The Soap-free Green Laundry Revolution

I once lived with an environmental researcher who was quick to enlighten me about my poisonous laundry-washing practices. “I use only half the recommended dose of washing powder, because that’s enough,” she explained. “And no fabric softener, because that’s bad for the environment.” “Yeah, of course, ooh, bad for nature,” I mumbled, vaguely remembering those nineties ads that sang the praises of phosphate-free, environment-friendly washing liquids. Getting us consumers to change our conservative laundry habits is no easy task.

Let’s imagine, then, what it would take to banish detergents altogether in favor of eco balls – green, Saturn-shaped plastic balls that claim to replace both washing powder and fabric softener and are effective even when used in cold, short wash cycles.

First off, there’s the name. These objects do have a spherical shape, so the most mature amongst our readers shall certainly not poke fun at such a straightforward christening. Luckily though, they come not in pairs, but in sets of three. Also, the small and friendly size of the balls makes a compelling argument: one ball fits in your palm, so no more lifting and carrying heavy packs and bulky bottles from the supermarket!

Then, there’s the sheer weirdness of entirely eradicating washing powders in favor of such an intangible washing concept. “The balls are made of a special kind of plastic,” explains Steve Jones, the founder of Ecotopia, which sells a variety of washing balls he believes are top of their league, and a scientific breakthrough. “It is the chemical reaction between the plastic and the agitated water that actually does the washing,” he says. The product’s blurb says the balls “produce ionized oxygen that activates the water molecules naturally and allows them to penetrate deep into clothing fibers to lift dirt away.”

Right. Let’s go back to washing basics. Our machine works by combining three actions. First comes chemical action. Here, detergents act as surfactants: they lower the water’s surface tension, making it more likely to mix with oil, so that yucky grease and grime can be removed during rinsing. Second comes the mechanical action from the spinning of the washing machine drum. And finally, there is heat action, which consists of dunking your laundry in hot water.

The eco balls mostly increase the mechanical action so that you can do without the chemical action, thereby saving money and avoiding the use of evil pollutants. The increase of mechanical action also does away with the need for heat action, which in turn conserves electricity and water, which is good for your wallet and your planet.

This seems pretty straightforward. But then, would putting golf or tennis balls into my machine drum not do the trick? Some manufacturers actually produce such simple washing balls, which they claim allow you to halve the quantity of detergent used. Eco balls replace washing powder completely. They are filled with pellets that contain non-evil surfactants, as well as agents that soften the water and give it a slight fragrance. They seem to really wash, as well as kill bacteria, and unlike chemical detergents, cause no allergies or eczema, and preserve brightly colored fabrics.

There is a little snag. Jones admits: “Modern detergents usually contain chemical stain removers and bleach. The eco balls don’t, so white fabrics won’t come out sparkly clean.” The balls are thus sold with an eco-friendly stain remover. Also, eco-washed laundry does not have (what we have trained our nose to recognize as) that distinctive freshly cleaned smell. But some actually prefer it this way.

All in all, Jones is happy: the eco balls are one of Ecotopia’s best-selling products. They’re clever, convenient and economical in the long run – about a nickel per wash. Yet, he does not think eco balls will become the norm. “It’s difficult to change habits,” he says.

I for one believe such an aptly named product deserves our support. Ecotopia (and lots of other web retailers) gladly ship their washballs the world over. Go and buy them, and let Inkling know if eco balls are bold or bollocks.