Wash balls - Laundry balls - Eco balls (merged)

calleyw

Not trying to say they don't work.

But don't forget that your machine and clothes may well still have residue of washing powder in it. So until you have used them for say a dozen washes or so. Only then you will know for sure if they work properly.

Yours


Calley

feefee_3

has any one used dry balls from lakeland i think they say cuts down on drying time just thought i ask before i buy im very tempted

Smiley_Mum

katiepops wrote:

A mix of soda crystals and washing powder probably does just as good, if not better, a job.

I have three boys to contend with washing-wise (one very big, one medium sized and one littlie) and I can very easily do 10+ washes per week (in fact if I had the time to do 20 loads of washing tonight it probably would only just about clear the backlog I have).

I bought a big box of Tesco's own washing powder sometime in late April (I think) and some soda crystals, and I use a big dessert spoonful of soda crystals (no idea where all my tablespoons disappeared to) and a spoonful of powder, plus three spoons of white vinegar in the dispenser drawer. I've still got at least a third of the box of powder left (it cost about £4.50) and I'm halfway down my third pack of soda crystals (about 52 p for a packet). Much much cheaper than washing balls! Plus you can use the soda crystals and the vinegar for other cleaning jobs around the house.

Kate

I do pretty much the same, use same washing powder, same crystals, and use the little scoop that was in a box of Vanish oxy action, one scoop of powder and one scoop of soda straight into the drum, on top of the laundry and then just bung the machine on an economy wash. Washes clothes fine, most stuff isn't overly dirty, just needs a freshening up. If something is fairly dirty, grass stains or mud etc then I just use same amount of powders/soda etc but put on full whack cycle, not just economy and it usually does the trick.

Smiley_Mum

feefee wrote:

has any one used dry balls from lakeland i think they say cuts down on drying time just thought i ask before i buy im very tempted

You'd be cheaper just to bung in two dry towels with your wet laundry, works the same way.

Southpaw

I use the balls from QVC.

So far they are ok. Although I use powder on the towels only because they don't smell good after using the balls (there is a damp smell)

What's the instruction regarding using white vinegar as softener?

apple_mint

I just slop some vinegar in the fabric conditioner compartment of the machine. Not very scientific I know! I've also used brown when I've run out of white. My washing comes out nice and clean smelling and not like a chip shop. Lovely and soft too.

I now can't stand the smell of fabric conditioner - very artificial and chemically.

larmy16

When I bought my washing balls, probably about 10 years ago off QVC I remember they did not last anything like as long as they had been advertised. The little balls within the plastic ball started to reduce very rapidly if I remember correctly. I thought they were hopeless but had to use them to justify buying them in the first place!

Shez

I bought the dryer balls at the ideal home exhibition this year - they seem ok, but i dont really see a vast difference - i dont know whether its cuts down drying time yet, because i usually go off and do something else and forget it - i will do a proper drying time test soon and report back.

They were only £10 for the 2 balls at the show so didnt think that was too much for experimenting - they did have the wash balls but wanted £30 for two and two more refill packets - but i didnt buy them.

MATH

larmy16 wrote:

When I bought my washing balls, probably about 10 years ago off QVC I remember they did not last anything like as long as they had been advertised. The little balls within the plastic ball started to reduce very rapidly if I remember correctly. I thought they were hopeless but had to use them to justify buying them in the first place!

The useage quoted is based on the standard American wash and rinse cycle which is usually 30 mins or under. If your washer takes say 2 hours then you are going to only get a quater of the number of washes out of it. HTH

larmy16

MATH wrote:

The useage quoted is based on the standard American wash and rinse cycle which is usually 30 mins or under. If your washer takes say 2 hours then you are going to only get a quater of the number of washes out of it. HTH

That makes great sense. I am not sure they explained that in their seling pitch though! I won't be buying them again anyway.