[titch]

Looks as good as persil to me - cant wait for mine to arrive - will keep you all posted

[purplegoffer]

I tried eco balls a few years ago, they were not very successfull and the washing got very rough after several washes.
I use ecover now and find the non bio powder works fine on a 30 degree wash.  I sometimes use the conditioner and find that very good also.
If I have stubborn stains like spag bol I usually give it a squirt with washing up liquid first, then put in the washing machine.

[Angelah]

I tried the ecoballs a year or so ago. Would agree with the Which reports - don't think they cleaned very well at all. Also found soapnuts to be useless too. Used for general laundry and cloth nappies, but went back to persil nonbio. Have just discovered a local stockist of the Simply range, who delivers free, so will be ordering that when the latest box of powder finishes.
Simply pure has no perfume.

[fluffybunny]

Hmmm... I wonder then if the hardness of the water, and maybe even the washing machine, has a bearing on how well they work?  I've been using mine for about a year now (I also use a magnoball in the wash with them) and I'm very happy with the results!  

(either that or I have low standards - but I don't think it's that!)

[titch]

did a wash with them today - sons jeans - they look clean enough, but it was only a small wash (couldnt wait for a full load) so will see what the weekend wash brings .
The water here is very soft so that may help i suppose

[titch]

eco balls working well, even got used to not using fab cond!!
E cloths - these are diamond geezers - have been using just a wee squirt of a well known brand of eco friendly all prupose cleaner at times too and they work like a charm - did my windows today with one of them, all i had to do was buff with the shining cloth when they were dry - between teh two products i am saving not only money but  a little bit o planet too

[Christine]

I'm down to using the old washing (also known as Soda) crystals which are cheap and cheerful. Works well on the allotment gear and I've got some clear spring stuff for woollies and delicates just as a luxury.

[titch]

i use them on the kitchen floor cos with 5 cats and 4 raised beds in garden and two teenagers and my slop it all over kinda cooking they are the only thing that works

[kathryn]

Ive been using eco zone eco balls for nearly 2 years now.  www.ecozone.co.uk  They are fantastic.  I believe the lakeland ones are the same make but theyhave less in them than mine.  I paid £34.99 for a box of 3 balls with refils.  They last for 1000 washes and cost 3p per wash.  I have 3 kids, one of whom is a filthy sportsperson. and have no complaints with the wash.  I occasionally add a scoop of the Vanish powder to my whites for an added boost but thats it.

Definately reccommended.

[spud]

I've got the eco balls (sounds painful  :shock: ) but I'm not impressed, I believe that they may work better in a twin tub washer, something I might look into when I next need a new machine.

All these new washers, use way too little water, sometimes the clothes hardly get wet.

I use normal powder but watch that I use less than normal and only use conditioner on clothes that need it.

Cheers

 

[FRUITFULL]

Lakeland balls are not good.I throw mine in with the wash and add washing powder now then battle to find it down a trouser leg.
I like my washing to smell fresh and you cant use fabric conditioner with them.
The next idea i had was after using bold tablets for so long i have changed to surf.We have sensitive skin but its fine and the whites are definatly whiter as i did a little compare.Also its so so much cheaper im saving loads  

[Knoblauch]

I've been using the balls for a couple of years (or so), I find them ideal for washing clothes that aren't really dirty eg work shirts only worn for a few hours.  The only thing I'm not sure about is that things like collars seem to filth up quicker, stains developing on the backs of shirts etc so maybe they don't really save money if that's due to not using powder.  They're also not so good with synthetics, cycling gear can still be a bit underarm whiffy.

But one thing I do notice is that clothes washed with normal powder really REEK of chemicals, I'd never go back to those again.

[Greendream]

Well those photos are proof of the pudding! Gonna get me some eco balls! Thanks!  

[mummylonglegs]

I got some ecoballs about a year ago and loved them, told all my friends to buy them etc. I even bought the very expensive refills.

But I regret it now. It took a while but gradually they stopped cleaning properly. At first I thought it was the balls needed refilling - so I did. All the time - and its very fiddly... No effect. My husband cycles to work and his cycling gear stinks, no other word for it. But it carried on stinking after even three ecoball washes in a row. Someone told me that the reason they'd worked so well in the beginning was because there is a lot of washing powder residue in clothes and also left in machine. When this had finally gone, the cleaning power of the ecoballs faded too.

Not just me whose found this - two of my friends who I persuaded to buy them have gone back to washing powder too. :oops:

[Janeymiddlewife]

I am seriously considering purchasing some eco balls and e cloths from the lakeland store, wondered if anyone uses them, and if so do they work well.

Having to seriously economise, and whilst initial outlay may be more, i think in the long run i would save a lot of money.
Ecoballs - do they get your clothes clean - including 15 year olds who play footie at lunchtime at school and get mud plastered up his trouser legs?

Ecloths - can you realy use them without cleaners (love this idea)

All answers gratefully recieved

Hi Titch,
also looking to economise, like you. Don't know if you have 1 in your area or not, but i bought a huge tub of Costco "laundry detergent" for £10.
i was a bit nervous as 1 son has eczema and in the past he's reacted badly to some powders.
Anyway, I now wash any normal wash on 30 degrees and it seems to work fine.
Rugby kit gets rinsed first and i use 1 persil bio tab plus the detergent on 40 degrees and works fine.
It's lasted me 2 months and I do 4 load a day on average,
how to cut back on tumble dryer though.... that's another story :roll: