Tide to Go pens - do they work or make it worse?

[chrismartinique]

thought about getting one of these for our trip, but ......I've never used it before because I was concerned about making residual stains on clothing if the item doesn't get washed for a couple days - does anybody use them and did they leave marks?

 

[froglife]

I LOVE them. They have always worked really well for me. I keep one in my purse for emergencies with the kiddos. Occasionally there will be a residual "stain" after use, but it has always come out for me in the wash later (and I am not someone that usually gets around to washing things immediately after they are stained). And, I would much rather have a faint residue that will wash out later than a big obvious spot on my shirt.

 

[RMulieri]

depends on the stain.Anything red and it seems to just smear it around and make it worse.it has worked real well on grass, dirt, soda stains.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Worked great on the BBQ sauce stain on my DS's khaki pants!

A firm believer!

Leigh

 

[Subrbnmommy]

I must be doing something wrong. Everytime that I've used it, I smear the stain.
I've used the oxy spot cleaner with better results.

 

[asoko]

I think it gets out stains pretty well, but mine stinks.. so bad I can't put it on anywhere near my face..is it just old?

 

[bookgirl]

Was just about to post the same thing...works great...smells yucky.

 

[vcgirl925]

I don't care for them. I use and LOVE shout wipes.

 

[MickeyWanaBe]

I love them! They work great for us!

On a previous road trip I dropped a chocolate chip from my cookie in my lap. Well it melted in a not so good spot on my pants... and it was a company trip/get away for DH.

It took all the chocolate out and I was good to go!

The only problem we have had with them is if you clean a spot and then go out in the sun, the chemical must react with the UV rays and you can see a yellowish ring on lighter clothing. So if we use them and go out side we make sure to rinse the spot with a little water.

I have bought the Shout wipes before, but had problems with the drying out.

 

[Perditamarie]

I have had great luck w/the Tide pens...have saved me from a near tragedy with bbq sauce.

 

[LuvMickey36]

They Rock!!! I keep one in my purse @ all times. Sometimes ds will "get" a stain accidently on purpose & need the tide to go.

 

[averysmom]

We bring a tide to go for emergencies AND a stain stick for the room (I think it is spray n wash??) TTG only works if the stain is fresh (wet) Before anything goes in the hamper in the room, I check it over and stain stick it if there are any marks.

 

[goofygal531]

I don't care for them. I use and LOVE shout wipes.

I agree! I love Shout Wipes!

Never tried the Tide Pen. I like that after each use, you discard the wipe. What if you have a really bad stain, do you have to discard the pen??

 

[hollyd99]

I used it once ever on a small mustard drop and it just made the spot big and then stained forever. I won't give it a second chance.

 

[TheRatPack]

I used one on my last Disney trip and it got out everything I threw at it...even mustard. But I had to throw the pen away after getting home...it STUNK and the kids wouldn't let me near them to get stains out with it LOL

I think it's the combination of the cleaner and the 'food' you're scrubbing out of the clothing stuck on the tip of the pen that eventually makes it stink, because it didn't smell that bad when I first bought it.

You have to wipe or blot all the stain you can with a napkin, don't just dive in to the pile of bbq sauce with the pen....but blot most of the sauce/mustard...etc away with a napkin and then go in with the pen. You have to mash the tip of the pen in on the stain a few times (like paint pens, where you mash the tip to get the paint flowing, you have to do this with the Tide pen to get the cleaner flowing). I place a napkin behind the shirt or spot on the shorts that I'm going to tide pen...that way I'm not just mashing the Tide cleaner through to the other side onto their skin, then I rub the pen back and forth until the stain is gone. You can go back over it with a shout wipe, wet nap....etc to sort of blend the wet edges a bit more and it'll dry just fine

 

[baloo's girl]

I've used the Tide stick and the Oxy clean little squirt bottle. Hands down, the Oxy is better. I found it near the check out aisle near Wal-Mart (or Target). The Tide stick doesn't work as well and it stinks. The Oxy smells great. It gets most stains out-except the really greasy ones. But I found that when I washed later, those greasy stains would come out fine. The Oxy takes up less space than the tide stick in my purse. The Oxy bottle is smaller than a bottle of nail polish. I never leave home without it.

 

[cerberus]

I've used the Tide stick and the Oxy clean little squirt bottle. Hands down, the Oxy is better. I found it near the check out aisle near Wal-Mart (or Target). The Tide stick doesn't work as well and it stinks. The Oxy smells great. It gets most stains out-except the really greasy ones. But I found that when I washed later, those greasy stains would come out fine. The Oxy takes up less space than the tide stick in my purse. The Oxy bottle is smaller than a bottle of nail polish. I never leave home without it.

I love Oxy, I will look for that Oxy squirt bottle on my next trip to Walmart