniders, True Value, United Hardware, Wallace Hardware, and Wegmans.

I'm sure De-Solv-It has its limits, but I'm impressed enough to carry it in my own Amazon store. Give it a try; the price is reasonable for such a powerhouse, and it's available not only in the household formula but in an industrial strength one, as well.

Sources:
Amazon,
http://astore.amazon.com/cindylynn-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=3
Orange-Sol, http://www.orange-sol.com/household/index.html
De-Solv-It Package Information