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Eco friendly alternatives to regular non-bio laundry detergent

33 replies

greathat · 27/04/2018 20:33

I want something thats going to work, but not set off eczema as I have a child who manages amazing levels of filth

Happy to have fabric softener recommendations too please!

OP posts:
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DrinkFeckArseGirls · 27/04/2018 20:39

We are happy with Surcare and Ecover Zero. Personally I don’t use fabric softner as it’s an extra thing to consider in regards to setting eczema off.

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TheScottishPlay · 27/04/2018 20:44

Ecover are now owned by SR Johnson which advocates animal testing as is Method. Tesco eco range is good and cruelty free as is Sainsbury, Co-op own brand. I've also used Seventh Generation.

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Claireyskillz · 29/04/2018 16:43

We use an ECO egg. It even does the trick on muddy dog towels and sweaty sports kit!!!

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Mcnorton · 12/07/2018 12:26

I use www.splosh.com/ . You buy a set of plastic bottles but then they send you refills (some need you to add water to at home), so environmentally friendly. Not animal tested/no animal ingredients. I like lavender/chamomile laundry detergent and fab con. Also use the washing up liquid, kitchen and bathroom sprays.

(money off code here: cf86cc)

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Squirrelfruitandnutkin · 15/07/2018 09:33

mcnorton - ooo I was just looking at splosh! Are there any duds in their range?

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Xiaoxiong · 15/07/2018 10:42

@Mcnorton yes please tell us more! Trying to figure out which starter kit and how many bottles...are the fragrances nice? Not overpowering? And does it really work as well as persil and fairy liquid? I've always been so disappointed by eco cleaners, they don't seem to clean and then you've used half the bottle up with one wash.

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Mcnorton · 15/07/2018 14:55

@Squirrelfruitandnutkin @Xiaoxiong

The fragrances are very subtle, and I would say if you like really soft clothes the fabric conditioner might not suit you. I decided overall for me the benefits outweighed that. I've never used persil or fairy but they work as well as own brand tesco or sainsburys. I didn't use them when mine was a baby but they cope fine with the types of stains a ten year old causes. I do still use have a tub of vanish I hold on to for emergencies I must admit but it's rarely used.

I like the washing up liquid and the kitchen/bathroom cleaner (not convinced you need both, could probably use the same one), but I'm less keen on the toilet cleaner (the smell seems fine on day one but then smells a bit odd thereafter, plus we live in a high limescale area so it has a lot to do).

I do wish you could buy the bottles individually as I was tempted by the handsoap but i only need one bottle. I've since decided to go back to bar soap anyway. The company are friendly and responsive in my experience, and improve the formula/packaging every now and then (they changed the shape of some of the bottles and sent free replacements).

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Cynderella · 15/07/2018 16:25

I'm going back to my old recipe of grated soap, soda crystals and borax. I use a jug to measure so that I can make it in bulk.

I do more or less what's here but there are lots of other 'recipes' online.

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AppleYumYum · 14/10/2018 01:53

Oh no Scottish I didn't know that, am gutted, I use mainly ecover and method products. I will have to search again.

I do like Liquid Soap Flakes for my very eczema ridden ds, I get 6 packs from Amazon but can buy at Waitrose and I think Sainsbury’s. It used to be the only thing his skin could tolerate though he has grown a bit more resistant now to ecover.

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Starryskiesinthesky · 16/10/2018 06:06

Ecover say they dont test on animals - ah just realised it moght be that the wider company does. Is that it?
www.ecover.com/faq/does-ecover-test-on-animals/

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TryingToStayRational · 16/10/2018 18:49

I use Splosh powder and find it really good. I have bad eczema and for years was told I should use non-bio, but since I found out there isn’t any evidence for that at all I have found bio powder so much better in terms of actual washing and for my skin too.

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MyOtherProfile · 03/11/2018 15:33

We use an ECO egg. It even does the trick on muddy dog towels and sweaty sports kit!!!
Same here and they last a couple of years.

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Madratlady · 03/11/2018 15:41

I like BioD, they rank high for being ethical and eco friendly and it makes my washing smell fresh.

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ItsInTheSpoon · 03/11/2018 15:49

Faith in Nature laundry liquid. Not tested on animals. I have used it for about 16 years (DC had eczema as a baby).

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MiniMum97 · 03/11/2018 16:11

I use a mix of things. Liquid soap flakes with a teaspoon of dr bronners salsuds (found salsuds on its own made washing a bit hard but liquid soap flakes on own does not get everything clean. (Salsuds is fab by the way for loads of household cleaning inc carpets!).

I also use hydrogen peroxide mixed with bicarbonate in the pre wash cycle or as a soak for whites and stains.

Plus because I am very sweaty I use a spray bottle with 1 part washing up liquid (I use bio-d which is fantastic - I also use this as a hand wash in the kitchen and to wash my hair as it's the only thing I've tried that doesn't set off my seborrhiec eczema), and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide as a pre wash stain remover spray and on all arm pits. . If I use this I also add a half scoop of Dri-pak laundry boost to the wash to create the oxygenation. Am going to try bicarbonate soon instead to see if this is as good as it will be cheaper.

I use vinegar as a fabric softener but it isn't perfect so have recently started using Attitude fabric softener as it is rated A by the EWG even though it does have some ingredients that are less than completely non toxic. Am fed up with crispy or bobbly clothes though so have chosen to make that compromise. It hasn't flared up either of mine if my husband's skin condition.

I've done a lot of testing and trialling of different products and the above is working well for me at present.

Be aware that eco friendly is NOT the same as non toxic. A number of Ecover products contain things like phthalates which you don't want anywhere near your skin for example! I believe Ecover zero products are pretty good toxicity wise but don't have good reviews in terms of effectiveness.

If you are concerned about toxicity and/or skin safety check out the EWG health cleaning database. Even if the product is not included, you can search on individual ingredients. A full ingredient list must be provided under EU law (for now anyway!!!!). so ask the manufacturer if it's not on the packet.

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ItsInTheSpoon · 05/11/2018 12:26

@greathat Further to my recommendation above for Faith in Nature laundry liquid, I tried to order myself some more and couldn’t.... my email enquiry has had the following reply:

“I'm afraid the laundry liquid range has been discontinued and no longer available to purchase. We're no longer selling cleaning products as are only focusing now on beauty, hair-care and body washes. If you are open to try other brands, I would suggest taking a look at www.biggreensmile.com/ who run the Ecommerce, ordering line and website for us as well as sell a variety of different brands.”

I’m very disappointed and will have to take a look at that link!

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ItsInTheSpoon · 05/11/2018 12:28

I particularly liked the Faith in Nature brand as they are not tested on animals as well as containing ecologically reasonable ingredients

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citiesofbismuth · 07/11/2018 19:20

Dh is a fan of soap nuts and is finding them to work well.

We add a slug of white vinegar and laundry cleanser to make sure bacteria and rogue smells are dealt with.

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bellinisurge · 13/11/2018 06:49

Eco egg thing works for us . Love the recipes on this thread, though.

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notsurewhatshappening · 13/11/2018 06:54

How does the economy egg work and how much do they cost?

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LoniceraJaponica · 13/11/2018 06:58

One thing to bear in mind is that many eco friendly products don't kill off any mould or bacteria in the washing machine.

DD's eczema got worse when I was using eco balls as the washer started to smell and had lots of mould. I started using Ariel bio and the mould, smell and eczema disappeared.

You need to find a product that will cope with those as well as being eco friendly.

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MyOtherProfile · 13/11/2018 07:55

The eco egg is brilliant. It is about 24 quid on Amazon and lasts for about 700 washes, so that's more than 2 years for us. 2 years of not buying detergent! It gets everything clean and smelling neutral. No chemical perfumes but no bad smells either. We haven't had any problems with mold or bad smells. You just throw it in the washer with the clothes and that's that.

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MyOtherProfile · 13/11/2018 07:56

Ds has really bad eczema but we put in a water softener which dealt with it totally. It hasn't come back with the eco balls. In fact I'm not sure how they could exacerbate eczema.

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LoniceraJaponica · 13/11/2018 17:51

"In fact I'm not sure how they could exacerbate eczema."

Because they contain no bleach and therefore don't kill off the mould that can develop in a washing machine. It was the mould that made DD's eczema worse. Ariel killed the mould and the eczema disappeared.

It is a popular misconception that bio washing powder causes eczema. It isn't the enzymes that cause the problem, but the perfume.

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