Stardrops: A Users Guide

Nicepeach

snowleopard61 wrote: »

Forgive me if this has been asked before (I have searched around) and I hope it isn't too heretical a question! I'm getting to the end of my first bottle of Stardrops and certainly think it's pretty good - but not amazing. Stardrops just smells pretty much the same as Sunlight soap to me, and I'm wondering whether anyone thinks washing-up liquid, which is cheaper and so much easier to get hold of, would do exactly the same things it does?

Hi snowleopard, I'm a Stardrops convert. Initially, very cynical but after I tried it on some felt pen that I'd tried everything else on (including expensive Vanish & Fairy w.u. liquid) I couldn't believe how well it worked. It shifted the felt pen stain, which had been in-situ for a good few years, on the first attempt.

To be honest, a part of me only tried it for sentimental reasons as I can vividly remember my Nan having a bottle in her kitchen which was used for everything. But, having tried it for everything from general cleaning, washing up, laundry & some heavy duty carpet stain removal I can't fault it, especially at 90p a go. Just follow the instructions on the bottle for dilutions/instructions. I only keep S.drops, bleach & w.u. liquid & white vinegar for cleaning now & I may not even buy more w.u. liquid when this one runs out & may just use S.drops as it works a treat on dishes. Think I'm just addicted to the luxurious frothy bubbles as S.drops works just as well.

Don't feel too bad about it and as SL said, at least you've given it a good go!

I was also very cynical about using soda crystals & white vinegar to replace soap-powder/laundry liquid & fabric softener & was determined to try it to prove it wouldn't work... A year on & I'm still using it still can't believe it works!

aeromint2

angelaloveschocolate wrote: »

Thank you all for your posts, you have inspired me to try out this product which I bought in the pound shop. So today I let lose with it and this is what I cleaned and how it turned out.

Hall rug, kitchen rug and living room rug - foamed it up in a bucket and used the foam and a soft scrubbing brush. Amazing results, right in front of eyes I could see the colours just spring back into life. Excellent.

Cream leather suite - used the same method as above, smeared the leather with foam, used a soft scrubbing brush and then wiped off with damp cloth. Again excellent results, I could actually see the grime desolving in front of me. Delighted

In the washing machine - just a small squirt in the pre wash followed by a tablespoon each of soda crystals and powder. Again no complaints.

Very pleased with the product so far and I'm looking forward to finishing up my other spray products so that I can replace with this

Hi, I have read a few posts that they have used this product on their leather suite with successful results! Can let me how you use it e.g. diluted/neat etc? a

Thanks

rosie383

I just scrubbed a light stone-coloured carpet with Stardrops today and it worked a treat. I had used a carpet cleaner for a third of the carpet, and then it ran out. I used a dilute solution (45ml in 500mls warm water), scrubbed it with a brush and it looks great, and no harsh chemicals while I was doing it!:D

Toxic_Lemon

Nicepeach wrote: »

I was also very cynical about using soda crystals & white vinegar to replace soap-powder/laundry liquid & fabric softener & was determined to try it to prove it wouldn't work... A year on & I'm still using it still can't believe it works!

How much soda crystals and white vinegar do you use in you WM and what size load is it? I'd love to try this in my WM.

Nicepeach

Toxic_Lemon wrote: »

How much soda crystals and white vinegar do you use in you WM and what size load is it? I'd love to try this in my WM.

Hi, I have a set of "Tala" measuring cups & I use the 1/4 cup (60ml) one for the Soda. Not sure what size load it is to be honest! Will have a look at WM - won't be long...

Still no idea! Can't see any indicators other than name = Bosch Classixx 1200 express. Had it about 6 years but got is second hand when someone replaced their kitchen & got a new machine with their new kitchen, think it was about 6 months old then but they hadn't kept the manual.

I decant white vinegar that I get at the wholesaler into a fabric softener bottle I kept & just use a capful in softener compartment.

I never get any horrid black "gunk" in dispenser drawer now. Ever.

What I would say is that it does affect dark coloured clothes, not drastically, but I have noticed, over time, they do lose their "darkness", especially black things. I don't mind. Have nothing really posh but am considering trying a black dye on some tops & skirts to perk them up.

I've also recently started adding a slosh of Stardrops in a dosing ball into the load when DS (18) jeans are grubbier than usual from riding his moped in torrential rain!

Hope this helps. x

Nicepeach

aeromint2 wrote: »

Hi, I have read a few posts that they have used this product on their leather suite with successful results! Can let me how you use it e.g. diluted/neat etc? a

Thanks

Hi, I use Saddle Soap on my little leather sofa. Designed specifically for leathers of all types. I also use it on my leather shoes/boots.

Think Stardrops might be a bit harsh on leather but I could be wrong. Just have a look on the back of the bottle of Stardrops & see if there's any info. Is your leather furniture very modern? I only ask as some of the modern cream ones have a protective coating? In which case you might be ok with S.drops (try on an inconspicuous SMALL area first though!).

I got my last tin of Saddle Soap from a traditional shoe repairers in town & it was about £2.50/£3. Comes in a normal "shoe polish" size tin & a larger tin too. In my experience if you venture to an equestrian shop/store/saddlers you can expect to pay at least double for exactly the same product:huh:

snowleopard61

Thanks for the very helpful responses. I may persevere with the Stardrops for another bottle's worth. Have had no success getting white vinegar, including via the Asian food shop route. Of the only two that had it, one had only spiced vinegar (!) and both were much more expensive than Sainsbury's Basics brown, so that's what I've been using, combined with Stardrops and diluted. I find the smell quite pleasant, certainly compared with Flash Bathroom, which, although extremely effective, smelt horrible and clung to my hands for hours afterwards.

I was wondering about using the soda crystals and vinegar in the washing machine, and wondered whether it would be feasible to use brown vinegar in that? Or would it stain your clothes? I'm inclined to think not, given that washing liquids are generally bright blue and the clothes don't come out blue!

snowleopard61

Nicepeach wrote: »

Hi, I have a set of "Tala" measuring cups & I use the 1/4 cup (60ml) one for the Soda. Not sure what size load it is to be honest! Will have a look at WM - won't be long...

Still no idea! Can't see any indicators other than name = Bosch Classixx 1200 express. Had it about 6 years but got is second hand when someone replaced their kitchen & got a new machine with their new kitchen, think it was about 6 months old then but they hadn't kept the manual.

I had this machine and I am pretty sure it is a 6kg load.:) Interesting about the absence of gunk, as I found this to be a perpetual problem with this machine when I had it, as was smell (not the reason for replacing it - it just conked out in the end), and have heard enough elsewhere to make me think it is a design problem with the model.

rosie383

Snowleopard I noticed you mentioned about looking in Asian supermarkets for vinegar...... I think it's Chinese supermarkets that people buy from. Unfortunately I don't have one near me, but am still on the lookout. I have probably 50 Asian shops near me, and they are all expensive for vinegar.

After scrubbing my whole rug yesterday and ending up with aching arms, my 13yr old came home with damp trousers and sat on her bedroom floor and when she got up, the whole area of her cream carpet where she had been sitting was black!!!! I was shocked as these school trousers have been through the washing machine many times and have never run. GRRRRR! I did tell her she had to clean it herself because I had been scrubbing and sprincleaning all day, but had to take over when I saw her rubbing at the stain with wet loo roll!!! Stardrops has almost sorted it, but it's still a wee bit there.

snowleopard61

rosie383 wrote: »

Snowleopard I noticed you mentioned about looking in Asian supermarkets for vinegar...... I think it's Chinese supermarkets that people buy from. Unfortunately I don't have one near me, but am still on the lookout. I have probably 50 Asian shops near me, and they are all expensive for vinegar.

After scrubbing my whole rug yesterday and ending up with aching arms, my 13yr old came home with damp trousers and sat on her bedroom floor and when she got up, the whole area of her cream carpet where she had been sitting was black!!!! I was shocked as these school trousers have been through the washing machine many times and have never run. GRRRRR! I did tell her she had to clean it herself because I had been scrubbing and sprincleaning all day, but had to take over when I saw her rubbing at the stain with wet loo roll!!! Stardrops has almost sorted it, but it's still a wee bit there.

Thanks for this - one of the shops I looked in does all manner of foods, Chinese as well, but I don't seem to have an actual Chinese supermarket near me. Online wholesalers may be the way to go; will think about that.

What incredibly bad luck with the carpet ... :eek: