I was OK with my daughter's decision to dye her hair red. But when she spilled the red hair coloring all over my new bathroom rug (that I paid too much for, but it was a perfect match to an unusual shade of blue in our bathroom) I was not happy. Double that after her feeble attempt to clean it up, leaving big brown stains all over the rug. I had a container of OxoBrite by Earth Friendly Products that I had been planning to try out, so I decided this would be a good test. OxoBrite is a filler-free oxygenating whitener and brightener that you can use as a pre-soak for dingy whites, a laundry detergent booster or mold and mildew remover. The company claims it does not damage fibers, unlike chlorine bleach, and is safe for colors. But can it take out red hair color?

I soaked the rug overnight in a mixture of OxoBrite and water. In the morning, I was afraid I would find the stains still there or blotches of color missing from the rug. But all the stains were gone, and the colors were as bright as new. A plus to the product is the fact that it's plant-based, petrochemical free and 100-percent natural.

The bottom line: Who needs bleach when you have OxoBrite? A two-pound container retails for $6.99. Get it on www.ecos.com. The Web site also has a listing of stores where it can be purchased.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com