Thanks! I read the reviews on Amazon, where one seller has that 4.4 lb. bag for $12.99 plus $4.99 shipping, and they are all 5 star. I'm placing an order at Walmart.com, since it's not available in my area.

Oh, one thing to warn you about: The OUT smells really bad when it's in the water soaking the stuff. Don't worry. The laundry smells lovely when it is dry.

I also bought a jug of Persil for Sensitive Skin (the blue stuff has WAY too much perfume in it!) because I want to try that also, but at $3.47 for four pounds and a detergent that works so great…I think I'm sold on the Foca.

You don't have a Wal-Mart in your area? I didn't think that was possible! Lol.

We do have a Wal-Mart, but both the detergent and the OUT were only available online. I have no problem sitting in my office ordering and having it come right to my door. :-) I ordered enough other stuff I need to get free shipping, and it'll be here Thursday.

Hope you like it/them!

Haha..." I had to sell my soul"...... I feel the same way about Walmart. I am interested in the detergent so will look around. I'm usually not picky since our clothes don't get that dirty...I'm retired and DH works in an office, but DS....ayyayay! His t-shirts are always gray. I'll buy some for him. Thanks for the information.

I swear by Mrs Stewart's Bluing. Keeps all colors bright and like new, and whites at their very whitest. No more yellow underarm stains on t-shirts, ancient sweat socks bright as new, sheets and towels are lovely till they are worn out. No aroma, easy to use, and cheap!

joanie, it was the combination of the two that did it. Yep, Ol' Satan himself sat in my car, laughing the whole time I was in Wal-Mart, I am sure. And to think I have to go back because I want to get some stuff my sister swears by, Wet-N-Forget for showers (I've used the Wet-N-Forget for my roof and walkways to kill moss, as well as the siding on my house, and it is really great stuff, so I'm assuming the shower stuff is also as great as my sister says it is. You spray it on, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse it off. No wiping or scrubbing or anything).

Sheesh, I also have Mrs. Stewart's Bluing in my linen closet, and it's good but honestly, not nearly as good as this OUT stuff (I could care less what's stinkin' up my washing machine while the wash is going!). My eyes literally flew open when I opened the lid to the washing machine when the load was done. The detergent also has softener in it, so my towels really are like new: spankin' white, soft…sounds silly, but my head is spinning a bit over this stuff.

And while Mrs. Stewart's doesn't smell, it DOES stain, badly, if you spill it! Aye-yi-yi!

Tibbrix - speaking of selling your soul......what on earth possessed you to purchase this in the first place? I've never heard of Foca, but I have seen the OUT White Brite although I've never tried it.

Alas - I do have a front loader and even with the HE I use significantly less than the recommended amount since my water seems to suds very easily.

I might try the Mrs. Stewart's on DH's undershirts - they do have underarm yellow stains.

Can the Foca w/o the OUT be used on all color laundry? All my linens, towels/sheets are an off white. This stuff won't 'bleach' them to white, will it?

patty_cakes, yes. It's just laundry detergent. I think the OUT can actually be used on color, but they say to test it first. I'm going to try it on some colored face cloths I don't need for anything formal and see how it works. I'm hoping to be able to use it on my pale blue and pale yellow guest towels. It is not bleach, nor is it Oxyclean stuff.

maire cate, I was looking at the detergents online at Wal-Mart, looking for the Persil and came upon the Foca. Read the reviews, LOVED the price, so I wanted to try it. PIcked up both the Persil and the Foca but have not yet tried the Persil. I am completely sold on the Foca now, though. I mean, $3.47 for 4 lbs. of great detergent?? Eco friendly too, including the packaging (comparatively speaking. It comes in a bag. Might want to transfer it into another container.

Mrs. Stewart's Bluing should work on the pit stains. The OUT says it also gets out "yellowing".

Omg....would love to try the Wet-nForget for showers too. DH doesn't have the same qualms I do shopping at WM so maybe I'll send him! I'll still feel guilty using the products but if they are only sold there, what are you going to do?

http://www.amazon.com/Wet-Forget-801064-Gallon-Vanilla/dp/B009QCP7XI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435089178&sr=8-1&keywords=wet+%26+forget+shower+cleaner

And this is the Foca laundry detergent package. Now how can you NOT get it, what with that cute baby seal staring out at you?

Well, they just went on my shopping list and will look for them later this week at our nearby Wal-Mart Super Center. Since New Mexico has a huge Hispanic population, I'll bet I can find both easily here. I don't recall seeing them, but then again, I've been a Tide Girl my entire life. Because we live in the mountains and are on a smallish community well with hard water, yellowing is a real problem. I do have an HE machine, but will follow your advice, Tibbie, abut only using a tablespoon to start. Does anyone know if they're safe for septic systems? That and my super-sensitive skin allergies are also potential problems.

Regarding the Wet & Forget Shower Spray, I was just reading the description over on Amazon and this one has me a little concerned. It says that you spray it just once a week and someone (on Amazon) mentioned that it has a continuous cleaning effect. So, you don't wash it off after you initially spray it on your shower walls? I know that the advertising says that there are no fumes and it leaves a nice vanilla scent. But, if you don't wash it off, my concern is that the moisture/steam from your next shower water will vaporize the dried spray still on the shower walls, causing the person showering to inhale it. I'm probably being a bit over-cautious, but this one has me concerned. I'm still on board with the Foca and Out White Brite, though.

I wondered the same thing about "safe for septics", but I'm assuming so because it is phosphate-free, as is all laundry detergent now, which I learned here on GW! I too am on a septic system (FYI: DEADLY for septics, according to every septic pro I've spoken to: baby wipes and wipes of any kind, even the "biodegradable" wipes).

I did read one review in which a woman says she broke out/had an allergic reaction to it. If you're prone to allergic reactions to things like laundry detergent, obviously try it out on a shirt, say, first, before a whole load. If you're allergic, meh - it's cheap stuff, and you can donate it to a shelter or something.

I use only 1/2 cup in my top load. I wouldn't use any more than a tablespoon ever in a front load. they use so little water.

Re: Wet-N-Forget. My sister showed up with it last Sunday when she was going to help me with a changeover (i.e.: I have four hours to get the house clean from the last guests and ready for the new ones coming in). She told me she just sprays it on, lets it sit for a few minutes, then rinses it off, and obviously with a changeover, it's going to be rinsed off. I am going to ask her about that specifically, but she clearly was intending to spray it, let it sit for a while then rinse it off, and it sound to me like that is what she does at home too. I'll ask her.

I have some Mrs. Stewarts I used in our top-loader, but how do I use it in my front loader?

bp, soak the stuff in a bucket, then pour it into the machine.

Into the drum? Or into the detergent dispenser?

The FOCA 3X liquid detergent is recommended for HE washers.
Con: Package not recyclable.

The mfgr also produces product Zote laundry bar and Roma for KMart.

bp, when I did it, because I was at someone's house who had a front load, I just tossed everything into the drum. Everything is diluted, so I can't see what the issue would be, but I'm no expert on front load washers! then put the detergent in the dispenser per usual.

Here is an update on the OUT White Brite: I did a load with a blue shirt, blue towel, lavender sheets…and it came out fine, but I didn't soak it. Then I did a load that I did soak, and my pale blue and pale yellow towels are now white. So I would not use this with colors. Btw, you also have to still treat stains before washing. It brightens, but it doesn't take stains out.

A lot of laundry detergent made in Mexico or made for sale in Mexico is not phosphate free, and that's why they clean so well. I used to buy foca because it was not phosphate free, if you buy the made-in-Mexico for sale in Mexico version. They are not supposed to be sold in the US but you can find them at Latin American markets and sometimes Walmart. Tide even makes a great detergent for Mexico called Ariel that is not phosphate free. But if you buy the US versions, they have no phosphates. This might have changed, it was a few years ago that I did this and no longer buy them. Or the foca you are buying is made for purchase in the US.

Yes, the Foca I bought is phosphate free. Phosphates in laundry detergent are now illegal in the US. And I have a septic system, so I don't want phosphates anyway, as well as because they pollute so badly.

Well I try to buy made in the US, but I think I will try the FOCA. Maybe the shower stuff too. But, I will not shop @ Walmart. I'll go with Amazon. Thanks for the info!

I had to go back to Wal-Mart today (ugh, twice in one week). I'll have to do penance somehow) but I was returning something and looking for the Wet-N-Forget, which they didn't have. But I did notice that they have ONE bag of Foca left, and I was there two days ago and it was fully stocked, maybe a couple of bags gone.

You are going to have to do a cleanse!!

I am going to check my little Mexican market. I have only bought chile peppers there.....

Springoz, or an exorcism.

Is this the right thing?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Iron-Out-30-Oz-White-Brite-Laundry-Whitener/16662172

I use a "mineral" ball for laundry but when I hung underwear and t-shirts out the other day, some were white. Some not so white.

Yes, that's it. It's a brightener, though, not a stain remover.

the brightener is what you're attributing your extra white whites to, not the foca, right? my whites are better here than in last house-- different machine and water, but some t shirts are a bit dingy still-- have thought about trying a brightener- maybe will try the white bright... I am happy enough with current detergent tho-- like the sensitive skin formulas for underwear and tshirts...

either this sunday or last sunday was the 1st time ever that I saw Persil coupons in the coupon section of the sunday paper... may give that a try too before the coupons expire...

Yes, busybee, the whitening is due to 20-minute soaks in the OUT (but I have a top loader, so I put it all in with the detergent as well, bring the water level up, agitate a bit, then turn off and let it sit for 20 minutes.

I tried the Persil yesterday and also really like it. I got the sensitive skin kind. There original has WAY too strong a perfume.

As for the Wet-N-Forget (for showers), my sister says that she does indeed spray it on, leave it for a few minutes, then rinses it off, and that it "works great".

bp, I just used Mrs. Stewart's Bluing on some white linen slacks that I have. I had gotten something on them and in the move from one house to another to another, the stain had oxidized. Since chlorine bleach cannot be used on linen (at least that is what Mom tells me), my options for getting out the stain were limited. After lots of soaking in Oxi-Clean, using other stain treating products, laying in the sun to dry and bleach, I got the stain down to a pale yellow.

I have a front load washer. I filled the sink in the laundry room with cool water, followed the instructions on Mrs. Stewart's Bluing for the amount to add, allowed the garment to soak for a while, and then put it in the washer sopping wet, and ran it through the rinse cycle. The yellow stain is gone!

Mrs. Stewart's has instructions for how to use with a front loader, but you have to be able to pull out the drawer while the machine is running to add the bluing. I don't know if mine can do that or not. It was just easier for me to soak the clean garment in the sink and then rinse in the washer.

It took me a while to find Mrs. Stewart's Bluing. I found the OUT at Walmart, but I was afraid it might damage the linen.

I have detergent now that smells to high heaven! I'll have to look for Foca.

btw, one word of support for Walmart. Several years ago I read an article about a study done by an economist (maybe at Columbia?) that said Walmart prices give the poorer among us 25% more purchasing power for their dollar.

Well, Linen, I am so glad I mentioned them if they've made a difference for you. Only reason I did is because I was way blown away by how white the OUT made my whites. Couldn't believe it. I did soak them, though, in it for @ 20 minutes.

And doesn't the Foca make your clothes smell so good? I don't like perfumed detergent and had been using perfume free detergent up to that point, but I love the very understated, soft smell Foca leaves. I had also bought Persil for sensitive skin to try. I like the Foca much better, so Foca it will be from now on, esp. considering the cost! It's like old-fashioned laundry detergent!

I wanted to add the wet and forget makes several products including one for outdoor that removes mold and Mildew and other crud, the shower version, and they make a terrific spider repellant spray that keeps them away for a year. Miss Muffets revenge by wet and forget.

All wet and forget products

Wet and forget

raven, I have used the wet-and-forget for outdoor use for a few years…on the roof, mossy brick walkway, north-facing cedar siding..works great.

I have not been able to find the shower stuff, though, at a retail store.

I am looking for the Out stuff, I have found some called Summit brands White Brite but no where on it does it say Out? I'm confused. Where does the Out name come from? Is this the same stuff?

White brite

Tibbrix when I was searching for it they list stores that Carry it and Costco and Sears were listed. I am checking out Costco this weekend for all the mentioned products. I saw foca listed at Big Lots for cheap.

The closest store with Miss Muffet's Revenge is an hour and half away, but I'm going to go get some!

Shoot. I literally just came from Costco.

Yes, that White Brite is the same stuff. How strange.

Foca seems to be inexpensive wherever it is, and I guess you can get it for even less if you live near a Mexican grocery store that carries it.

Just want to repeat, thought, that White Brite doesn't take stains out. But boy, does it brighten whites.

Oh, also remember that the White Brite really stinks when it hits the water, like rotten-eggs stink, but it does not make your clothes smell. The Foca will make them smell like your mom's line-dried laundry when you were a kid.

Yes, that's exactly what my clothes smelled like after using Foca . . . line-dried. Brings back a lot of memories :~)