Digest the Feed
Took A Seat While On The Phone With Costco At Costco, January 13, 2014
Ever call a number on the back of a product to ask a question? Ever do it while still in the store? That was me today at Costco. I have a thing for Costco. Since I steer towards eating clean, it is a handy place to get loads of meat, veggies and fruits at a more digestible price, but it also carries a huge variety of other gluten free products from snacks to soaps. Since I’m always on the lookout for products I may be missing, I periodically browse other people’s gf Costco shopping lists.
On one such list, I spotted something, Kirkland Ultra Clean Free and Clear Laundry Detergent. Being a recent convert to Kirkland’s Gluten Free Shampoo and Conditioner and having grown up with allergic reactions to soaps and detergents, it sparked my interest. I know many of you don’t agree that such products are necessary, and that’s okay. It is your opinion, but I still do believe it benefits me and could be informative to others, so I am posting this anyway. (Keep in mind that I am gluten sensitive, not cd.)
Kirkland’s Ultra Clean Free and Clear Detergent
I located the detergent in question and read the entire bottle…no mention of it being gluten free. Not satisfied with my lack of a definitive answer (and since formulas and ingredients change frequently on items), I decided to call the number listed on the back. After a six-minute wait, I was speaking to a friendly customer service representative. I told her the product name and asked if it was gluten free. She said since it isn’t edible, she didn’t think it would be listed. I informed her (not in any tone but in a bubbly manner) that other Kirkland products such as their shampoo and shower gel, though not edible, are clearly labeled as gf and that occasionally simple contact can cause issues like rashes for some. She typed it in and she said something along the lines of, “Wow, it is. All of Kirkland’s Free and Clear products are. I learned something today!” I smiled to myself, thanked her for checking and dumped one into my cart. I’m not sure if it will do anything, or if some of my random itch fests will disappear. I just think that after my pinpointing the conditioner issue that it is worth a try. I can’t help but wonder if my low water washer (I hate my washer) is rinsing as well as my old one? Or if I have an issue with the HE blend used in this washer that wasn’t in my last? Or if I’m being exposed in some other way that I’m currently unaware of? Or simply an issue with soap again? Or becoming hypersensitive to it has transitioned a bit? I have no idea, but like I said, worth a try.
Don’t be afraid to call the numbers or e-mail places. It is their job to answer questions like this for us and as long as you are pleasant, they typically will be too.
Small suggestion – try getting any remaining residue out of your washer with borax and a machine cleaning cycle, then try an extra rinse added for a week.
Sometimes the really viscous detergents (Kirkland Ultra and other thick liquid detergents can be notorious for this) can leave behind extra residues in the outer tub and other spots in your washer.
I actually noticed how thick it was when it wouldn’t empty out fully from the dispenser. Thank you for the idea!