Shirt Laundry and a Source for Dishwasher Detergent (aka. Cascade) in SOSUA?

Well, I guess that make's it official then.
I moved from Puerto Plata to Sosua... kind'a... (outskirts). Yeah, yeah, yada, yada, yada... never say never! :cheeky:
Not really because I wanted to, but at this point, I don't mind either... I'm set up in a nice modern, supposedly safe condo with Sea view, a bunch of pools around and a nice modern gym down stairs (I guess for those who know, it's about as good a description as giving out my new address).

Now. I need some directions?
No, not "where are the babes?"! (I know, they are locked up. Ha!)

• Where do we have our shirts laundered and ironed WITHOUT damage (professionally), is there a dry cleaner closer than going back to Puerto Plata?
• I was pleasantly surprised to find that my apartment comes equipped with a "Maria"... (a dishwasher)! But at loss to find a source for dishwasher detergent! I hope I am not the only one with such a fine little machine. Same question probably for the "shine"-fluid one has to pour in once every what, two months or so?

That's it so far! But more may come up.

Thanks! ... J-D.

WindeGuy: Thanks! I'll check it out and I'll heed your advise about the "new & imspoofed" version of Cascade.
I like FoodClub products... so far none has been worse than anything else they sell here.

Ringo: A los anos! Ha! Neighbor!
I'll have my all time cleaning lady come in from Puerto Plata three times a week. Not because she's hot or overly good, but I could trust her for the past 4 1/2 years. THAT's worth a LOT. But I have given up on her ironing my shirts once Sirena had that laundry in the store.
So, I'm still shopping for a place I can entrust my nicer shirts with.

The girls are doing well,... Melany especially, VERY well. It's now a couple or years that she has decide to call me "Papa". And I'm actually proud of it. She dedicates me ALL her school successes and also has learned to come to me with "failures" and ask for help. It's intensive, a lot of work, but I am not much busy here in the DR anymore. I love her to death just as she's shown me.
I just tucked her in, she has her own room now here. She's not with me permanently, but MUCH of the time.

Anyways... good to hear from you and YES, lets stay in touch!
... J-D.

So... I went to Jannet's (which was packed, btw!) and looked up the DishWasher Detergents available:
CASCADE powder in a small 20Oz box a whooping RD$370.oo
CASCADE powder with "DAWN" (Ringo warns against it above) in a 35Oz box for a hefty RD$ 490.oo!!
FOOD CLUD powder in a 45Oz box... "only" RD$170.oo
FULL CIRCLE powder in a 45Oz box... promising to be "good" to the environment, also "RD$170.oo.

Being the cheap bastard I am... I got one each of the last ones.

Playero:
CASCADE liquid in a bottle (sorry lost the note about size and price)
GUT und GUENSTIG-Power Aktiv... a German knock-off "non-brand", TABS which bear the promise to clean AND rinse to a shine (kind'a like the cleaning tabs for your dentures, I guess!). Well, it's GERMAN, so it's gotta be good, now doesn't it? 40 Tabs (40 washes) RD$ 290.oo about 5 US cents per wash! I can do that!
An alternate TABS brand, but with Spanish lettering on it... forgot the name... but seem to remember a similar price... when you can choose between German and Spanish... the choice is easy! Ha!

So far I have tried my German Tabs. Good wash, clean and shiny!
My washer is a Whirlpool brand, stainless front/plastic interior but somewhat above contractor's "special" grade. It makes it's brand's name all honor... it washes aloud, like there is a little storm and tsunami convention going on inside.

I'll post later about the other two products.

So far NO little shine-rinse fluid anywhere.

Funny: At Sirena (POP) they tried to make it believable to me that I could as well use Hand-Dishwashing Soap... the one out of bottles! "eh lo mismo!" Well, yeah right! BS... or as our host here would put it: UTTER BS! I did that ONCE... FOAM came out of all corners of the machine! You know, these things are supposedly water tight! So you can imagine what was going on in there! NEVER try that!

... J-D.

AlterEgo: I would seem "my" German knock-off tabs are very similar to the FinishPowerball tabs.. except for not featuring the "ball", but they ARE multi-layer.


WindeGuy: No surprise to me... as I said before, I have yet to find a FoodClub item which would be worse than anything thing else they'd sell as "eh lo mismo" around here.

Thanks! ... J-D.

So, now that we have the detergent sorted out.
Tell me. REALLY, there is NO shirt laundry... NO dry cleaners in this town?
Where am I supposed to have my plaid Chacabanas (Guayaberas) properly pressed?

... J-D.

Mack said:

This place opened a couple of years back. I haven't used it myself but heard it was good.
Quick & Bright Commerical & Residential Laundry Service | North Coast Dominican Republic | Free Pick-Up & Delivery | North Coast Dominican Republic
If you use it please post the results
Mack

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Guinea pigging me, huh Mack?
The site says they're on Pedro Clisante 76... I'll check'em out. Some of my Chacabanas are rather expensive, I want to know who's going to shred them and show them my machete first.

Thanks! ... J-D.

GUT & GUENSTIG at RD$ 290 for 40 tabs... erm... RD$ 290/40= RD$ 7.25 @ RD$39/USD = USD 0.18... YOU'RE OF COURSE RIGHT! I don't know what the heck I calculated up... been in this country too long, probably. Damaged goods!
... J-D

CFA123 said:

JD,
I've found GUT und GUENSTIG-Power Aktiv tabs to work consistently better than Cascade powder (a product I swore by in the U.S.). Perhaps it's the water but Cascade doesn't do well for me here. By the way, it's closer to US$0.20/wash as opposed to the US$0.05 you calculated!

The liquid dishwashing machine soaps/gels I've never felt cleaned well. Welcome to the neighborhood.

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