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Fels Naptha is an American brand of laundry soap used for treating stubborn garment stains and is commonly used as a home remedy for poison ivy and other similar skin maladies/poisonings.
Fels Naptha contains soap that comprises the following compounds- sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate, sodium palate, and sodium palmate kernelate. In addition to these, it consists of the usual components of water, talc, and lye. Tallow, coconut, and palm kernel oil play big roles in determining the composition and thereby, the benefits of this soap.
Armed with a bevy of new colors and the trademark citronella scent, Fels Naptha has come to be the household name for all sorts of laundry trouble- grease removal, eliminating collar rings, and ridding oft-worn clothes of perspiration stains.
Is Fels Naptha Safe?
As far as household use is concerned, Fels Naptha is safe for use. MSDS has declared it as eminently safe for uses with respect to universal laundry needs.
However, when it comes to working in an industrial setting- Fels Naptha is likely to pose an occupational hazard. Protective layering is imperative, as is the use of safety goggles and gloves.
In the home too, frequent and prolonged exposure can sometimes cause skin and eye irritation. To avoid such a possibility, wearing gloves is a safeguarding technique that many users adopt.
21 Cleaning Hacks and Household Uses of Fels Naptha
1. Clean Your Car
Car enthusiasts will know the struggle of driving an unclean or smelly car. And while several cleaning compounds cater to one’s cleaning needs, it might be time to adopt a more eco-friendly method.
Fels Naptha can be used to clean car seats, carpets, windows, and doors. Windshields and bonnets even.
Added bonus? It also ensures that the car stays smelling fresh.
2. Use as Insecticide
Fels Naptha can be effectively used as a mild insecticide, in order to ward off critters and bugs that plague homegrown plants.
All one needs to do is concoct a solution of Fels Naptha in hot water-one tablespoon of the soap for a gallon of water. Put the solution in a spray bottle, and use on your plants at least once a week to make sure the insects stay away.
3. Cleaning Grease
We all know of the many virtues of Fels Naptha when it comes to rinsing grease off of clothes, but it works equally well on the hands and cuticles too. Fels Naptha has proven itself to be quite effective against most kinds of grease- cooking oil, motor oil, lubricant, etc.
Rub a small to moderate amount of the soap into your palms and fingernails, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then wash off with water. Towel your hands dry.
4. Cleaning Furniture
A trick I use to clean my garden furniture from time to time, Fels Naptha makes for a great cleaning compound when it comes to plastic or wrought-iron furniture.
Rinse off the furniture first, and then add two tablespoons of powdered Fels Naptha to a gallon of hot water. Use a soft brush to scrub the furniture, taking especial care around the areas that are particularly grimy.
Wipe them down or let air dry. Fels Naptha not only removes dirt and dust but also effectively brightens colors and preserves the grain.
5. Removal of Collar Rings
This, arguably, is the primary reason why Fels Naptha is the name it is today. Collar rings are incredibly hard to get rid of completely, owing to the weird mix of dirt and sweat that is their composition combined with the inaccessibility that the area of the collar denotes.
Fels Naptha comes to the rescue here, and this is no exaggeration. All one needs to do is rub the collar thoroughly with a bar of the soap, and put it through a normal wash cycle.
6. Sink Cleaner
Sinks are quite vulnerable to dirt and gunk, especially of the kind that is hard to remove. Fels Naptha makes for an adequate sink cleaner and has been proven to be fast and easy.
Put some grated soap onto your cleaning brush or lather up a bar of soap onto the sink surface. Scrub in concentric circles. Let the product sit for five minutes before you rinse it off. Wipe down with a dry cloth.
7. Refrigerator Cleaner
Refrigerators have a tendency to start smelling rank after a few days. It is quite a natural phenomenon, owing to the multitude of different kinds of food that go inside it.
A great way to ensure that the fridge smells fresh and is also free from unsightly stains is by giving it a thorough cleaning using Fels Naptha. The soap applies easily and can be washed off without having to let it sit for too long.
Use on the different compartments and doors, taking care to ensure that you remember to wipe down after rinsing in order to make sure no residual soap remains.
Pro Tip: Use a toothbrush to clean the refrigerator seals.
8. Cleaning Grout
A cleaning tip I will not stress on- clean grout makes all the difference in the world. Even though it is often neglected owing to seeming unimportance, dirty grout is an eyesore.
Use Fels Naptha (powdered or grated) in hot water to make a scrubbing mixture to use on the grout. Scrub along the grain of the grout lines, using a soft brush so as to not cause any scratching or scuffing.
9. Brighten Clothes (And Whiten Whites)
Fels Naptha sees function not only as an excellent detergent but also as one that preserves the sanctity of fabric colors. Use a tablespoon of the soap in a regular wash cycle to witness amazing results. Not only will your garments appear brighter and less faded, but the whites seem to appear whiter.
10. Cleaning Carpet Stains
Carpet stains are quite difficult to get out- both in cases of light and sturdy material. With the former, harsh compounds or tough scrubbing can lead to scuffs and tears. As for the latter, the density of the material prevents most cleaning compounds from taking effect.
Fels Naptha manages to fall somewhere in between the two things- it is effective without being harsh. It can be used in combination with your regular carpet cleaner (one tablespoon only) or individually. Let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing.
11. Getting Rid of Mildew in the Shower
Shower stalls and shower curtains have a certain tendency for the acquisition of mold and mildew- primarily because of their natural proximity to moisture. And while store-bought chemical deterrents also do the trick, Fels Naptha provides a quick and easy cleaning solution.
Put a tablespoon of powdered soap into warm water, and bottle it up. Spray it on the insides of the curtains and on the tiles in the stall. This retards the growth of mold, and in combination with scrubbing removes existing mildew.
Do this at least once a week.
12. Use as an Air Freshener
Ward off bad odors from the house by keeping a couple of bars of Fels Naptha positioned strategically, almost as sentinels. Hot spots include the kitchen and open doors and windows.
13. To Clean Counters
Almost akin to a magic eraser, this, in that it wipes out stains caused by any and all sources. Be it ink stains, food stains, and/or stains of mysterious origins.
Sprinkle a little bit onto the affected area, and use a damp cloth to rub the area in parallel swipes. The stains will be out in no time at all.
Added bonus? It will leave your counters smelling fresh.
14. Clean out Musty Closets
As with shower curtains being natural prey to mildew owing to their proximity to moisture, closets acquire musty scents and cobwebs owing to a lack of sun and air.
Cleaning them out periodically is intrinsic to ensuring general cleanliness and hygiene and there is no better way than employing Fels Naptha to give closets, cupboards, and cabinets a good scrub and rinse once in a while.
[Use a damp cloth to wipe down residual soap, instead of direct application of water. ]
15. Removing Ink Stains
A lesser-known fact about Fels Naptha is that it has particular success in the removal of ink stains. This is rather a two-step process because the application of WD-40 is recommended before the Fels Naptha can be applied. WD-40 prepares the area for the soap to take optimum action.
This removes ink stains from a variety of different clothes including leather.
Use a soft brush to scrub the affected area, taking care to not let the ink stain spread beyond a certain diameter. Rinse well. This process might need repeating, to fully eliminate the stain.
16. Cleaning Red Wine Stains
As with ink stains, red wine stains too can be removed effectively using a Fels Naptha scrub.
Soak the concerned garment in lukewarm water, before using a soft brush to gently scrub the affected area with Fels Naptha. One tablespoon is deemed enough, although more may be needed depending on when the stain was acquired.
Rinse and let air dry.
17. Cleaning Aluminum Utensils
Coming to the aid where dish soap might fall short, a good scrub with Fels Naptha can restore aluminum pots and pans to their former glory.
Used the most and neglected the most too, pots and pans are usually burnt, discolored, and coated in indeterminate gunk. Fels Naptha removes most of the damage.
18. To Clean Dirty Shoes
A hack I use for all of my sneakers and sports shoes, Fels Naptha works wonders when it comes to successfully siphoning dirt off of the whitest of shoes.
All you need to do is rub a bar of said soap over the fabric, taking care not to miss any spots like the lining or the laces. Let the soap sit for a few minutes before you rinse it off.
In extreme cases, soak the shoe in a solution of hot water and soap overnight, and spray some WD-40 on after you let the shoe air dry.
19. Removing Stubborn Labels
Fels Naptha loosens and lubricates labels for easy and spotless removal.
Rub some soap onto the label, taking care to reach around the edges. Swipe down with a damp cloth, and repeat a few times to ensure a clean and complete removal.
20. A rodent repellent
Not exactly a cleaning hack, but one that goes a long way to ensure that cleanliness presides in your home.
A bar of Fels Naptha placed in rodent-susceptible spots in your home ensures that these toothy creatures stay wary and away.
21. Treating a Poison Ivy Attack
Poison Ivy is one of the most common ways of contracting a painful and cumbersome skin infection. And Fels Naptha is one of the most common ways to treat it.
In the eventuality that one does need to treat poison ivy, simply apply Fels Naptha to the affected area, making sure the soap is given enough time to be absorbed into the fabric. Wash it off.
This process can be repeated every three hours.
There you have it, 21 uses of the infamous Fels Naptha. Cleaning uses, ones that have little or no semblance to laundry, and only work to highlight the multi-purpose cleaning compound that is this soap.