Dreft Stain Removers
The claim: Pediatricians and moms have trusted Dreft for years to safely launder newborn and baby clothes without fear of allergic reactions or harsh ingredients that can irritate baby's skin. Now, Dreft has created Stain Remover Spray and a Pretreater Portable Stain Pen that is gentle for baby's skin, yet unyielding on stains. Dreft stain removers are safe for all colorfast fabrics, work in all temperatures and do not harm the flame resistance of children's sleepwear. As a pre-treatment, Dreft Stain Removing Spray can be used to soak a stain and help lift it from fabrics during the wash cycle. For stains that happen on the go, Dreft Portable Pretreater Pen can be used to saturate and scrub out stains before they have a chance to set. Minutes after using the Dreft Portable Pretreater Pen, fabrics will be stain-free, dry and smelling fresh.
Cost: $2.99 for 22-ounce Laundry Stain Remover, $2.79 for Pretreater Portable Stain Pen
Where: Walmart, Babies R Us and most grocery chain locations
We had a chance to put this stain remover to the test immediately, treating a fresh puke stain that covered a quarter of my toddler daughter's dress. The dress was multicolor, dominated by pink, and we've avoided washing it with harsh detergents or hot water fearing that the colors would run. Deft lifted nearly all of the stain out — though there were some barely noticeable traces left behind — after it went through a gentle cycle and didn't cause any fading or bleeding of the dress' colors. Plus, the vomit-y odor was gone. It's comparable to some of the Oxi cleaners we've used, plus has the added reassurance of being gentle on the baby's skin. I'd have no problem switching to this product full time.
I may not have a baby, but skin as sensitive as mine needs to be babied, so I was game to try Dreft Laundry Stain Remover. While it's not as hard as it used to be to find detergents and fabric softeners free of added scents and colors, I still am cautious when I need a stain remover: Is it worse for a collar to be “dingy” or my neck to have hives?
So that's where I tested Dreft: the collar of a white T-shirt I wore while mowing on a hot day wearing sunscreen. To also see how it handled colors, I sprayed it on a red bandana that I had coated with insect repellent. That stuff can leave a residue, too. Following the directions, I let the clothes sit for a few minutes, gave them a bit of a rub and tossed them in the laundry. How did they come out? The white was bright and the red was unchanged. Can't ask for more than that.
Yes, I'm the one people come to with laundry emergencies. I keep a Tide To Go stick in my desk, in my purse and in my dresser drawer. Because you never know.
And because I tend to need spot treatments at least as often as my grandchildren, I thought I could give the Dreft Pretreater Portable Stain Pen a good test.
My white jeans had a spatter of dried, dark spots. Red Wine? Balsamic dressing? Who knows? It was the perfect test subject.
I hit a couple of spots with my Tide stick, and the others with the Dreft Pen. I was quite surprised when the Dreft Pen — gentle, baby-friendly Dreft — outperformed the Tide stick in eliminating stains.
It might help that the Dreft Pen has nubby “bristles” to help with the scrubbing. Although I generally scrub pretty well with the Tide stick point.
And it is nice to know I can use the Dreft Pen on our little ones' outfits without fear of allergens or chemicals.
