Do Washballs work??

[ambarth]

With absolutley no detergent.I have really bad eczema. Nut allergy so that rules out soap nuts.

IME, no.

Thanks expat

From soap nuts website ambarth:

Are soapnuts safe for those with nut allergies?
Absolutely! They are actually hypoallergenic. They are a fruit related to the lychee, so there is no need to worry for those with nut allergies. In fact they are great for anyone with allergies! Using soapnuts as a washing detergent and/or multi-purpose cleaner will help reduce your exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals and may result in an alleviation of symptoms. Read an independent reviews from customers whose eczema had cleared up as a result of using soapnuts as their washing detergent.

I've used neither so sorry - have no personal opinion on either :)

I use Ecoballs. IME they're fine as long as you have clothes which are lightly soiled. I wouldn't wash a teenager's muddy rugby kit with them, but they're fine for our everyday use. I've been using them for about 8 years now. But we don't have many whites to keep sparkling white, which probably helps. When I had to wash DH's light work shirts, I'd just do them on a very hot bio wash with Vanish once every few months to perk them up, and use Ecoballs in between.

One thing I do like about them is that the clothes stay nice & soft, and they smell so much nicer than with perfumed washing powder.

A Which? report did find that they weren't much better than washing with just water though.

not worth the money and agree with the WHICH report as I did several tests myself- there was no difference in terms of cleaning or smell when washed with just water.

I use Ecoballs on stuff that goes next to DD's skin.
They seem to work OK - it took me a while to get used to things just smelling of water tho'. I haven't tried just washing in water so can't compare. I use them for sweaty gym stuff (but only if just used) and they seem to work. I use detergent on kit that has been left to fester!

I use ecoballs actually so far think they are quite good so far. Yea wouldn't use them on DH whites he is a chef but good for children's gear and leave clothes lovely and soft now...

IME, no. I am bitterly disappointed.

washballs work as well as plain water. Given that using plain water is cheaper than buying washballs to use with plain water, I'd go for the former.

I know someone who uses washballs and her clothes have a distinct whiff of armpit.

I thinhk it made my sons eczema worse as we deduced that it didn't make his clothes as clean as a washing liquid - which then make his skin flare up more.
We found - by fluke - using washing dolly balls from lakeland (plastics) with less washing liquid worked really well to wash clothes. These are 6 or 7 rubber ridged balls which go in the machine with the washing and give it a good pounding! you can reduce the amount of liquid cos it helps really pummel the washing....

I bought Ecoballs and found them fine in terms of getting most clothes clean - but my washing machine went mouldy eventually (and the clothes started getting a slightly mouldy smell)! That put me off and I stopped using them, but probably doing the occasional biological wash would do the trick. Maybe I'll try again...