On television you can see them dozens of times a day: happy mothers doing their laundry. With a radiant smile on her face she gets a pink magic bottle out and… the stains are all gone! I’ve never had a detergent, which was unable to get the stains out. So basically I have nothing to complain about. But I want to know how I can wash environmentally friendly. And if we’re at it: with fewer chemicals because that would be skin friendly and the risk of having allergies is smaller.
I know these products are out there somewhere. But they probably don’t have the same budget as the commercial detergent producers.
Detergent
Every European country has their own well known detergents. And perhaps you all know about some neutral detergents. But what I would like to do is checking out what other possibilties I have.
Put a ball or other addition in your washing machine!
Not any ball. A washing ball! I had not heard of these things before. And if they work it would be a huge threat to the giant cleaning industies. What if they wouldn’t sell this much fabric softeners and deteregents anymore?
Washing balls
There are all kinds of eco wash balls. How they work? You just put them in your washing machine with the dirty laundry. You don’t have to use anything else.
An example of how a washing ball works inside your machine.
Ecowashing balls (Ecozone): the ball contains pure natural minerals which ionize the water and raise the pH value of the water, basically the same as regular detergents also do, only much more efficient.
The Eco washing ball of Greenhabits is filled with tiny ceramic balls. When water comes into contact with those balls they ionize the water and create hydroxyl (H3O2-). These ions have the same qualities as a detergent: they reduce the surface tension of water, surround the dirt and make it separate from the fibers. The detached dirt washes away. So much for the chemistry lesson! In the end the spots are gone and the bacteria are deactivated. For best results, add detergent to 15ml (20% of normal dose).
Soapnuts or soapberries
Soapnuts contain the substance ’sapone’. Sapone is a sticky substance that becomes active when it comes into contact with water that is above 30 degrees. The odor remains neutral.
Advantages soapnuts
Let’s start with the disadvantages: white laundry could eventually be less radiant. If you really have big spots you have to pre-edit them with stain remover. That takes some extra minutes of your precious time.
But this does not outweigh the benefits:
- The bright colours will last longer
- The washing machine has less to endure
- No softener required
- Environmentally friendly and biodegradable
- Cheap
- No chemical additives so it is suitable for people with skin allergies and sensitive skin
Washing machine and dryer
My washing machine has energy label A. So it’s the best for the envronment you can get. Also I try to ensure that the machine is never used when it’s not completely filled.
Ideally I do the laundry at 30 degrees and not at the maximum speed.
The dryer is not that good for the environment but I try not to use it so much.
The test
I have tried the eco washing ball. It’s a fun ball with a sweet smell that makes a funny noise when you shake it. The laundry is clean but I have to tell you that I don’t really have giant stains in the laundry. I also do use a little of detergent because I’m simply not ready yet for odor-less clothes.
The funny thing is that I’m a little reluctant to tell my mother-in-law about this. If you’ve been told to use all kinds of chemicals all of your life, then it’s hard to believe a green ball in your machine will do the trick!
I would really like to see comments (below) on your experiences with balls, nuts and other washing machine toys!
