By Donna Kreutz
The Oxidize It™ Detergent-Less Laundry Solution may sound too good to be true, like a fantasy product in a futuristic Hollywood film. Sheets, towels and clothes come out super clean, allergen-free, soft and fluffy when washed in cold water without using any detergent, bleach, fabric softener or hot water. This also saves money and is better for the environment. But it’s for real, according to Darrell Weeter, who introduced and patented it in 2016. Today it is sold by dealers throughout the US, Canada, Central and South America, Europe and Australia.
The product is manufactured by Oxidizer Pro, the Weeter family business in Broadview Heights, south of Cleveland, OH. That company is a subsidiary of Filtropur FVS, which Weeter founded in 2008 to manufacture hypoallergenic products to control indoor air quality. “Our primary consumers are susceptible to allergies and I wanted to find other products that help with allergies. We did much research on allergen-reducing and eliminating products when we ran into the detergent-less laundry system. In 2015, I purchased the assets of a Missouri-based company and re-marketed it as Oxidize It.”
“It’s the only American-made product that is available to all dealers, regardless of the brand of the conditioning they sell. We sell to them wholesale and they set the price. The novelty of this product helps dealers get in-home presentations. For a lot of dealers, the hardest thing is to get in the house. We have a very good track record for in-home presentations. Dealers provide the product on a free trial for several weeks or a month. They also can package it with their water conditioning products.”
Ozone laundry systems for the home
Only recently has ozone laundry technology been adapted specifically for the residential market. “Our products help provide a healthier alternative to laundry soap and other chemicals that are commonly found in the average household,” Weeter said. “We estimate the average household saves $600 a year by not purchasing laundry products or using electricity to heat water for the washing machine.”
“One of our largest challenges is educating not only families but dealers as well on the use of our product and how they can utilize these technologies we provide as an effective tool to increase revenue and profit in their individual company. We found that providing our dealers with not only educational materials such as the science behind the product but also sales aids (including presentation books, product displays and in-person product-training seminars) has given us an advantage to overcome this challenge.” Dealers also can point out that the money the consumer saves on laundry products and electricity for hot water can go toward a conditioning system. “We also tell them about the environmental benefit. No chemicals are discharged into the environment and there are fewer plastic containers headed for the landfill. Our motto is ‘Go Clean, Go Green.’ “
‘Satisfaction is our number-one priority’
Weeter is a natural-born salesman. He found his calling at the age of 16. “I’m an Iowa farm boy and I grew up a half mile from the Missouri border. At 16, I was diagnosed with an eye disease and was legally blind, so I could not drive a car. I graduated from high school and no one would hire me; they were afraid I might get hurt. There was a little town 15 miles away where I began selling Electrolux vacuum cleaners. I had to beg for that job. That’s how I worked my way through college. I happened to be pretty good. As a farm kid, I grew up learning how to talk to people.”
He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in marketing. “I am very good at marketing.” He went on to work for Electrolux in management until 1983 when he started a Filter Queen business in Decora, IA that grew to 33 locations in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin with $20 million in annual sales. By 1998, then in his early 40s, he decided to retire. “That didn’t last. I got bored.” So he took a job with Filter Queen in Cleveland, first in sales, then as President of the company. By 2005, he was ready to retire again. That didn’t last either, so he established the FVS business. Today his son Brett, who has a management degree from Walsh University in North Canton, OH, is a Vice President with the company, running Oxidizer Pro.
“Satisfaction is our number-one priority. Our mission is to be the best in the eyes of our consumers, employees and distributors. We combine aggressive strategic marketing with quality products and services at a competitive price and the system comes with a five-year warranty. We’ve tested the product for approximately 6,000 wash loads (or a 10- to 12-year lifespan) without failure. With this type of product, if the consumer is happy, they tell their neighbors. If consumers say they are doing laundry with no detergent, fabric softener or hot water, that’s a great referral for the dealer. We ask customers to tell their friends and post on Facebook and other social media.
“I believe the water industry as a whole needs to look at the evolving demands of society. These days everything is moving toward healthier, cleaner and more technology-based living. We need to push to lead the world on green and clean lives.”