Eco balls

[Jamboat]

I have been given a couple of these ( safe link to amazon)

Has anyone tried them ? It seems you don't need to rinse, obvious really as no soap suds, so quite a saving on water use.

I'm in the sceptic camp but going to give them a go for a couple of weeks, watch this space.......

[mrsmelly]

I have been given a couple of these ( safe link to amazon)

Has anyone tried them ? It seems you don't need to rinse, obvious really as no soap suds, so quite a saving on water use.

I'm in the sceptic camp but going to give them a go for a couple of weeks, watch this space.......

 

Placebo springs to mind.

[Grace and Favour]

What a load of Eco-balls . . .

 

I believe the filling materials are soap-based (though not detergent)

 

The balls clean your washing by a combination of processes - - the soap contained within, and by impact / abrasion of the balls on your washing (just as in days or yore with the washboard / sink / riverbank)

 

do not use on delicate fabrics, and be prepared for your clothes to enjoy a slightly shorter life

[Dignity]

Are you ment to wash clothes?

[steelaway]

Are you ment to wash clothes?

 

 

Only when you think they are mucky

 

 

Alex

[Ex- Member]

What a load of Eco-balls . . .

 

I believe the filling materials are soap-based (though not detergent)

 

The balls clean your washing by a combination of processes - - the soap contained within, and by impact / abrasion of the balls on your washing (just as in days or yore with the washboard / sink / riverbank)

 

do not use on delicate fabrics, and be prepared for your clothes to enjoy a slightly shorter life

 

 

 

Each EcoBall contains mineral salts which release ionized oxygen when in water. This inonized oxygen penetrates deep into clothing breaking up and lifting off dirt and grease.

We've been using them for over 3 years now, they wash general everyday wear perfectly and leave your washing with almost no smells at all, chemical or other, They cost about one tenth of washing powder. My work wear is washed at least 2 times per week, no bobbling like with washing powders and my work shirts last well over a year when before with washing powder they were worn and faded within 6 months. You don't really need conditioner either, but that might depend on water supply.

However they are no good with heavy soils with oill or grease, heavy grass stains Etc Lynn then uses Daz, but for small stains you can rub in a stain remover first then wash with Eco balls and it will clean.

Saved us a fortune in washing powders and the hassle of humping boxes of the stuff when shopping.

[TimD]

They do work, but not as well as detergent. I use them for, say, 3 in every 4 washes. I prefer my clothes not to smell of the chemicals they put in laundry powder/liquid (as well as not overloading the sewerage system with detergent).

[Jamboat]

Thanks for replies, bit of a difference of opinion as I expected.

Gave them a try yesterday, we have a twin tub so it's easy to see the state of the water after washing & it certainly seemed 'dirty'.

I am usually fussy about rinsing, doing each load 3 times ( last rinse fabric conditioner) but of coarse no soap so no rinsing needed so less water used, for us liveaboards a positive aspect.

 

Everything seemed clean though time will tell, if my whites start to look iffy a hot wash with detergent now and again may be called for or maybe just stop buying 'whites'

[bridgit]

I have been given a couple of these ( safe link to amazon)

Has anyone tried them ? It seems you don't need to rinse, obvious really as no soap suds, so quite a saving on water use.

I'm in the sceptic camp but going to give them a go for a couple of weeks, watch this space.......

 

 

I thought these were good for my clothes until I washed husbands grubby filthy work ware. No they dont work.

[Chertsey]

I suppose the question (which could easily be checked) is, for light soiling, do they work any better than water alone? Are we using a lot of detergent which is totally unnecessary for clothes that aren't very dirty?

[Ex- Member]

I suppose the question (which could easily be checked) is, for light soiling, do they work any better than water alone? Are we using a lot of detergent which is totally unnecessary for clothes that aren't very dirty?

 

I was very sceptical of these so compared a wash with just water to a wash with eco balls, the wash with just water didn't do that bad actually, but didn't get rid of collar & cuff stains nor food stains where the eco balls did.

 

There's a new stain remover about called Stainz r out an incredible stain remover made from banana oil no chemicals at all environmentally friendly. You can add a small cap full of this to an eco ball wash and it will remove heavy soil oil and grease. I've removed all sorts of stains with this stuff from Red wine to dirty oil and even Black mould on a White leather sofa, and pre treating any stain with it prior to washing and there's nothing it hasn't removed.

 

 

 

[Ssscrudddy]

My GF uses these, she's a cleaner at the local hospital, & in my opinion it does a perfectly good job on collars 'n cuffs (which are white).

Certainly some food stains didnt come out, more importantly grease from food... but with that said I think they are supposed to be used in a hot wash, but my washing machine runs from a cold water supply only, & the heater element hasnt worked for years.

 

She is perfectly happy with the results & doesnt buy detergent any more. All my clothes are black & I dont get that dirty, & I still use detergent!

 

It is my opinion that they are perfectly good enough for "light soil", but if you get really mucky, oil & grease etc, then use detergent.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Ssscrudddy

[carlt]

Mine didn't work at all, until I filled them full of Snake Oil.

 

Now they work a treat.

[madcat]

maybe its the extra battering the wash gets helps to get stuff clean,maybe what matters is finding what works for you. I have to just about nuke some of OH's work clothes to get any sort of clean but most of my clothes come clean enough with any of the eco liquids. I have a set of 6 hefty "wash balls" from Aldi which I supose are the modern equivalent of beating washing on a rock .

[Peter Reed]

I've not heard of these before, are they anything to do with secret policemen?

[Windfola]

I recently bought some of these after reading this thread.

 

So far they seem to be a very good buy. Time will tell.

[Jamboat]

Update as promised, Well I'm converted, have been using them for 3 weeks & my laundry is fine. The fact that the water is dirty at the end of a wash cycle is reassuring! I have a twin tub & used to rinse wash loads 3 times to get rid of detergent, now no rinse needed so I save water & time - the only detergent I will be using will be for a bit of hand washing now & again.

As I never iron anything I used to use fabric conditioner in last rinse, I now put a capful in with the wash which seems to work fine