High-tech detergent works in cold water

High-tech detergentworks in cold water
Tide Coldwater is formulated to provide deep cleaning in cold water, saving the energy needed to heat water for warm-water washing. Laundering with cold water instead of warm can save up to $63 a year, according to figures provided in connection with a joint promotion of the product by the manufacturer and the Alliance to Save Energy.
The product reached grocery stores, mass merchandisers and club stores in January and is expected to be broadly available this month. It comes in both liquid and powder forms in two scents, with a suggested retail price of $6.99 for 100 ounces.
Consumers can request a sample at www.coldwaterchallenge.com as part of the ColdWater Challenge, an effort by Tide Coldwater and the alliance to get 1 million people to launder in cold water. In connection with the challenge, the company will donate $100,000 to the National Fuel Funds Network, which assists state and local organizations that help low-income families pay their energy bills.
Does your front doorknow who you are?
The "touch" system is making it easier than ever to open entry doors, with numeric pads that replace keys. Tired of fumbling for house keys in the dark? Or looking for (and replacing) lost house keys? Keyless entry locks let you open doors by the numbers.
There are a few basic types to consider. Some are mechanical wherein you punch in a code. Others are electronic and more sophisticated - with multiple codes or multiple persons, and with temporary settings for guests and service people.
Recent offerings also include electronic "keyless" deadbolts.
Hybrid sheet satisfiesthose on both sides
Sharing a bed can be a little bit like Goldilocks' proverbial porridge -- it's always too hot or too cold for someone. Enter Split the Sheets, a half-polar-fleece, half-cotton sheet set that promises to make it all just right.
Inventor David Haggerty had his light-bulb-over-head moment 10 months ago. "My wife likes the fuzzy flannel sheets," he says. "And I hated those things. Then it came to me." The resulting hybrid may be sized for queen or king mattresses and is available in white, light blue, green and pink, with five new hues on the horizon.
Even the pillowcases are two-sided -- and for at least one man and his wife, the result has been pure domestic bliss. Says Haggerty, "She's happy, and I'm happy."
Cost is $64.95-$69.95 per set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases) at www.splitthesheets.com or cal (253) 219-7306.
Yes, but does it helpeliminate water marks?
Now even our dishwashers can be politically correct.
The increasingly crowded dishwasher soap aisle (liquids? powders? gels? tablets?) now includes Method dish cubes: biodegradable, no bleach or phosphates, no animal testing.
Consumers like pre-measured detergents, says the Soap and Detergent Association, because they eliminate waste, mess and guesswork. (The SDA Web site, www.cleaning101.com, has lots of household tips.)
A jar of 18 Method cubes (sweet water or pink grapefruit scent) costs $3.99 at Target stores.