So-U-Mel stain remover (priced $10.99 for 8 fl. oz* and $19.99 for 16 fl. oz*) is claimed by the reps to have many different uses.
Sol-U-Mel is a concentrate cleaner and stain remover. This means that unlike the individual spray bottles of cleaner you find in the store, it comes undiluted. You add your own water to the concentrate and mix it up in a spray bottle (Melaleuca will also sell you a spray bottle separately if you don't own one).
Sol-U-Mel claims that it's ingredients are so safe and natural that it doesn't need a safety cap and it doesn't have one. I can't say how natural, safe or environmentally friendly it is or isn't because I'm not a scientist, but I believe at least some of the claims made by the rep who sold it to me. The reason: I'm using this stuff in the USA and it would be economic suicide for any business not to use safety caps here unless there is some truth to their claims.
I believe this stuff is somewhat natural compared to other cleaners and that's all good, but does it work? Answer: It depends on what you want to use it for.
My experience:
- 1/2 cap in a spay bottle makes a reasonable air freshener if you get the lemon blossom fragrance. I can't speak for the original Sol-U-Mel because I haven't tried it.
- 1 cap makes a decent glass cleaner that leaves no smears if use a dry cloth.
- 3 caps makes an adequate general kitchen/bathroom cleaner.
- 5 caps claims to remove tough stains. This has not been my experience. I found that 5 caps did not remove a blood stain from jeans. I even tried 7 caps and then tried it undiluted. It didn't work.
- 5 caps did a mediocre job on my oven. It didn't shift the really tough black stuff that I can't shift, but to be fair that one might be far beyond any cleaners capabilities.
- 7 caps diminished a carpet stain.
- No amount of caps full worked on spilled paint even though the catalog claims it does.
I'm sure the die-hards who swear by this product will say that it works eventually if you find the correct cleaning technique. I'm sure this is true, but isn't this also the case for every cleaner out there?
In conclusion
Sol-U-Mel is no better or worse than similar products I've tried. I would recommend any concentrate cleaner over buying individual spray bottles because they save money. They're also better for the environment that throwing all those sprayers away.
I will recommend it as an air freshener, glass and general cleaner because it does an adequate job and saves money in the long term.
Will I buy another one? Probably not because Eco friendly, concentrated cleaning products are taking over my house and I don't even like cleaning. But I recommend this for anyone who needs a reasonably priced, average general cleaner.
To be fair, cleaning products aren't going to get a great review from me because the don't really interest me (neither does doing the cleaning for that matter).
* price to preferred customers
Just a quick question. For an all natural cleaning product that is supposedly sage enough to not have a safety cap, why does the bottle say "Caution: Eye irritant. Flammable"? Flammable is safe? Really?
ReplyDeleteThis review fills inconclusive to me. If you really wanted to get the black off of your oven you should have used melaleuca's melamagic. This is a stain remover, burned on food and grease in your oven is not considered a stain. This Riverview would be really helpful if the right products were used on the right problems.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to get blood out you need to use Melaleuca lemon Brite
ReplyDeleteIf you want to get blood out you need to use Melaleuca lemon Brite
ReplyDeleteCharles, it is flammable because it contains alcohol. It is an eye irritant because it contains tea tree oil and soap. Just because it is an eye irritant doesn't mean it is bad. Onions are an eye irritant; so is castile (or any other) soap.
ReplyDeleteSol-U-Mel is one of the few Melaleuca products that does not contain artificial fragrances or dyes. Many of their food products contain harmful ingredients, such as acesulfame K. They do call themselves a "wellness" company, then they claim they combine th best of science and nature.
We have been "in " Melaleuca since 1994. We stay in for the Sol-U-Mel - the original formula only, because we know it does not contain artificial ingredients. Every once in a while they will come out with a new product that is really safe. We also use their Natural shampoo, and I just tried the unscented laundry detergent.
Now that they carry other essential oils, I am building my oil collection.
I do not "do the business", because I cannot in good conscience try to talk people into using products that have questionable ingredients. But Sol-U-Mel is a great all-purpose cleaner, and the one we use the most, in both the kitchen and bathroom.