If you bunch up your pieces in a bag, of course, it will not clean up properly. The water should be able to flow through the fabric. I've been using EcoEggs for years now and I have no problem. As long as you don't overload your machine and allow for the water to flow freely, you shouldn't have problems. Also, I don't know of a detergent that can get rid of certain stains.
I have been cloth diapering for over 5 years now and reusable baby wipes all go dirty in a bag like this and come out clean. So this method has worked for me for years but I agree that some stains like grass are much more tricky to remove and that lots of detergents would have difficulty with it. I continue to use the EcoEgg for my own clothes (not my kids) as those don't really get dirty.
I think "in the bag" is a pretty normal use case and is common practice. However this is a pretty simple test that's easyand cheap to reproduce. You could do a comparison maybe something like. water no soap with cloth in bag and cloth not in bag. Egg and water cloth in bag and cloth not in bag. Normal laundry soap with water cloth in bag and cloth not in bag. Diy laundry soap with water cloth in bag and cloth not in bag.
I think you overfilled the machine a little and putting the 3 test pieces in a bag would have reduced it’s cleaning capability. I use the egg all the time and find it really good even whites come up well using the special white egg . Definitely worth trying different cycles and times with your machine as they do vary considerably. I have definitely found towels are now more absorbent after a few washes and clothes are softer that could be because I use the drying eggs in the tumble dryer, Thanks for posting your video.
I also wash diapers and in those cases my machine is fuller. There are also multiple laundry bags in there with about 20 reusable wipes and those get clean in my washing machine. I think the EcoEgg is just not suitable for the stains I had or for my washing machine but if it works for you that is great. We all have different needs when it comes to doing laundry and our water hardness and washing machines also differ.
I also found the ecoegg best for non stained clothes. Probably ideal for an all adult household or someone working an office job. I actually throw the ball into my nappy wash to help with agitation but obviously need to use regular detergent to make sure the nappies are clean.
One valid question that nobody talks about. Surely, during the rinse cycle the Egg will carry on using so a residue must still be on the washing. Please advise.
Good point. Never thought of that. My skin is not bothered by any residues left due to this washing method by I can imagine that this is not the case for everyone.
I use these eggs all the time. I like to put the the machine on a rise hold and leave them to soak and after about 30mins allow the machine to do the final rinse and spin.
I don't know what the instructions on the UK packaging indicate. In the USA, it includes mention of pretreatment of difficult stains. I observed quite a bit of questionable operator choices that probably contributed to less than ideal performance by the product. I've used only EcoEggs for years with complete satisfaction on all kinds of dirty (really dirty) clothes, towels, bedding, etc. I do pretreat typical stubborn stains, spraying them with Lestoil, just as I did when using detergents. There's been a marked improved difference in the texture & life of everything I launder using the Ecoeggs for washing & also those for in my dryer along with the other famous drying balls. The cost for EcoEggs is less in the USA as well. I highly recommend them.
For regular laundry, there is nothing wrong with the EcoEgg. I still use it on towels and my own clothes, I just don't use it on my kid's clothes as I don't have the time to pretreat each stain as they make quite a lot of them so I prefer a different detergent for their clothes.
I only use the eco egg now for clothes that aren't particularly dirty, just need a freshen up. I usually use it with a little bit of detergent, it also makes a good booster for really dirty things, as long as I'm using the regular amount of detergent too. I probably will stop using it soon. Its not cost effective for me. €6 for 50 loads (about 8 weeks) plus shipping and then still having to purchase regular detergent on top on that. Ecozone do a similar one, which works out cheaper for me. I might try that one. I love the dryer balls from ecoegg though!!
I think I will do something similar. I will continue to use it until it is used up and then switch to something else. I tested Tru Earth a while ago as well. I like those cleaning powers much better.
great video! it shws it isn't great for stains however you did put a lot in that washer and it doesn't work well unless there's lots of room to move around (or so they say)/ please do this test using baby wipes which have been used for their intended purpose. if there's no smell afterward, I'll be switching to ecoegg!
I don't recommend the eco-egg for cloth diaper and items that are similarly soiled. The eco egg doesn't have enough cleansing power to get those properly clean. I use the eco ego for my dark clothes but not for kids clothes because it isn't strong enough to remove stains.
I think you are right but I don't know how it will differ regarding cleaning power of a detergent. All the tests I have done are with the same washing machine and the same laundry cycle to make sure the only difference is the detergent.
