Purex Complete Crystals Softener {Review & Giveaway - 3 winners!}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Callie, rhonjerm and Becky!}

Is it weird that I actually really like to do laundry? There's something so satisfying about putting all of the dirty clothes into the washing machine and having them come out so clean and fresh afterward. Now, folding and putting it all away is a completely different story...

So, when I heard that Purex, one of the biggest names in not only laundry but in some of the most sustainable products and practices as possible, had come out with an innovative new way to clean and soften my wash safely... well, bring on the Purex Complete Crystals Softener!

Not your typical liquid oil-based softener, these crystals are 92% natural and are added at the beginning of your laundry cycle right in with the clothing and detergent. No more waiting for the rinse cycle or trying not to spill all over the dispenser or dealing with leftover icky substance in your washing machine - instead, simply measure and toss right in.

Because of the unique crystal form, Purex Complete Crystals Softener is actually able to infuse the clothing fibers with long-lasting fragrance rather than coating the fabric with an oily residue. As well as allowing dirt or other debris to stick, that leftover oil can interfere with the absorbency of your towels, reduce the effectiveness of your sportswear (by inhibiting the ability of the fabric to wick away sweat) and even lead to discoloration of your apparel.

But the harmful property of liquid fabric softener that really stood out to me is that it can make my children's sleepwear less safe. As the Consumer Products Safety Commission regulates that garments designated as sleepwear for children must meet certain flame-retardant standards (clothing must be flame resistant and self-extinguish if they come in contact with a small flame), the oily residue from the softener can actually impair those abilities and make the clothing less effective.

Yuck. No, thanks.

Pulling out the bottle of Purex Crystals Complete Softener, I examined them closely and thought that, as well as being definitely different than the norm, they resembled something you would pour into your next bath to make it more relaxing.

Taking the top off to look closer and give these a smell, I was surprised at how powerful an aroma could come from something so small.

When it came time to do laundry, I almost felt as though tossing in a small handful of these was... too easy. That's it? Really? I don't even have to do anything special for my High Efficiency washing machine?

But yes, that was it. As I had let Big Sister E smell the crystals before starting the wash (a set of sheets for her bed were in it) and had received the thumbs up from her, I was interested not only in my reaction after the load came out of dryer, but hers as well.

The answer?

Sniffffffffff!

The entire load of laundry was definitely infused with the Fresh Spring Waters scent, as well as felt soft and clean. I couldn't make up my mind right away if I thought the smell was a little too strong, but Big Sister E immediately loved it. Putting the sheets right onto her bed, for days afterward she told me, "My bed smells good!" when she got up in the morning. It really did last for weeks!

As my husband prefers his clothes completely unscented, I plan on saving the Purex Complete Crystals Softener for loads of laundry that I know don't contain his items. However, in the meantime, I love the idea of also using this as air freshener, particularly at the bottom of Little Sister B's diaper pail or out in the garage near the garbage and recycle containers. A small satchel could even go in the car itself to bring the light, clean scent with you... instead of the the wet sock smell that otherwise seems to follow us around.

Available in three great fragrances and retailing between $3.99 and $5.99 (depending on the retailer), Purex Complete Crystals Softener can be found at many food, drug and mass retailers nationwide. But, thanks to Purex, three people will be able to try these out for themselves right away, because...

Three lucky people will win a coupon for a FREE bottle of Purex Completely Crystals Softener!

To enter to win: Visit Purex and tell me which scent you would like to try OR tell me your best laundry tip.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Purex on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

3 winners! WIN a bottle of Purex Complete Crystals Softener and reinvent your laundry! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/f7TeY9 #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Purex. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on January 28th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winners. The winners will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Purex for providing a Purex Complete Crystals Softener for me to review as a part of their Purex Insiders as well as coupons for free softener for three lucky giveaway winners. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.