HIGH EFFICIENCY

My friend Linda and I are both particular about laundry.  The nice, fresh smell of clean clothes makes us proud to hand them off to our loved ones (okay, call us weird, but I suppose something has to offset the reality that laundry never goes away, and seems always to be staring us in the face… so ‘better a friend than an enemy’ has become our motto!)

I have been using CleanSmell fabric softener for over 10 years.  The CleanSmell company is all about clean… they have a clean website, clean packaging, clean samples they throw into each order to make the box smell clean when you open it… even clean smelling names for their array of scents. 

For instance, who can reject Basil Blue Sage, Crimson Pear Ginger, or Lavender Pine, and the images that these combinations of elements conjure in your mind?  Continuing on through their scent menu, as we begin to see familiar herbs and spices combined with names we don’t even recognize, we encounter yet cannot resist Ginger Pomelo, Sea Salt Neroli, Mandarin Vetiver, and Palmarosa Wild Mint.  And finally we encounter Sweet Pea, Balsam Fir Plum and and Vanilla Quince Santal... sure, we can admit to not having a clue as to what those might be, or we can see it as another CleanSmell adventure, take the plunge, and buy them.

And buy them I do, and have, over the years.  Scent names have become more exotic, that’s true, but the pleasure of the wonderful smells my clean laundry produces remain a constant in the sometimes-topsy-turvy life we live.  Linda also experiments with various fabric softener scents, and in fact surprised me this past week with a bottle she had found while shopping for something new in the world of scents.  Afraid it was not usable in our new, high-end, “High Efficiency” washers, however, she asked my opinion. 

Readers must understand that Linda and I are careful about purchases, and consult on everything from the cost of our cell phone and satellite TV packages to possible savings on face cream.  But our laundry must scream clean, clean, clean, so within the past year we have each taken another plunge and purchased identical washer/dryer combos that must be described.  The washer has an enormous tub that shines so bright that you can fix your makeup in the mirror-like reflection when you peek inside.  It has no agitator, just a welcoming cavernous opening patiently awaiting the opportunity to gently urge the dirt out of your clothes with a loving movement that replicates the lullaby-like motion of an ocean liner.  The customized washing cycles allow hundreds of combinations of soak, spin, rinse and I believe there’s even a caress cycle (or was I imagining that when I heard, or didn’t hear, the machine washing clothes the other night?)  Then the dryer opens up its door to facilitate the great exchange of clothes nearly dry already from the rapid spin cycle the washer has performed as the clothes, and the operator, are offered any number of choices as to how to get dry and ready to pop onto a hanger (perhaps without even requiring an iron!)  The mental gymnastics presented over whether a windbreaker worn only for a few minutes requires “Steam Fresh,” or “Sani-Fresh” is about the toughest part of owning this magnificent home laundry set!

So here stands Linda in my kitchen with a bottle of “Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash” which she has bought for $7.99.  It does not say “HE” and she is understandably afraid to contaminate her washer, whose manual has stringent alerts about the use of only “high efficiency” laundry products.  The bottle was immediately recognizable as the same one used for my CleanSmell fabric softener, but at half the price I was certain it was an inferior product.  However, I was not even sure that CleanSmell met high efficiency standards, and having checked a bottle and found no “HE” designation I decided to find out.  Linda left the bottle with me and I went to work.

First I Googled Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash, went on their website, and sent a message to their Customer Service Department:

“My new washer requires High Efficiency (‘HE’) laundry detergent and (I presume) fabric softener.  Do you sell either product in ‘HE?’ Thanks.”

Then I shot off a similar email to CleanSmell:

“I have a high-endwasher requiring High Efficiency (‘HE’) laundry detergent and (I presume) fabric softener. I notice that your fabric softener now says ‘HE formula.’ I still have fabric softener left over from my last order. Is it also HE?  Thanks.”

I waited a few days for a response, and got it today.  I’ll pick up the story with the email I just sent to Linda:

WOW!  Today I got 2 emails in my inbox from "Alyssa..." and I'm thinking, "I don’t know anyone by that name!" So I open the first, in response to my Miss Laudry’s Clean Wash question (see below):

Greetings,

Thank you for your interest in Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash, and for taking the time to contact us. All of our Laundry Detergents and Fabric Softeners have been formulated for use both with high efficiency and commercial washing machines. I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

With clean and kind regards,

Alyssa

Customer Service Representative

Toll Free: 877-223-2323

CleanSmell / Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash

Then I open a second email, in response to my CleanSmell question:

Greetings,

Thank you for your interest in CleanSmell, and for taking the time to contact us. All of our Laundry Detergents and Fabric Softeners have been formulated for use both with high efficiency and commercial washing machines. I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

With clean and kind regards,

Alyssa

Customer Service Representative

Toll Free: 877-223-2323

CleanSmell / Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash

alyssa@cleansmell.com

www.CleanSmell.com / www.misslaundrys.com

Only then did I realize each email had both company names... CleanSmell / Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash... and the same telephone number, email address, etc.

Had I been buying Miss Laundry’s in a CleanSmell bottle for 2x the price??

Alyssa-
I sent a separate email to CleanSmell and Miss Laundry's with the same question, and you responded to both. Are CleanSmell and Miss Laundry's related companies?

Greetings,
Thank you for your response. CleanSmell and Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash are, in fact, sister companies. I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Kind regards,
Alyssa
Customer Service Representative
Toll Free: 877-576-8808
CleanSmell / Miss Laundry’s Clean Wash
T: 612-436-7401
F: 612-371-9995
alyssa@CleanSmell.com
www. CleanSmell.com / www.misslaundrys.com

DUHHHHHH!!

Please come help me wipe the egg off my face!!!

LOL!!