Washing machine laundry balls are the best of both worlds, clean laundry AND no chemicals. I even recommended them to my readers. BUT I’ve stopped using them. And found a better solution that works even better!
We’ve all seen the ads. Round yet odd looking balls you just toss in the laundry instead of detergent. Saving you time and money.
I was skeptical at first. Maybe you have been too. But I tried the washing machine laundry balls. I liked them.
It helped with my hopeless problem of detergent build up. But I stopped using them for 3 reasons.
If you’re not interested in washing machine laundry balls, it’s all good. Skip to the bottom for a great natural laundry solution. It’s pretty awesome!
Reason #1 – Why I Stopped Using Washing Machine Laundry Balls
They don’t work as well as getting out stains as my new laundry solution. Washing machine laundry balls do a good job cleaning clothes. Stains is another story. Not so great on getting set in stains out.
I have 4 kids, stains should be their middle name! I needed a solution that would help out in the stain department a little better. If you have kids (I’ll assume they are messy), then skip the washing machine laundry balls.
Keep reading to find out what I’m using now and it’s the best at getting stains out! I do still pre-treat, but I’m amazed at the mess that has come out in one wash.
Reason #2 – Why I Stopped Using Washing Machine Laundry Balls
The washing machine laundry balls get gross over time! This was the main reason I jumped ship.
I know they are going through the wash all the time, but I noticed some mold starting to build up on the outside of the ball. I thought ok, I’ll give it a quick scrub with an old toothbrush. 30 minutes later I was still scrubbing.
That’s not a laundry saver! It’s a time suck.
I couldn’t keep using the laundry balls if they looked like that on the outside. All that grime was in the laundry with my laundry. Laundry should come out looking clean.
And I had to wonder, what did the inside of the laundry ball look like?!?! I kept thinking of my kids favorite rubber duck and the disgusting mess I found inside. You can read here but be warned – you’ll never go back to rubber duckies in your home! Here are my top bath toy recommendations.
Since there is no easy way to clean the inside of the laundry balls. And no amount of sunshine needed to refresh these balls will clean them out. The washing machine laundry balls had to go!
Reason #3 – Why I Stopped Using Washing Machine Laundry Balls
Washing machine laundry balls advertise up to 1000 uses. That’s a lot of laundry people! I thought, man I could save a ton of money on laundry.
BUT it’s not true. My washing machine laundry balls started to lose their effectiveness long before then.
They start out strong, but finished weak.
I refreshed them once or twice a week out in sunshine.
And to be fair, I didn’t keep a tally of how many loads of laundry I’d done with them. And I do a lot of laundry! But I have a lot of laundry to do and I’m not wasting time keeping track of how many loads of laundry I do.
I’m sure you can relate with the laundry piles!! As soon as one load gets put away, you have another 2 waiting for you. It never ends!!
The laundry balls just didn’t hold up to the promise of up to 1000 loads.
Keep reading to get the scoop on other natural laundry solutions that really work!
My New Natural Laundry Solution
Frustrated, I was determined to find a detergent that worked and was safe for my family. And something that didn’t trigger my asthma. If you or anyone in your family has asthma – you’ve got to read this!! I’ve practically eliminated my need for an inhaler.
So of course I went to my favorite resource for things like this – the EWG (Environmental Working Group). And I found a solution!
A washing machine solution that I didn’t even need to buy at the store. My trusty mailman would deliver it from Amazon. If you haven’t tried Amazon Prime – you need to! It saves me driving all over town and I save money vs the grocery store AND get it delivered. Double win! You can get a 30 day free trail here.
I am psyched about this laundry detergent. It gets top safety ratings from the EWG.
Biokleen Landry detergent uses natural enzymes PLUS soap to clean your laundry. And those enzymes makes a HUGE difference.
Stains & Super Stinky Laundry
I make my own pretreat stain spray with it too. Just add a few tablespoons of soap to a clean water bottle, add water and voila! Spray, scrub and wash. And the stains come out!
I got the clean citrus scent. It smells great and it doesn’t bother my asthma at all. I was a little hesitant in the beginning.
And if you’ve got super stinky laundry… I recommend the sports laundry detergent (aka my husbands sweaty gym clothes). His clothes get all gross smelling as soon as he sweats and this has helped clear out the stink.
I tried their Biokleen Bac Out specially formulated for stains and odor removal. This has been greatly helpful with potty training my little man. We have a lot of accidents and it gets out the pee smell that can linger. I just add a few squirts to the detergent.
Man this sounds like a Biokleen commercial! I assure you it’s not. I’m not affiliated with BioKleen (although it would be awesome). I just get excited when a natural product delivers results like these! I should know, I’ve used a lot of natural laundry products.
Makeover your Laundry Routine
Now that you know the best natural laundry detergent to try out… it’s time to clean up the rest of your laundry routine.
It’s much easier then you think. I’ve done the research for you, spent the money on products that don’t really work. And gave you all the natural laundry products that really work. Read more here.
