The Eco-ball is an example of the detergent-free laundry implement currently recommended as a green cleaning alternative for clothes washing. This product was voted in UK as one of the Ten Best Green Household Products in January 2005 by The Independent.
The laundry balls are simply placed inside the washing machine to interact with the dirty clothes. Inside these Eco-balls are ceramic granules containing substances like Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Carbonate, Epoxy resin, Polyamide resin, Sodium Citrate, Cellulose, Iron Oxide plus a few more. These substances are said to be environmentally friendly for being chemical free.
While inside the washing machine, the Eco-balls are said to be capable of ionizing the water. By this, it means that the water now contains more positive ions that will act as magnets to attract the negative ions which are the dirt or soil attached to clothes being washed. Hence as the dirt elements are magnetized, they are being lifted out of the fabrics and subsequently combine with the positive ions in the water. This is now the clothes-washing process taking place inside the washing machine tub. The matter of rinsing the clothes will now require less water and less time and energy to do the laundry.
The aforementioned system of washing now upholds this detergent-free laundry product as an eco-friendly and energy efficient alternative to traditional laundry detergent.
The positive results in the use of detergent-free laundry products like the Eco-balls were confirmed and noted by present users as well as by the product reviewers. It cannot be helped however that there are also negative views about it.
Pros
- Water run-offs contain non-toxic and non-polluting ingredients.
- The absence of harsh chemicals makes the product hypo-allergenic, thus ideal for washing baby clothes.
- The clothes have no static cling or powdery residues. The fabrics are less distressed and are kept color-safe
- Savings on water usage is significant since the 2nd cycle in the tub is the final stage. The second round of spinning the clothes in the washing machine tub with the eco-balls will be able to extract the few remaining negative ions or dirt.
Cons
- The detergent-free product works efficiently only on clothes that are not heavily soiled or stained. To remove ordinary stains and collar grimes, intensive scrubbing and use of green detergents are still necessary.
- Dirt on denim pants and jackets requires more water and time in interacting with the Eco-balls before they could be considered reasonably clean.
- The clothes tend to have an unpleasant smell when they are hung indoors to dry, particularly during bad weather conditions.
- There is still a need to add fabric softeners; clothes, especially those made from organic cotton materials, turn rough and stiff.
- The detergent-free balls are usable for washing machines only.
A great majority of users find these detergent-free laundry products as acceptable. Most of them are quite satisfied with the economical advantages they derive from its use. The general view about it though is that the quality of clothes washing the user will achieve is more or less equivalent to the quality of clothes that were washed using a very minimal amount of green laundry detergent.
Since these detergent-free laundry products hold much promise as efficient alternative green cleaning system, manufacturers could perhaps pay heed to the negative views. This way, even those who still use detergents that contain harsh chemical ingredients can be convinced that non-toxic cleaning implements are better alternatives.
*Image Source Courtesy of www.ecozone.co.uk