does anyone use eco balls in thair wash?

[janekirrage]

i'm wondering weather anyone uses or has used eco balls to wash thair nappies and other laundry. i read about them the other day and they seem like a good idea in theory...(i'm trying to be more eco friendly) but the question is do they actually clean anything??

go for soapnuts instead

i tried both and have switched back to soapnuts as the balls don't seem to do anything

Yes we have some ecoballs (but didn't have them when we were using nappies, so can't comment on that aspect).

They're OK for coloureds, and things that aren't too greasy. Not impressed with whites, though, and they can't shift grease from dh's shirts (how does he manage to get grease on him when cooking, even though he wears an apron?).

They come with a tube of "stain remover", but it's a bit of a faff inspecting the washing for extra dirty bits, then clarting the stuff on.

So, I use ecoballs for lightly soiled coloureds, and have reverted to Surcare for whites and filthy stuff.

I only used mine on nappies, and sometimes towels at 60 degrees. I also used white vinegar in the final rinse. Sometimes some lavender oil on the towels.
Overall, the nappies smelt of nothing and seemed clean. I liked that my coloured nappies weren't faded by the eco-ball.
We used the ones from Lakeland initially, then later one from Ebay - with the rubber ring around it. It helped clear up my little boy's nappy rash.

We use the 3 green ones with the rubber ring round them for all our washes at 40 or 60ºC , except the nappies which we do with very little detergent. We started using the balls as part of a plan to prevent DD2s skin getting any dryer, DD1 had eczema when she was wee. After 5 weeks using them DD2s skin was very much better. My DDs dont get very dirty, we dont have a garden, I'm happy with the result, tho sometimes have to pick bits off small items like face clothes that have got balled up in the wash and had food stuck to them - we are weaning at the mo. Washing smells clean, even armpits of shirts!

thanks, do those of you who get on with them live in hard of soft water areas? the water where i live is ridiculously hard!!! i'm wondering weather this might make a difference.

I live in a soft water area - there's something you can add to water to soften it, I wonder if it's in eco-balls.
Hmm![interested face]
I remember when I moved from London to Edinburgh, the difference in soap lather. You hardly needed any soap to get bubbles in Edinburgh, whereas we used to use loads of soap in London, for the same amount of lather.