I ended up with Gain Island Fresh - Ultra fabric softener sort of by accident, thanks to a small group of "gabbers" nearly blocking the aisle with their carts and standing exactly in the place where my usual softener resides. I was in a hurry, trying to get the grocery shopping done as quickly as possible, but being the polite person I am (grin), I didn't want to interrupt their seemingly unexpected and joyous reunion by barging in and grabbing what I needed.

So, I waited momentarily, hoping they would notice the traffic jam and product-inaccessibility they were creating... but no, they were too involved in their happy conversation to pay any attention. I saw that my usual softener was just barely out of reach, waiting to be rescued from the shadow of one of the reunion-ites. Finally, I decided to overcome my hesitancy to intrude by asking to be excused as I reached into the shadows for my intended prize. I plopped it into the cart and, having to turn around in the aisle (as it was still mostly blocked), went on my merry way.

Once at home, though, I discovered that I had not grabbed my usual softener, but instead brought home Gain Island Fresh Ultra. I took off the cap to see what the fragrance was like, and unlike others here, I was disappointed. Although still a nice fragrance, it just didn't measure up to that of my usual softener, and I was somewhat dismayed that circumstances and gabby people at the store would cause my family and I to endure many loads of a foreign fragrance, missing that of the one previously enjoyed so much... oh, what a shame! (ha)

Well, I guess I need to just track those people down... and thank them - for allowing me to discover something I actually like even more than my previous product! As it turns out, though the in-bottle fragrance didn't seem to compare to my previous softener's (and I don't think I would've bought Island Fresh if I had sniff-tested it in the store), upon removing the clothes from the dryer, I was very surprised to discover that Gain Island Fresh had given our clothes a wonderful aroma, and one that would last longer than what we had been used to previously! I was amazed at how much better the fragrance seemed after actually using the softener, as compared to my first impression of it from the bottle. (Though, again, it was not at all unpleasant straight from the bottle - most softeners smell nice, and this one did, too!)

I recently bought my second bottle of Gain Island Fresh Ultra, and this time, from preference - not due to someone blocking the aisle! :)


Now, for some info about this softener...


The Product: Some facts... and comments


- Gain Island Fresh Ultra is, obviously, an "ultra" liquid softener, which is concentrated and takes less per load than a non-ultra product.

- The softener comes in a 60-oz bottle (green, with an orange cap as opposed to the original fragrance with a green cap) and is advertised to do 60 loads. The cap has two lines to indicate how much softener should be used per load; the lower line for medium loads, the higher line for large loads. (I usually use no more than the lower amount, no matter the size of the load - everything still comes out wonderfully soft and pleasant-smelling! NOTE: A little goes a long way, and it may be easy to even use too much - clothes sometimes come out of the dryer very soft but with a hard-to-describe "feel" to them that indicates I may have used too much softener.)

- Like its cap, this liquid softener is also orange-colored. I've had no experience with it staining or discoloring clothes, by the way. I do, though, try to avoid having any of the undiluted softener touch clothing when I add it to the washer. The manufacturer recommends if spotting does occur, to wet the fabric and rub with a mild bar of soap and then rinse or rewash if necessary.

- Made by Procter & Gamble, who recommends that the softener not be used on children's sleepwear or clothing labeled as flame resistant.

- Ingredients are simply listed as: "contains biodegradable fabric-softening agents."


As to my own experience with this softener, it's obvious that I like both the fragrance and softness this product produces, and clothes treated by Gain Island Fresh Ultra retain this softness for a reasonably long time - many days after being washed.

My only concern, though, is when buying my current bottle, I noticed that the shelves seemed devoid of all Gain Ultra softener, both the original and Island Fresh... and I didn't see an empty space where they should've been. Although the shelves were full of other softeners, it seemed there was no place given for Gain Ultra! I thought, "Oh, no - I end up getting this by accident, find it to be a wonderful product, and then they discontinue it!"

I eventually saw two bottles of Island Fresh at a reduced price on the top shelf, instead of its usual place, mid-height. And none of the Original scent was to be found at all. So, I'm hoping this isn't an indication of the store no longer carrying it, or the manufacturer not producing it! I'll have to check it out next time, when I hope to find, instead, the shelves brimming with a healthy supply of Gain Ultra fabric softener!



©2005 JCme




Recommended: Yes