eco balls

paradox · Post: # 39886Post **paradox** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:33 pm

I had a look for these on ebay and found most of them need some type of pellets replacing in them after so long.

Where have other people bought them from and are they all supposed to use pellets inside?

jondy · Post: # 40022Post **jondy** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:44 pm

Never heard of these before. Looked on ebay and found lots of these washing devices. Of note perhaps, was one advert saying, 'used once includes refills' (price from 99p I think) indicating one person probably thought them to be no good. They might be O.K., who has tried them?

John

paradox · Post: # 40443Post **paradox** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:08 am

can any body give me a link where i can buy genuine eco balls from because the ones on ebay containing pellets seem a bit strange to me.

shiney · Post: # 40447Post **shiney** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:38 am

I was going to buy some of these until I went to my ethical supermarket to get some. The lady won't stock them as they are made for pennies in China and sold for rather a lot of money here. Hence, I didn't get any. I have been using Bio D products for clothes washing.

DaisyDaisy · Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:37 pm

I've been using them and although the clothes smell clean the lighter ones look grubby.
I've decided that a compromise here is to wash the dark clothes with the eco balls and the light items with ecover tablets

chutney-ferret · Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:10 pm

My mother-in-law gave me some and i've been using them for 18months now. THey're fine - nearly as good as eco washing powder, but i do use powder for whites and nappies (they don't get rid of pongs and really bad dirt). However, i've never managed to find out what's in them . I think when they do run out, I'm going to try out soap nuts, as they are still more plastic crap to go in the landfill at the end of the day.

Shirley · Post: # 42571Post **Shirley** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:14 pm

I thought they were refillable.

You can send off for a free sample of soapnuts from www.inasoapnutshell.com

Daisy Daisy - stop buying light clothes

Shiney - That's a hugely important fact and one that I wasn't aware of.

townie smallholder · Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:40 am

Hi All..

I was thinking about trying out the soap nuts.. but before i jumped in and ordered some I thought I would ask here what everyone thought of them and what they are like with Whites etc..

Are they any good?

TS

Chickpea · Post: # 45628Post **Chickpea** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:04 pm

It has been suggested to me that these are a con and no different from washing your clothes in plain water. If so, I find my clothes are plenty clean with the balls so maybe I will just use plain water from now on.

As I type, I am conducting a highly scientific controlled double-blind randomised experiment to discover the TRUTH (i.e. I am washing some clothes in just plain water to see how they come out) and will report back.

But in the mean time, does anyone else have any opinions or better still facts about these washing balls?

Muddypause · Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:28 pm

CP - I would be interested in the results of your experiment, but may I suggest an improvement - add some smooth pebbles (for example) to the plain water wash, to simulate the mechanical pounding that the clothes would recieve from the eco-balls. I have a feeling (based on pure prejudice and guesswork) that this may be a contributing factor to the eco-balls' effect.

Annpan · Post: # 45698Post **Annpan** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:17 pm

I have also heard that eco balls are a con, and just as good as washing in plain water... They do however claim to be anti-bacterial.

I think that all are refill-able but the refills cost almost as much as the balls. Also if people knew they are being made for pennies in China I am sure they wouldn't sell very many. - Now I know, I won't buy any.

Ann

Chickpea · Post: # 45735Post **Chickpea** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 9:45 am

I did some experiments yesterday and the results are posted on my blog. In upshot, I already knew that washing balls are about as good as detergent. But it seems that they're also about as good as washing with just plain water.

In other words, preliminary findings are that wash balls are a rip-off, and so is laundry powder.

All you need is just plain (cool - I wash at 40degrees) water for most of your loads, and maybe keep some detergent or washing soda for really bad stains.

wulf · Post: # 45737Post **wulf** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 9:53 am

I saw that on your blog this morning - I look forward to hearing the results of your ongoing experiments.

Wulf

Nikki · Post: # 59135Post **Nikki** » Tue May 29, 2007 3:56 pm

Just purchased some stuff from an online store and was offered free eco ball. So will experiment as well.
The balls are supposed to create a reaction in the water that helps make your clothes softer too. I think it's basically that oxygen is made to work through the clothes, better than washing with water alone.

At the moment, I use ecover powder and generally use half or even less than the recommended amount. Doubt I'll get ecover in the Balkans, so was interested in these eco balls. P*sses me off about where they're made.