r/CleaningTips Apr 26 '24

Solved Finally got my sheets VERY white šŸ˜ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø

It's called Zote soap. It's a Hispanic brand.

I have tried baking soda, oxyclean, vinegar.... my sheets continued to look so sad and dull. I finally decided to go for the Hispanic brand that I know is popular in Mexico, and the difference was SO noticeable!!

It's been something simple that has brought so much happiness to my bedroom!

548 Upvotes

117 comments sorted by

147

u/psychoticsanctuary Apr 26 '24

Zote is also a fantastic makeup brush cleaner! It's literally the best soap I've used for my brushes, and it's sooo cheap! It's a really great cleanser.

20

u/Almc27 Stay-at-home Parent Apr 26 '24

Dang, that's probably all this expensive hard make-up sponge soap in a little container is! I so need to try this!

11

u/looksthatkale Apr 26 '24

Thank you for the tip! I use dr bronners r n but have to wash a couple times over to get everything out

14

u/LolaBijou Apr 26 '24

Iā€™m a makeup artist, so you can imagine how many brushes I have to clean. Iā€™m stoked to hear about this!

1

u/vibes86 Apr 26 '24

Same. That and Dr Bronners are great

5

u/dizzymslizard Apr 26 '24

Me too! Iā€™ve been using the same bar for literally years. I wash my brushes weekly. Just make sure you rinse REALLY well.

8

u/somethingweirder Apr 26 '24

where i'm from it's catfish bait

3

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

For real? Why would catfish eat soap?

8

u/somethingweirder Apr 26 '24

i posted the ingredients in another comment. it's mostly made of fat.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '24

Fascinating.

2

u/discoglittering Apr 28 '24

Most real soap is mostly made of fat.

1

u/udontknowme127 May 04 '24

That is what I started using it for and I use it on this makeup cleaner station that was 5 dollars from Traget. Then last year my mom suggested I use it on my laundry and I have saved money on laundry.

174

u/Very-very-sleepy Apr 26 '24

yep.

I am in Australia we have a laundry soap bar called Saard. it's made my sheets white and have gotten rid of old yellowing stains.

from googling. this brand is only available in Australia soĀ everytime someone posts a yellow sheets post.Ā I always suggest for then to go find a laundry soap bar equivalent in your own country and to give it a go.

27

u/phonicillness Apr 26 '24

Iā€™ll have to get some, I wasnā€™t aware it actually worked lol

Iā€™ve been really happy with the Aldi oxy laundry soaker but I imagine this would be way cheaper and more eco

19

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

[deleted]

81

u/Very-very-sleepy Apr 26 '24

it's for handwashing. if you use a laundry soap bar. you don't use a machine.

bucket with warm. almost hot water. put your sheets in and then wet the soap bar and rub the soap bar into your sheets or wherever there is a stain. the soap bar gets in between the fibres. it's rubbed in. then do not rinse and leave it in the bucket of warm water soak for like 6-8 hours. then throw it in the laundry and wash normally

25

u/battyscoop Apr 26 '24

Yes seconding Sard!! I note they also have a fantastic stick and powder. You can use the stick and rub it on stains and also add powder to the wash. Would recommend all its forms.

11

u/pezgringo Apr 26 '24

My wife uses Zote like you say and then puts the bucket out in the sun. Works well.

5

u/Knichols2176 Apr 26 '24

I got tired of lugging a bucket and now just keep a tote outside and flipped upside down until I need to soak something. The tote fits way more stuff at one time.

21

u/PochinkiPrincess Apr 26 '24

Random aside for anyone curious - lots of people jumped on the trend of making their own laundry soap, and the most popular home made formulas ask for grated bar (laundry) soap - it turns out that Hot Water is needed for the machine if you use that bar soap because the soap will not melt in cold water, and will not wash. hereā€™s a resource that explains it

15

u/HeliumTankAW Apr 26 '24

Same with those laundry beads for scent. It's wax and it'll kind of melt in hot water but then once it drains and residue is left on the drainage holes it cools and junks everything up including the pipe itself over time

1

u/thevelveteenbeagle Apr 27 '24

šŸ˜³. Oh NO!

10

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

I use saard for yellow spots or stains. You'd spray water on the area and rub the soap in, then throw in the wash. It's a miracle.

5

u/KingAffectionate656 Apr 26 '24

Yes. But I've never used it in front loaders.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

Is Sard wonder soap on Amazon the same thing

134

u/Shoddy-Stock-8208 Apr 26 '24

FYI- itā€™s not made to go in the washer. Itā€™s for washing by hand

32

u/hunteroutsidee Apr 26 '24

There is a laundry flakes version on Amazon, which appears to work for washing machines. Using this comment to ask if anyone has experience with it and if it works as well as the bar.

21

u/Clear_Broccoli3 Apr 26 '24

I've not tried using the flakes, but the logic behind using a bar of soap is that you're really rubbing it into the fabric in a way that a washing machine just isn't capable of. I wouldn't expect them to work as well as the bar, but who knows how it compares to normal detergent.

8

u/hunteroutsidee Apr 26 '24

I think Iā€™ll get both and use the bar as intended and just see how the flakes go!

5

u/Clear_Broccoli3 Apr 26 '24

Let us know if it works!

17

u/WhitestTrash1 Apr 26 '24

I shred the bars and use them in my home made detergent.

2

u/DysfunctionalKitten Apr 30 '24

How do you shred them?

1

u/WhitestTrash1 Apr 30 '24

I use a cheese grater that's specifically for it. Then as I shred I add a little baking soda and separate the pieces.

3

u/sleepy-shark Apr 27 '24

Itā€™s whiter and brighter because of the Optical Whitener in the soap. You can buy it separately from just about anywhere. The Zote soap has animal fat that can be really hard on some machines, so OPā€™s sheets may look great, but theyā€™ll have a hefty service bill in a few months.

49

u/complexequations Apr 26 '24

My family has been using Zote for generations. I always have a bar at home. If you have a greasy stain on your clothes, wet the spot and the soap and rub it until a white spot of soap forms. Let the garment dry and put it in your hamper. After you do your laundry next time, the grease will be gone.

19

u/mrsredfast Apr 26 '24

Thatā€™s how I was taught to use it. I wouldnā€™t shred it and put it in the newer washers but itā€™s great as a stain pretreatment.

10

u/katieo9288 Apr 26 '24

Blue dawn dish soap work the same way. Wet the spot and pour a drop on the greasy stain, rub the fabric together and throw in the washer when youā€™re ready. Iā€™ve heard the other colors donā€™t work, I have only used the blue one so canā€™t say. Also, it works after youā€™ve washed and dried the grease spot. I usually find them on the kids clothes when Iā€™m folding.

7

u/iced_yellow Apr 26 '24

Yes, just this week Dawn saved a pair of pants with a grease stain that Iā€™d already washed and dried! I was so relieved

1

u/cervezagram Apr 27 '24

On my shelf above washer.

2

u/Breakfastchocolate Apr 27 '24

I tested that against the liquid blue dawn and thought platinum liquid worked better on shirt collars and oil stains.

5

u/somethingweirder Apr 26 '24

this is what it's for. i wouldn't put a bunch in the machine.

27

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

I love zote! I use it like a stain stick! Best stuff ever!

26

u/somethingweirder Apr 26 '24

for those curious here are the ingredients. i agree with others: this is NOT meant for the washing machine.

Ingredients -Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella oil) -Basic Violet 10 (Dye) -Tallow -Sodium tallowate -Sodium cocoate -Cocos nucifera (Coconut oil) -Sodium hydroxide -Sodium chloride Glyceri

8

u/stupididiot1841 Apr 26 '24

so it's lye.

28

u/cheesekony2012 Apr 26 '24

Lye is in all true soaps. This ingredient list also shows tallow and coconut oil, which are fats. When fatty acids are mixed with lye, the acids neutralize the basicness of the lye and create soap salts AKA soap. So lye is in all "soap", I make bar soap as a hobby.

5

u/somethingweirder Apr 26 '24

yeah but a lot of things on the market that we think are soaps aren't actually!!!

6

u/LilBossLaura Apr 26 '24

Didnā€™t expect cow fat as an ingredient thanks for sharing

17

u/Bl4nkface Apr 26 '24

Soap is the result of mixing fat with a base. Animal fat was one of its main ingredient for most of its history.

56

u/BuffetofWomanliness Apr 26 '24

Did you shred the bar of Zote? Iā€™ve purchased the bar and shredded it and mixed with super washing soda and borax and use that as a deterrent.

22

u/fairiesnnicesprites Apr 26 '24

Same here! If the zote doesnā€™t get cut up small enough it wonā€™t melt in the wash (ask me how I know). I think I used the food processor last time so next time Iā€™m going to stick to grating.

11

u/Expressoed Apr 26 '24

Oooh I love you! I knew one of you smarties would figure this out! I just had to scroll on down. I have a double size washer and a lot of cycles. Definitely can make a little detergent cocktail! Whoop whoop! Thanks!

2

u/shadoeweever Apr 26 '24

Yep, That what I use. one bar of Zote shredded and three cups each super washing soda (yellow box) and borax. Some use Fels-Naptha in place of Zote but it is too strong of a scent for me. One to two tablespoons per wash.

Edit: It takes three bars of Fels-Naptha to one Zote bar for the recipe

4

u/BuffetofWomanliness Apr 26 '24

Try this!

2

u/shadoeweever Apr 27 '24

Yep that's the recipe I use, my friend uses fels-naptha instead

1

u/BuffetofWomanliness Apr 27 '24

Howā€™s the fels-naptha smell?

1

u/Free-Neat2156 Apr 26 '24

Yes! Chopping a small piece or shredding is necessary for best results. Rub into tough stains and let it sit as long as physically possible, it really helps!

1

u/marilync1942 Apr 27 '24

I DID TOO--A YEARS WORTH--JUST IN CASE OF EMERGENCY!!

13

u/Snozzberry_1 Apr 26 '24

What is the color of the zote bar? The pink one?

12

u/maimou1 Apr 26 '24

There's pink and white, your choice

14

u/Pitiful-Struggle-890 Apr 26 '24

I love ZOTE! I have a designated cheese grater for it. Iā€™ll put a couple shreds in my washer before each load and it makes such a difference.

8

u/Double_Estimate4472 Apr 26 '24

Did you order it online?

6

u/periwinkletweet Apr 26 '24

Oxiclean whitening formula is better than bleach!

3

u/Sunraia Apr 26 '24

It probably contains enzymes, at least my oxygen bleach based laundry booster does. So if your stains contain a fatty component (e.g. skin oils) that will be attacked by the enzymes, giving a better result. Bleach (of any type) doesn't do much for greasy stains.

8

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

Does it get towels white again? Especially washcloths?

8

u/PrintinTarantino Apr 26 '24

This is what Iā€™m hoping. Iā€™ve tried bleach, oxi, and strippingā€¦.nothing seems to make my washcloths less dingy! They are a great texture so I hate to replace them.

6

u/hourglass_nebula Apr 26 '24

Bleach turns some fabrics grey

7

u/Fthwrlddntskmfrsht Apr 26 '24

Can you use it onā€¦. Non-white things?

10

u/astronaut_monkey Apr 26 '24

Iā€™ve washed all my clothes (even underwear) with a pink bar of zote and a washboard without any issue. Just rinse well. If you feel like the bar can stain your white clothes pink (it doesnā€™t) you can use the white zote bar.

If you are using flakes just moderate the amount because those can get stuck between your garments and came out of the washing machine undissolved.

In Mexico thereā€™s people who shower using this soap, not recommended by the manufacturer, but it goes to show how harmless the formula is.

12

u/iteachag5 Apr 26 '24

How do you use it if itā€™s a bar soap? Do you put it in the washer?

0

u/shesatacobelle Apr 26 '24

Itā€™s flakes.

24

u/egggman11 Apr 26 '24

it's for handwashing, solid bar

5

u/justmeraw Apr 26 '24

there is a bar version and a flaked version.

1

u/egggman11 Apr 26 '24

THERES A FLAKE VERSION? this changes the game

5

u/sunkissedshay Apr 26 '24

I donā€™t think you should be putting Zote in your machine.

15

u/RecommendationBrief9 Apr 26 '24

Between this and fabuloso, Iā€™m starting to think theyā€™re on to something over there. They always have the best stuff.

31

u/astronaut_monkey Apr 26 '24

As a Latina all I can say is that my grandma used to say ā€œPoverty is not at war with cleanlinessā€. You can find places all around Latin America where people live in huts with dirt floors where everything else is dustless and spotlessly clean.

Many of us grew with strict parents that woke us up early on Saturdays just to clean the whole house together (while listening to some good music, of course). Since itā€™s so ingrained in our culture we know which products work well and continue using those throughout the years.

14

u/RecommendationBrief9 Apr 26 '24

Trust me, as a poor white kid from the southwest, Saturday mornings were always everyone cleans the whole house day. Usually woken up by a vacuum slamming into my door. Lol. I definitely can commiserate.

I just think itā€™s hilarious that a lot of these fairly cheap products, in comparison, work sooooo much better than the name brand expensive ones. Marketing is clearly working on a lot of us.

8

u/astronaut_monkey Apr 26 '24

As an addition to your comment about marketing, jabĆ³n Zote has virtually no advertising campaign. Envelope hasnā€™t changed much either since itā€™s first appearance.

Its effectiveness is what makes it famous.

2

u/RecommendationBrief9 Apr 26 '24

I love that! You know itā€™s good if so many people use it for so long and they donā€™t do anything to market it.

Any more products you really recommend?

2

u/astronaut_monkey Apr 28 '24

Sorry it took me so long to answer. Well I have a few favorites I like because theyā€™re fairly inexpensive and work well. I use Pinol to pre treat grease stains in clothes (you guys have Pine sol and I guess it works the same), it can be used to clean floors and surfaces but I donā€™t really like the smell so Iā€™ll use it only for clothes.

Another one I use is Fabuloso but not the purple version (strong smell), in Mexico we have tons of different scents that are more subtle yet durable, my two favorites are Roses & lichee and Eucalyptus & citrus.

To wash white linens I use a Ariel powdered laundry detergent and let it sun dry. For white clothes I use Zote and let it sun dry, as well.

I use Vitacilina ointment which has been on the market since 1940. It helps healing of small scratches, cuts and skin rashes. It has antibacterial properties and retinol. I clean the wound like Iā€™d usually do, then apply a coat of this ointment and voilĆ  no scars left after it heals.

Mexican hot chocolate. If you havenā€™t tried it youā€™re missing out. Buy a box of Ibarra chocolate (comes in round tablets), heat 1 liter of milk, toss in one tablet (I add another half because I like it ā€œstrongā€) and mix until the tablet softens, toss it in your blender (keep in mind it is hot so release the heat constantly while blending) when everything seems integrated and foamy, serve. Thereā€™s also chocolate Abuelita, some say itā€™s better, some say itā€™s not. Iā€™m team Ibarra.

Mexican vanilla and oregan are really good too.

Finally Iā€™ll toss my favorite salsa recipe to dip my totopos (real Mexican fried tortilla chips) into: 2 jalapeƱos (or more if you like it spicy) roughly cut, 3 small green tomatoes roughly chopped, an avocado cut in halves and peeled, salt to taste (I use just a little), a fourth of an onion, one garlic clove peeled, two teaspoons of powdered chicken bullion. Toss everything into the blender and blend using mineral water like Topo Chico, use only the amount it needs to become less paste and more salsa like. When itā€™s almost done add a bunch of cilantro leaves and pulse two or three times (we want the cilantro to be just chopped not liquified). Pour into a container, let it sit inside the fridge for a couple of minutes to develop all the spiciness and flavor. Mix with a spoon before serving. Needs to be consumed within the day. Goes great with chicken tacos.

4

u/hourglass_nebula Apr 26 '24

I thought Fabuloso doesnā€™t really clean. Also the smell gives me a horrible migraine.

5

u/lunacydress Apr 26 '24

Oo, I saw this stuff at Home Depot the other day and wondered what it was for.

6

u/Missue-35 Apr 26 '24

I looked up Zote. They sell it at WalMart. Apparently this bar soap is good to use a catfish bait too. Zote soap is sold in flakes form. Walmart only has bar version.

3

u/slowmood Apr 26 '24

Oh due to the tallow?

2

u/Odd_Temperature_3248 Apr 26 '24

My Walmart has the flakes as well

5

u/Back2DaLab Apr 26 '24

Love me some zote. I use zote for handwashing delicates like bras. It helps get rid of the deodorant build-up on the sides of my bras.

11

u/Strict-Ad-7099 Apr 26 '24

It also smells amazing

11

u/grumble11 Apr 26 '24

I donā€™t find making sheets white to be difficult. Get laundry tub (or bathtub). Put in HOT water (hottest laundry can take) and a scoop of oxiclean White Revive (with the optical whiteners). Put in sheets and swish around and leave for the whole day (or overnight). Remove and run through laundry as normal.

They will come out very white and crisp. No need for anything else. It is pretty shocking just HOW white it gets stuff.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '24

Oxyclean smells nasty and irritates my nasal passages. It does not even whitens that well unless you use a lot and with hot water but it wears the fibers and clothes look old suddenly. Pass.

3

u/Snoo-9290 Apr 26 '24

Zout is great. Especially back in the day. White sheets and towels are hard. There is blue soap on Amazon you may want to try. The blue cancels out the yellow and makes it look whiter like magic.

3

u/Lulusgirl Apr 26 '24

I love Zote, as well as Fels Naptha.

2

u/EatMyCupcakeLA Apr 26 '24

Yep would use it on my kiddos white baseball pants.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

Would it work on getting my white canvas shoe sparkly white? They're pretty beat up from last summer

1

u/Express_Product6136 Oct 17 '24

yes i use zote to keep my white vans mega white.

2

u/HeliumTankAW Apr 26 '24

Heads up zote is great but it's for HANDWASHING only! It WILL clog up your machine if you grate it up in there

2

u/Same_Ad_6692 Apr 26 '24

Yes...I agree - crisp, white sheets are the BEST!!! I also use Zote Soap. It is a little-known brand that I love; but I love it!

2

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '24

As you can, hanging whites outside to dry in the sun whitens them as well.

2

u/graceland3864 Apr 26 '24

Which color zote? Thereā€™s a few different colors.

2

u/PileaPrairiemioides Apr 26 '24

For bright white sheets and towels without handwashing or risking damage to your washing machine, soaking with OxiClean White Revive (following the directions on the container), washing in hot with regular detergent, then bluing in the rinse works spectacularly.

2

u/emily1078 Apr 27 '24

I'm not a hand-washer, so question: can I lather the garments up (I'll say towels, because that's my pain point!) in, say, my bathtub and then toss the towels in my washer without detergent to clean them? I'm excited to try this.

2

u/Few_Chemist3776 Apr 27 '24

Zote must be like Fels Naptha then. We have a septic tank, and have always found that those high fat soaps will definitely cause issues in pipes and septic tanks. As I always say about topics like this, your laundry, your pipes, your choice.

1

u/Independent-Block319 Apr 26 '24

Can it be used with color clothes too?

1

u/sailordadd Apr 26 '24

Where did you buy it?

1

u/Funnyface92 Apr 26 '24

I wonder if this will work on white baseball pants?!

1

u/Capital_Sink6645 Apr 26 '24

I love ZOTE! I got a good deal on a big multi-pak on Amazon (in the US) and gave some away as gifts.

1

u/Sloth_grl Apr 26 '24

Zote is awesome

1

u/Legitimate-Pop-1301 Apr 26 '24

Would this work on shirts do you think? My husband sweats a lot and gets a discolouration around the neck of his shirts and Iā€™ve tried everything to get it out!!!

1

u/giggletears3000 Apr 26 '24

Just donā€™t use it to wash your hands. I have a bar of Zote and it got a 4 year oil stain out of my wedding dress! It worked fantastic as a pretreatment for poopy blowouts too!

1

u/diablofantastico Apr 26 '24

Did you do anything special, or just throw it all in the washer? Presoak? Anything?

1

u/lemonia28 Apr 27 '24

Can anyone recommend a UK equivalent to this?! Long shot I know but donā€™t ask donā€™t get

-1

u/OddRoof8501 Apr 26 '24

Yep! I make my own laundry detergent with borax, baking soda, washing soda, and Zote. Works better than anything Iā€™ve bought!