laundry detergent Archives - H is for Home Harbinger

Washing powder is one of those long-time stalwarts of marketing and advertising – alongside toothpaste, beer, cigarettes and foreign travel. Detergents were always “new & improved” giving you “whiter whites” and “brighter brights”.

Things have come a long way since the Mad Men mid-century era and before. The 21^st century eco laundry detergent buzz words are now ‘plastic free’, ‘refillable’, ‘ocean friendly’, ‘biodegradable’ and ‘cruelty-free’. We’ve never had so much choice! Furthermore, we don’t even have to go to the shops to buy those bulky, heavy boxes of washing powder. Light-as-a-feather laundry strips can be bought on subscription, popping through our letter boxes on a regular or flexible basis.

Sheets & strips

Liquid

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Pods & capsules

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We’re trying to do all we can to green our daily lives; recycling all our paper/cardboard/metal/glass/textiles etc, avoiding single-use plastic, composting all our organic waste and hanging all our washing out to dry on a Sheila’s maid. Another thing we do to be more eco-friendly is making use of laundry detergent alternatives.

We’ve been using laundry eggs for years; they’re very economical and are great for lightly-soiled clothes. We find dirtier items sometimes need to be pre-treated with an eco stain remover. I’ve just discovered this Japanese TerraWash that uses magnesium as a cleanser and, even though it seems expensive, lasts for 365 washes. Similarly, I’ve never tried soap nuts. Have you? Are they any good?

Ecozone soap nuts, 300g: 5.99, Lakeland

An eco-friendly alternative to washing detergents. Zip-up wash bag included. Gentle on fabrics – use with silk and wool. 100% natural and environmentally friendly. Economical – enough for 100 washes. Simply place 4-5 nuts (depending on the size of the load) into the bag and place on top of your laundry in the machine – that’s it! It really couldn’t be simpler. Once your load is done, and you’ve taken out your clean, fresh clothes, remove the bag and leave the nuts to dry as you can use them 4 more times before they need to be discarded – they’re completely biodegradable so won’t be troubling landfill.

Ecoegg laundry egg 720 wash Fresh Linen: 19.99, Ocado

Up to 3 years* of clean laundry *Based on 4-5 washes per week. The Ecoegg Laundry Egg is the natural detergent breakthrough. Say goodbye to harsh chemicals, the Ecoegg Laundry Egg will leave your laundry wonderfully fresh and clean! The Ecoegg Laundry Egg is packed with our unique powerful cleaning pellets which activate in the water and are proven to gently lift away dirt and grime, without using any harsh chemicals. With a hint of Fresh Linen – gently fragranced with natural essential oils, leaving your clothes smelling gorgeous, but still being great for sensitive skin. Allergy UK – allergy friendly product – kind to your environment, pocket, skin. The natural detergent breakthrough, lasts for 720 washes, replaces detergent, no harsh chemicals, hypo-allergenic, eco-friendly, colours stay bright, easy to use, 10-year guarantee.

Terra Wash+Mg: 47.58, Amazon

Reusable for 365 washes / 1 year (save time and money!) *Best in odour removal [fragrance-free] (about 10 times stronger than regular detergent) *Human-friendly (100% free of toxic and synthetic chemicals = perfect for sensitive skin and kids) (Protects people’s health by keeping the washing machine hygienic) *Earth friendly (Leaves zero trace of chemicals and save tons of water and power) *Fabric friendly (Keeps fibres and colour / Great for organic cotton) and antibacterial *Best quality (Made in Japan using patent-protected innovative technology with certified test results) Perfect for a washing baby’s clothes, for people with skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, as well for a people with allergies and of course for everybody who loves and respects mother Earth.

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Terra Wash+Mg
£47.58