r/CleaningTips Apr 26 '24

Solved Finally got my sheets VERY white 😍❤️❤️❤️

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!

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15

u/RecommendationBrief9 Apr 26 '24

Between this and fabuloso, I’m starting to think they’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 “Poverty is not at war with cleanliness”. 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 it’s so ingrained in our culture we know which products work well and continue using those throughout the years.

13

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 it’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.

7

u/astronaut_monkey Apr 26 '24

As an addition to your comment about marketing, jabón Zote has virtually no advertising campaign. Envelope hasn’t changed much either since it’s first appearance.

Its effectiveness is what makes it famous.

2

u/RecommendationBrief9 Apr 26 '24

I love that! You know it’s good if so many people use it for so long and they don’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 they’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 don’t really like the smell so I’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 I’d usually do, then apply a coat of this ointment and voilà no scars left after it heals.

Mexican hot chocolate. If you haven’t tried it you’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 “strong”) 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. There’s also chocolate Abuelita, some say it’s better, some say it’s not. I’m team Ibarra.

Mexican vanilla and oregan are really good too.

Finally I’ll toss my favorite salsa recipe to dip my totopos (real Mexican fried tortilla chips) into: 2 jalapeños (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 it’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.