Charlottechicken Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 My mum treated herself and me to a pack of ***these*** in December. I have used them and nothing else in about 8 or 9 washes so far and have not noticed much difference from washing powder or liquid. I am not even using fabric conditioner! If you look at the details, you are getting three wash balls and three refills of the pellets, plus a tube of stain remover per kit. It is buy one get one free, so the equivalent of 12 wash balls for just under £15. Not a bad deal and I am hoping to do all my washing this year with them Ignore the bit about 100 washes per ball, that is if the wash cycle is 30 minutes long By the way, mum also has the step stool at the bottom left of the page, it is metal with rubber treads and just takes you up about 9 inches, folds flat so can be pushed underneath furniture, I want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 You might want to use the occasional slosh of vinegar to help keep the machine and pipes clean and clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I used these for a while last year but am ashamed to say I reverted back to washing liquid when things started to smell 'funny'. I still have pellets left so may have another go with the vinegar tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 You might want to use the occasional slosh of vinegar to help keep the machine and pipes clean and clear. Thanks for that tip Bronze, it's a good point. No good money saving on powder if the machine breaks down I used these for a while last year but am ashamed to say I reverted back to washing liquid when things started to smell 'funny' I'll have to look out for the smell, might use some of the remaining washing powder for one in four washes or something, thanks for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I used these for years but the newer ones seem to fall apart and you get all the little balls in the filter & block your machine, best to pop them inside one of those wash bags or a pop sock with a knot tied in it just incase they do come apart during the wash. thy work OK you need to pre treat any stains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I used these for a while....I found the clothes started to smell a bit sinister, grease marks weren't shifted and stains weren't dealt with adequately. I found the same with soap nuts. Very disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I used these for a while last year but am ashamed to say I reverted back to washing liquid when things started to smell 'funny'. I still have pellets left so may have another go with the vinegar tip. I had some very similar ones from Lakeland, and I'm afraid I didn't get on at all well with them - the clothes just weren't clean. I didn't know about the vinegar tip at the time, but it was the left-behind dirt that bothered me. OHs work clothes were also noticeably smelly. I tried them because both DSs have mild eczema that flares up when I use the 'wrong' washing potions on their clothes - biological agents turn the two of them into itchy-scratchy-scabby boys almost overnight. Now I use Simply eco Sensitive non-bio tabs, but only one per wash, with washing soda and I add Napisan if there are stains that want shifting. That works much better for us and keeps the machine clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I have to say I use mine in fits and starts. the rest of the time I use washing soda. Cheap at 99p a packet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have to say I use mine in fits and starts. the rest of the time I use washing soda. Cheap at 99p a packet I had been thinning out the washing powder tablets with washing soda (50/50 split) before trying these eco balls, I buy washing soda for 52p per kilo. I think I will persevere with these balls though, they are getting everything clean at present, well, as clean as normal washing powder anyway! I don't pre wash anything either I can assist the balls with all your little tips as I go along. I am also sticking to a 40 degree or hotter wash temperature, I imagine that hot water is less harmful to the environment than lots of detergents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I use it in the dishwasher too Where do you get the /cheaperlarger amounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 I use it in the dishwasher too Where do you get the /cheaperlarger amounts? I don't have a dishwasher, but I've used it to wash glassware by hand. Gives a very nice sparkly finish but makes everything very slippery to handle I buy mine from Tesco, Bronze. Here's the website off the packet, http://www.soda-crystals.co.uk they are made by dri-pak ltd. There is a small list of stockists on the website. They sell on ebay in quantity, but not the soda crystals hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Oh I get that too. For some reason I had it in my head it was 99p I guess it may have been when I started using it as it was hidden somewhere but now its front of shelf so must be more popular Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Oh I get that too. For some reason I had it in my head it was 99pI guess it may have been when I started using it as it was hidden somewhere but now its front of shelf so must be more popular Funny you thought you were still paying 99p, I used to pay around a pound from a cheap shop before it became popular enough for the supermarkets to sell it Nice to know the price of some things has actually dropped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
