Environmentally friendly Ecoballs are an effective alternative to conventional laundry soap. Place two Ecoballs in your washing machine instead of detergent. By adding an ionic charge to the water, the Ecoballs bind the water to contaminants and wash them away. They are reusable for up to 1,000 washes and shorten the rinse cycle to save water and electricity. Anti-bacterial Ecoballs won't fade or damage clothing. Set (10-0059) includes 2 Ecoballs (good for 1,000 washes) and a 1.5-oz. sample of Eco:Stain pretreatment for tough stains. Refill pellets for Ecoballs good for 750 washes. UK.
Average Customer Rating:
4.4 out of 5(22 Reviews)
Rating Snapshot
(22 reviews)
5
13
4
6
3
2
2
1
1
0
20 of 22 (91%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Anonymous Location:
Florida
Shopping Frequency:
every 4 to 6 months
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Top 500 Contributor
They work, but use more resources.
Date: March 15, 2010
"I previously had something like these and loved them. My feelings for these new ones are mixed.
1) I like that they do not require detergent to work, so there is no residue left on your clothes and no chemicals going into the water system. Great for people with detergent allergies or sensitivities.
2) They DO require you to use warm water and more water than you would normally use so the balls can slosh around effectively.
3) If you want to use softener, you will need to stop the washer between cycles and remove the balls or let the machine go, remove the balls, and then add softener in a second rinse.
I find I use these for some loads, but definitely not for darks, which I wash in cold to maintain their color, or for my uniforms which require softener to decrease their irritation. I like them when I use them, but am disappointed that they are not appropriate for all of my laundry needs."
Response from Gaiam:
ByCustomer Relations,
March 16, 2010
Thank you very much for your feedback. We’re sorry your experience was not what you’d expected. We guarantee every product unconditionally, and we want you to be thrilled with your Gaiam purchase. If you would like to return this for a refund or exchange, please contact us by email at customerservice@gaiam.com or by phone at 1-877-989-6321.
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Review 2 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
4
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Omaha, NE
Shopping Frequency:
every 2 to 3 months
I have used this product for:
3-6 months
LOVE these
Date: March 14, 2010
"I admit I was very skeptical, but these things are GREAT! I work out at the gym, and my clothes are completely sweat soaked & stinky when I'm done. The Ecoballs do an excellent job, and all my clothes come out clean & fresh. Not perfumed, but truly fresh."
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Review 3 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Appearance:
4
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Greenville, SC
Shopping Frequency:
every 4 to 6 months
I have used this product for:
less than a month
Top 250 Contributor
Perform as well as I had hoped
Date: March 9, 2010
"I had been wanting laundry discs for a long time, but kept putting it off and spending my budgeted money on other things. But when my last bottle of detergent was running out, I knew it was more cost-efficient to go ahead and get these. I had used my friend's T-wave discs with good results, and I wanted to buy those — but Gaiam had these ecoballs on sale, and I trust their customer service.
My clothes are coming out cleaner and brighter than when I used eco-friendly detergents. I used to put vinegar in the rinse water to soften the clothes (in lieu of fabric softener), but I have not used vinegar with these, and the clothes feel fine once they come out of the dryer. I have a front-loader, and they work fine with it. I just make sure the load is not too big. Front-loaders need to have plenty of gap between the top of the clothes pile and the top of the drum, to make sure they can toss properly. These ecoballs say the same thing about needing room to move around in the water, so I make sure my washer is not more than 3/4 full.
Having only used them for a few weeks, I can't say how well they will hold up long-term — but since they offer refills, I imagine that they are fairly sturdy. My dad is intrigued by the cost-saving aspect, and I can tell he's thinking about getting them for himself. This is definitely one of the most satisfying household purchases I've made for myself in a long time."
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Review 4 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Massachusetts
Shopping Frequency:
every 2 to 3 months
I have used this product for:
6-12 months
Top 500 Contributor
good stuff
Date: February 14, 2010
"These balls do quite a good job of cleaning all but the dirtiest laundry. And you can't do better for the environment than to use them for 1000 washes, then refill them with the available refills. The stain treatment is also very effective."
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Review 5 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
3
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Southeastern U.S.
Shopping Frequency:
every 2 to 3 months
I have used this product for:
less than a month
I want to like them...
Date: February 14, 2010
"I have now washed ten loads of laundry using my new EcoBalls. Every load smelled fresh and appeared clean, though admittedly, none of them was heavily-soiled or stained, so I can't speak to how they will hold up against very dirty loads. I do appreciate the space they save in my cabinets and the lack of soap flakes spilled on the floor or clumped on my clothes if I wash in cold water on the gentle cycle. I like the idea of not buying laundry soap for the next year, too. I'm just not sure how they will perform on heavily-soiled clothes."
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Review 6 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Value:
4
out of 5
Anonymous
Top 500 Contributor
Liking it (mostly)
Date: February 13, 2010
"I bought these to try, because I'd heard them recommended on a holistic e-group. So far I've only done a few loads, and dirt has come out, though I had to retreat the cuffs of a white cotton sweater and run it through again. Odors did not come out as well, but that was before I took the instructions to heart -- to let the machine run for 30 minutes. My machine has a max of 12 minutes, so I catch it and reset it back on "wash" for a second go-around before it rinses. This compromises the ease, but I still like the idea of a generally good and "greener" product."
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Review 7 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Houston, TX
Top 250 Contributor
They really work
Date: January 27, 2010
"I admit I bought these not totally convinced they do what they say. However they do a surprisingly good job and its great not to have to mess with washing powder or liquid. I washed some pretty dirty things and they really came out clean. The main place they fall short is getting white things white. I still resort to using an non-chlorine whitener for really dirty or stained white items."
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Review 8 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
4
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Fort Wayne, IN
Shopping Frequency:
once a year
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Never going back to detergent!
Date: January 21, 2010
"I bought these to replace a similar product I'd been using since 2000! I just started using these a few weeks ago. I am consistently pleased with them. I recommend them to friends and so recommend them to you who are reading these reviews. I additionally found I didn't need softener anymore. I still give a boost to particularly nasty stains and I do all my washing in cold water with the exception of whites."
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Review 9 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous
I have used this product for:
6-12 months
I can't say enough!!!
Date: January 14, 2010
"These are easy to use, they save time and money, and they are by far the best solution for the environment and sensitive skin! These clean your clothes really well and they are great if your skin is sensitive to detergents or if you get eczema. I do not even have to think about buying laundry detergent anymore!"
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous
Top 500 Contributor
Glad to have these back
Date: January 13, 2010
"I used a similar product several years ago, and was disappointed when I couldn't find a refill or replacement. I'm not sure yet whether I will need to supplement the occassional load with pre-soaking, extra treatment on grass stains, etc., but since my kids are now grown and bringing me fewer grass stains (!), that's less critical. I am delighted to report these do appear effective on my teenagers' stinky socks--hooray!"
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Review 11 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Appearance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
blerp Location:
Colorado
Shopping Frequency:
every month
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Top 25 Contributor
Washing Was Never So Easy
Date: January 7, 2010
"These washing balls are the best washing method we have ever used by far. Clothes come out very fresh and soft. We try to eliminate all chemicals from our household and these washing balls helped a lot."
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Review 12 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Appearance:
4
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Wester NY
Shopping Frequency:
every month
I have used this product for:
less than a month
I think it works
Date: January 2, 2010
"I feel that this is still the experimental stage and hesitate to swear by the Ecoballs but the product does seem to work. I washed a towel from the rag bin in the first 3 washes and it looked clean enough to put back to normal use. I washed a grayed white Tshirt twice and it was still gray but old Tshirts may be an unfair trial. I washed a new tablecloth that had olive oil spilled on it and there is no trace of a stain. The clothes do smell fresh. All "normal" dirt does seem to come off. The ground in dirt from rebuilding the 1939 Chevy or working in the studio or garden does not but then maybe nothing would remove that stuff. It seems unreasonable to wash without soap but I think it works. I would not buy the refills though. If these balls make it through 1,000 washes it would make more sense to buy new balls."
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Review 13 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Anonymous
Love them
Date: November 9, 2009
"I've been using the Ecoballs about 4 months and am very happy with them. I'm even washing sweaty Bikram yoga clothes and the Ecoballs get them clean. I did a short speech on them for my Toastmasters club I like them so much!"
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Review 14 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
3
out of 5
Anonymous
Top 500 Contributor
Disappointed!
Date: November 5, 2009
"I SO wanted to love this product and had the highest hopes for it. We have young children: a baby and a four year old and we are constantly doing laundry. I imagined a world without the endless products with these ecoballs but no such luck... The clothes do not come out clean. Dirt is still apparent on the knees, milks stains don't even fade a little on onesies, don't even ask me about #1 or #2 or spaghetti sauce....they are still there. It's counter productive but I've had to rewash their clothes to get them to an acceptable level of cleanliness (not 'super clean': just 'not dirty'). I wish these worked better to lessen our home chores, the impact on our planet, you name it. But if you need a little extra in your laundry, these may noit be the thing for you! :("
Response from Gaiam:
ByCustomer Relations,
November 6, 2009
Thank you very much for your feedback. We’re sorry your experience was not what you’d expected. We guarantee every product unconditionally, and we want you to be thrilled with your Gaiam purchase. If you would like to return this for a refund or exchange, please contact us by email at customerservice@gaiam.com or by phone at 1-877-989-6321.
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Review 15 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Dublin, NH
Shopping Frequency:
every 4 to 6 months
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Ecoballs are great
Date: October 25, 2009
"I add no detergents or fabric softeners at all and the clothes come out smelling fresh and clean. If they last as long as they're supposed to (I've only had them for a month), I am hooked for life."
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Review 16 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Anonymous
I have used this product for:
3-6 months
Excellent
Date: October 23, 2009
"I was a bit skeptical, but these balls work as promised. I am a low-water usage, front-loading washer and was worried that the balls would't work but that fear was unfounded. These balls are innovative and I am seeing a savings in using laundry detergent already. Also I like the fact that I don't have a lot of empty laundry detergent bottles to recycle."
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Review 17 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Anonymous Location:
Cambridge, Ma
Shopping Frequency:
every 4 to 6 months
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Top 1000 Contributor
Surprisingly effective
Date: October 23, 2009
"I am impressed that my clothes are coming out just as clean as ever with no detergent. They are a little stiffer. But this seems like an okay price to pay for not polluting."
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Review 18 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Performance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
nate Location:
athens, Ohio
Shopping Frequency:
every month
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
Top 100 Contributor
great alternative to laundry soap
Date: May 22, 2009
"This is one of those items that sound a little too good to be true but they ACTUALLY work! We've been using them for about 3 months now and every load has come out smelling fresh and clean, no stains and no heavy perfumes! I'm excited to skip the laundry soap isle whenever I go shopping and it feels good knowing that I'm not adding harmful chemicals to the streams. I can't wait to get some of these for friends and family this coming holiday season!"
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
5
out of 5
Quality:
5
out of 5
Performance:
5
out of 5
Value:
5
out of 5
Anonymous
Shopping Frequency:
every month
I have used this product for:
1-3 months
I just love these balls
Date: May 21, 2009
"These balls seem to render a nice clean, light wash in which you don't feel like the clothes are being bathed in fragrance and chemicals. If it lasts as long as they say, this product is incomparable."
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Review 20 for Ecoballs (1,000 washes)
Overall:
4
out of 5
Quality:
4
out of 5
Performance:
4
out of 5
Value:
4
out of 5
boofy
good buy!
Date: March 17, 2009
"I have a Kenmore frontloading washer that is supposed to use less water, but I bought these anyway out of curosity (plus the money back guarantee if they didn't work). So far, I've done 5 laundry loads, all wtih great results. My clothes were totally clean including the whites. I have always used the second rinse, but no more. In addition I bought new dryer balls and was completely satisfied with them. Really clean and soft clothes at only about 13 cents per load when compared with the 16 cents for the laundry detergent I was buying. I want to say I have no complaints with my detergent, I just read about the eco balls & wanted to try them."
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