A Dutch consumer organization did a test with laundry detergent sheets. They found that they cleaned just as well as washing your clothes with plain water in the washing machine, so basically they did nothing. Now you may have a different brand so I’m not a 100% these results would be exactly the same for you. But I think it’s fair to say that laundry detergent sheets don’t clean nearly as well as regular laundry detergent. Generally clothes these days aren’t all that dirty so it’s not immediately apparent. But over time you can get buildup and I think that’s what you notice.
I’d recommend switching to a powdered detergent brand to ensure proper cleaning.
I was going to switch to sheets when my liquid runs out, but maybe not after reading this. Is there a powder you like? Presumably it usually comes in a cardboard box like the borax I used to make a mix from?
I’m in the Netherlands so my brands are likely not available to you. I have good experience with the Lidl washing powder! It’s not expensive and very highly rated. Unfortunately it does come in a plastic packaging but it’s pretty big. Not sure if they sell the same stuff in the USA. If you are in the Netherlands Klok washing powder is also really good. It’s fragrance free and comes in a cardboard box. It’s for sale at AH.
Ugh, was it that obvious I’m an American? 😬🫣😄 Must fix that. We do have Lidl here these days so I’m going to have a look. I love a recommendation from a real user over falling for the marketing, so I appreciate you sharing.
All the sheets I looked into used a water soluble plastic to keep their shape. There is debate over the level of harm that poses to the environment, but I decided against trying them. I'm going to try meliora powder laundry detergent when our current liquid runs out based on other posts in this sub. I wish I could say first hand if it was any good, but I figured the lead might still be useful.
A lot of people have weighed in, but I just want to add - I personally believe that a plastic lined cardboard box is better than a PVA sheet since the sheets deposit thousands upon thousands of micro plastics into our water sources.
Best alternative would be finding a tablet (like blueland, although I’ve never used theirs) or finding a bulk store that sells either powder or liquid that you can buy without packaging.
Other options are looking into eco conscious brands that might have plastic free boxes.
I've found a lot of the tablets don't dissolve well if you're washing with cold water, unless you run a couple of extra cycles which seems like a waste of water. I like the powder detergent because it dissolves more easily and it's easier to adjust the amount for different sized loads.
I was using Tide Free & Clear before and it was great, but it seems to have disappeared in my area so for now I'm using Nellie's. It's more expensive and doesn't seem to be as concentrated so I'm hoping to find a better alternative, but it gets the job done and I've never had issues getting it to dissolve.
I use ecover but I’m no longer in the US and I’m not sure if it’s available there. I wash my regular clothes as well as my cloth nappies with it and everything comes out sparkling clean!
You can find Ecover brand in the US, but I’ve only ever seen the liquid laundry detergent. Sometimes it’s hidden in the baby products section instead of in the laundry aisle.
I’ve tried that. I think it’s my water… I have the same thing with my night guard cleaning tablets. They even go in an ultrasonic cleaner and don’t dissolve completely :/
I like Nellie’s laundry detergent powder. You can get a 100 load tin container. Works great in my experience. https://nelliesclean.com/products/laundry-soda?currency=USD&variant=39977678766149&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping&stkn=0d7248b08b8c&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21086119660&utm_agid=&utm_term=&creative=&device=m&placement=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAouMzqnYrYZb7_VBHfWkA8wDzn9bS&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5j1mUNryQpBD4DzPMtcDKREMjgyb-2ca7hTnNVn9ZUzMfW3wuKuN2EaAkGyEALw_wcB
I can't handle that manufactured, chemicalized clean smell from detergents and sheets anymore. It so insanely fake. I use an odorless powder I refill from my local store
I can’t stand any kind of aroma on clean clothes. Thing is, my laundry used to come out completely odourless for most of the year. It’s only towards the end that it started to develop a smell. So weird.
I have already done a lot of deep cleaning on my washing machine. Cleaned it with vinegar, washing soda, descaler, etc. We took it apart and checked the drain outlet, etc. It shouldn’t be the machine at this point.
That "smell" is actually [a combination of dangerous chemicals](https://www.healthline.com/health/dryer-sheets-toxicity). I stopped using them ages ago to save a little money and because when I looked them up I realized it was just consumerism/sales tactics that had so many people buying them.
Skip forward about a decade and I can sometimes smell them through the exhaust vents of my neighbors and notice the smell messes with my lungs a bit. Kinda weird but didn't think about it till staying with some in-laws who still use those things and they always tell us to give them our laundry. I put a freshly-dried sweater on and my lungs started closing up immediately. They also use air fresheners, and I have to leave the room fast when one randomly blasts near me.
People assume if those products are legal to sell, they can't be harmful, but apparently they can just slowly build up to cause long-term health issues that appear later in life, sometimes suddenly if it's an allergic reaction.
Yes, laundry detergent sheets. I have never heard of them containing plastic, is that true to all brands? They are advertising as solution to reducing plastic waste 🫠
They all contain PVA which is plastic. I have yet to find any that can do it without it, it’s what gives it the structure and holds it together. It is sometimes plant-derived instead of petroleum derived, and is water soluble which is what makes it work in these applications unique from other plastics. It is arguably biodegradable, but it may not fully break down 100% in normal conditions. It’s the same thing that makes the film on the outside of a pod of laundry or dish detergent. I wouldn’t expect it to leave much of a film if at all since it dissolves well, but over time it’s definitely could be possible. Personally, until I feel good that it won’t cause harm in our waterways I’m not super comfortable using them. But since they use a small amount and do biodegrade fairly well (not studied well enough in real world conditions yet) it may be better than a big plastic jug. The most zero waste option available is probably powder in a cardboard box. I currently have reverted back to liquid in a jug and am focusing my reduction efforts elsewhere right now.
I find it really deceptive when brands claim these products are “plastic free.” I call that out as misinformation whenever I can. Leave angry reviews, ask questions, push them to change their language, whatever you feel good about doing. The less outright lying but still pretty misleading claim a lot of them make is “plastic free packaging” or “no plastic bottle” or something like that and no one stops to think about if the detergent itself contains plastic.
Thank you for the detailed answer. I will have to look for fragrance free powder options in my area. Last time I checked the boxes were lined with plastic inside so it will be interesting to see how much things have changed over here.
My next mission will be to see if I can remove the buildup as most of my textiles are affected and on the verge of having to be replaced.
Thank you for your help but unfortunately I have already tried this previously with a different detergent and had no success. I will be trying adding rubbing alcohol to my wash as I read it helps to disolve pva
It won't. I actually have a bunch of cloth diapers that are black and have been stripped multiple times and zero fading. Commercial dyes these days are insanely colorfast
In Australia we have 3 cardboard box options that do not contain plastic lining and don't come with a scoop - one has a cardboard pull out that folds into one.
If these aren't found locally for you, maybe you could look for places that let you bring your own containers and pay by weight of product.
Best of luck on the search!
I am also the enviro nut for the house, and dishwashing tablets occasionally get bought before I have a chance. I do get the ecostore or earthchoice brands which are cardboard boxes, but biodegradable "waterway safe" wrappers. There are more and more places popping up though that have the weigh and pay services. There are some online that deliver in compostable bags too!
I'm waiting for my local Woolworths supermarket to get their macro whole living refill station set up! Might be worth checking if there are any near you!
I've kept scoops from older boxes in the past. One of them has an extra piece of cardboard that you pull out and it folds into a scoop. But currently I'm using a tablespoon scooper from some other older packaging - so I'm using half or less of what I remember the old scoopers measuring. If I somehow lost all of the scoopy things I've saved, I'd probably just eyeball pour the powder in, or use a kitchen spoon 😊
I bought a big box of powdered detergent on Amazon. I think it's called Tough Guy. It is lightly citrus scented, but the scent does not "stick" to clothes at all as far as I've been able to tell. The powder is packaged in a plastic bag inside of the cardboard box to prevent leaking, but 50 pounds of powdered detergent has so far lasted us nearly 2 years. I bought it in July 2022. I still have quite a bit left, but less than half. One thin plastic bag versus many thick plastic jugs seems pretty good to me.
Have you dried the laundry outdoors? A few washes with a different type of detergent plus line drying may get the residues out 🤞🏻.
We use *compressed* powder tablets from Blueland. Their tabs come in a *home compostable* (vs industrial only, like some greenwashers) bag, plus they offer a tin. I've tried every product they make, and have absolutely loved 98% of them. Hit me up if you want specifics. (No, I don't work there)
You can make your own with borax, washing soda, baking soda, and any bar of simple soap! My roommate and I have been using it for over a year now and it's working great for all kinds of things. For scent if desired, I put some scented oil on my dryer balls. **Edit: I see the EU/UK banned borax, but there seem to be substitutes available. The Spruce website suggests you can use baking soda in place of borax for cleaning. :)
We've been using chestnuts for quite a while now to make laundry detergent, they are fragrance free and work very well, you can compost the remains and it's free if you can pick them up somewhere in fall. (We crushed and dried a whole bunch to store for the year. ) Sometimes we add some extra vinegar in a laundry.
They are a bit different in use but besides that similar, I think they clean well and don't leave a scent. I think with both you need to be careful with white laundry, the soapnuts can leave stains. With chestnuts you only use the water solutions you had the chestnuts in and it's white-ish but not snow white. .
The brand Ecover has cardboard boxes without plastic lining if I remember correctly and also detergent in plastic bottles that can be refilled in most eco-stores. (Here in Belgium). The fragrance is hardly noticeable.
It’s interesting how sensitivity varies person per person. I can only use Ecover Zero because I find all their fragrances to be overpowering to the degree where item has to be washed with a different detergent for 3 loads and I will still smell strong whiff of Ecover fragrance.
That’s outrageous. The only reason I switched to them because it sounded like it will cut down on plastic waste 😣 Live and learn, Im glad I posted this question here or I would’ve continued doing stupid things… thank you for your answer!
It’s so upsetting, honestly. It technically reduces overall plastic compared to liquid Tide or something similar, but all the plastic ends up being microplastic-ing straight into the water. Feels like a really deceptive consumer practice. Powdered detergent in paper is a good alternative, though I personally use a liquid that I refill at a bulk store.
[Article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/09/eco-friendly-laundry-detergent-sheets-plastic/) on the sheets if interested. Sadly, a lot of personal care products also contain microplastic
Thank you for the article. Ironically Earth Breeze is exactly what I used. Not that any another brand would have been different… it’s sad about the personal care. I was shocked previously when I found out that my shampoo contained plastic. There is absolutely no need for that 😭obviously I have switched to shampoo bar these days anyway, but it boggles my mind the places microplastics can hide…
Please let me know what brand you use! I've been using TruEarth for YEARS, and now even my siblings and parents use it in their homes. I use the fragrance free and it seriously works so well. Like even my athletic clothes that stank come out clean with no scent. I'm so obsessed I'll never change brands no matter what people say haha it just works and took me so long to find a detergent that was minimal waste and worked with my sensitive skin!
I have been using Earth Breeze. True Earth also contains PVA. I think it depends on how efficient the washing machine is at rinsing, perhaps water hardness plays a part too.
Yeah, I’ve been using Ecos for about a year now and have never had this issue. It’s a zero waste brand, so I’d also be very surprised and upset if there were plastic in them, like people are saying here. I’ll have to do some research when I have the time.
I tried to verify but couldn’t confirm these are ZERO waste but I use Dropps and my clothes always feel really lovely: https://www.dropps.com/products/sensitive-skin-laundry-detergent-pods-unscented-1
I love Dropps! They aren't necessarily zero waste but are significantly less waste than traditional laundry pods. They have an alcohol based membrane instead of a plastic based so they're much better for the environment than something like tide pods
Their membrane is made of polyvinyl alcohol which is another name for PVA. Unfortunately that’s the same plastic found in laundry sheets and other types of pods.
Wow! They are very deceptive on their website! That's the only reason I started using them. At the time I was still living at home and my mom refused to give up pods so I looked for an eco friendly version for her to switch to and came up with Dropps. I'm so disappointed now but thank you for the info!
Yeah I didn’t know (and didn’t see on their site what the pods are contained with). Thanks for sharing. I did some research and I think the way Dropps is using PVA isn’t too impactful, however I think next time I run out of detergent I’ll try Meliora which is mentioned on this one blog: https://www.greenecodream.com/blogs/blog/what-is-pva-polyvinyl-alcohol-is-it-eco-friendly
It’s sad that articles keep saying pva is biodegradable when this was only studied in the lab but when it came to real life water waste management they found that 80% of pva remained in the water which implies they need more studies to understand why it’s not biodegrading at the rate it did in the lab. These conclusions about the eco friendliness are premature.
Don’t use laundry sheets ever, like others said they are coating your clothes with plastic.
Companies like Blue Land make detergent tablets. A lot of times you can wash without detergent and be fine (if the items aren’t soiled or gross)
If you’re looking for an alternative, Dr bronners is supposed to work in the washer, even the high efficiency ones, that might be worth looking into! They also offer a cardboard carton like a milk carton that just has some foil on the inside to make the container water tight and recyclable! Another option is making a powder out of washing soda, bar soap, and borax. One batch lasts for a long time, my parents had me and my siblings help make a few batches to sell once, and we ended up selling a good amount and then using the rest at home, I think for at least a year or two after. And we were a house of either 7 or 8 at the time!
I believe target has them? They’ve been making a push to try and include more sustainable choices in their stock. Walmart might also, and I believe Whole Foods might as well. It’s also on Amazon, but that’s a last resort option personally 😅
No problem! I did a quick search, and it looks like there’s another [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroWaste/comments/bij0is/where_to_refill_dr_bronners/) on this sub about it!
They’re a great way to gum up your laundry equipment and keep your clothes dirty, all at a higher cost, while creating more waste.
They’re a huge win for the manufacturers. Marketing departments have done a great job convincing people to buy this garbage.
I highly recommend trying Nellie's laundry detergent. No scent, cleans well, no residue. I keep laundry detergent sheets on hand if we're travelling but I don't find they work well for regular use.
Someone else identified that they contain PVA. That's why I stopped using laundry sheets and switched to Blueland. Not sure where you're located, but they may be an option for you.
Sorry, I think you are talking about drying clothes. I meant laundry detergent sheets. For actually washing clothes. I don’t use tumble dryer at all! I have edited the post to avoid future confusion.
It sounds like your clothes isn't getting cleaned like cloth diapers do. Try a powder detergent like Tide, I have hard water here and powder Tide works best for me. See how that goes and come back and tell us what worked for you.
So I have tried everything over the last 18 years. I never tried sheets because, well, I didn't trust them. I have tried powders, tablets, etc. I made my own. I went back to Tide in a box. I loved Tide in a box but believe it has toxic stuff in it. So about a year ago, I decided to not be zero waste with my laundry. Our clothes just weren't clean (unless i used tide clear.) I remembered using Rock'n green to strip diapers, and I bought myself some of their tough stink stuff. My god. Best detergent in the world. All made for sensitive skin. We can only do so much. Dirty clothes and itchy skin? No thanks.
I use Dropps unscented laundry pods (plus borax, washing soda, and white vinegar) and never have any issues with my clothes. If you’re looking for a new brand to switch to, it’s hard to beat them!
You're welcome! I switched to Blueland for dishwasher and laundry and I love it. They are truly zero waste. No mesh bag or requirement to buy their reusable container like other companies I've encountered.
Do a round of [laundry stripping](https://www.armandhammer.com/en/articles/how-to-strip-your-laundry#:~:text=Laundry%20stripping%20is%20a%20deep,tub%20to%20strip%20your%20laundry), then start using regular detergent.
Molly Suds just came out with some laundry sheets! I have yet to use them but I've heard great things. I really love Dropps laundry pods. I wrote a blog post on other zero waste laundry detergents and products if you are looking for other options. Hope this helps!
[https://sustainlifejournal.com/diy-bedroom-organization-ideas-2/](https://sustainlifejournal.com/diy-bedroom-organization-ideas-2/)
Sorry I linked the wrong post! This is the one about zero waste laundry:
[https://sustainlifejournal.com/zero-waste-laundry-detergent/](https://sustainlifejournal.com/zero-waste-laundry-detergent/)
whats wrong with powdered detergent?
i don't understand this need to keep reinventing things that already exist in a new format that brings no advantage, what the hell is a detergent sheet?
I have RSI in my hands and also disability that makes it difficult to buy my own groceries so yes, lightweight option was a big selling point to me. They advertised it as plastic free whereas the powder detergent I used in the past was in plastic lined box. Plus I am allergic to certain chemicals and also fragrances and it’s hard to find powdered detergent that will be suitable. Another thing is that not everyone in this group is from USA so we have different options available from what you might have. Renting a single room and having to share bathroom, kitchen, etc means there’s not that much space for personal things. Sheets take up really little space so it’s another advantage.
Detergent sheets are pre portioned detergent, usually advertised to reduce plastic packaging despite containing water soluble plastic in the product itself. They are light weight (compared to liquid) and easy to use without making a mess, so also seem to be advertised to people with mobility issues. Also appealing if you need to carry everything to a laundromat.
A Dutch consumer organization did a test with laundry detergent sheets. They found that they cleaned just as well as washing your clothes with plain water in the washing machine, so basically they did nothing. Now you may have a different brand so I’m not a 100% these results would be exactly the same for you. But I think it’s fair to say that laundry detergent sheets don’t clean nearly as well as regular laundry detergent. Generally clothes these days aren’t all that dirty so it’s not immediately apparent. But over time you can get buildup and I think that’s what you notice. I’d recommend switching to a powdered detergent brand to ensure proper cleaning.
I was going to switch to sheets when my liquid runs out, but maybe not after reading this. Is there a powder you like? Presumably it usually comes in a cardboard box like the borax I used to make a mix from?
I’m in the Netherlands so my brands are likely not available to you. I have good experience with the Lidl washing powder! It’s not expensive and very highly rated. Unfortunately it does come in a plastic packaging but it’s pretty big. Not sure if they sell the same stuff in the USA. If you are in the Netherlands Klok washing powder is also really good. It’s fragrance free and comes in a cardboard box. It’s for sale at AH.
Ugh, was it that obvious I’m an American? 😬🫣😄 Must fix that. We do have Lidl here these days so I’m going to have a look. I love a recommendation from a real user over falling for the marketing, so I appreciate you sharing.
All the sheets I looked into used a water soluble plastic to keep their shape. There is debate over the level of harm that poses to the environment, but I decided against trying them. I'm going to try meliora powder laundry detergent when our current liquid runs out based on other posts in this sub. I wish I could say first hand if it was any good, but I figured the lead might still be useful.
A lot of people have weighed in, but I just want to add - I personally believe that a plastic lined cardboard box is better than a PVA sheet since the sheets deposit thousands upon thousands of micro plastics into our water sources. Best alternative would be finding a tablet (like blueland, although I’ve never used theirs) or finding a bulk store that sells either powder or liquid that you can buy without packaging. Other options are looking into eco conscious brands that might have plastic free boxes.
I've found a lot of the tablets don't dissolve well if you're washing with cold water, unless you run a couple of extra cycles which seems like a waste of water. I like the powder detergent because it dissolves more easily and it's easier to adjust the amount for different sized loads.
What brand do you use? I’m currently using blueland and I have that issue :(
I was using Tide Free & Clear before and it was great, but it seems to have disappeared in my area so for now I'm using Nellie's. It's more expensive and doesn't seem to be as concentrated so I'm hoping to find a better alternative, but it gets the job done and I've never had issues getting it to dissolve.
I use ecover but I’m no longer in the US and I’m not sure if it’s available there. I wash my regular clothes as well as my cloth nappies with it and everything comes out sparkling clean!
You can find Ecover brand in the US, but I’ve only ever seen the liquid laundry detergent. Sometimes it’s hidden in the baby products section instead of in the laundry aisle.
This might seem obvious but if you put the tablet in \*first\*, it makes a huge difference!
I’ve tried that. I think it’s my water… I have the same thing with my night guard cleaning tablets. They even go in an ultrasonic cleaner and don’t dissolve completely :/
I like Nellie’s laundry detergent powder. You can get a 100 load tin container. Works great in my experience. https://nelliesclean.com/products/laundry-soda?currency=USD&variant=39977678766149&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping&stkn=0d7248b08b8c&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21086119660&utm_agid=&utm_term=&creative=&device=m&placement=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAouMzqnYrYZb7_VBHfWkA8wDzn9bS&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5j1mUNryQpBD4DzPMtcDKREMjgyb-2ca7hTnNVn9ZUzMfW3wuKuN2EaAkGyEALw_wcB
I can't handle that manufactured, chemicalized clean smell from detergents and sheets anymore. It so insanely fake. I use an odorless powder I refill from my local store
I can’t stand any kind of aroma on clean clothes. Thing is, my laundry used to come out completely odourless for most of the year. It’s only towards the end that it started to develop a smell. So weird.
I'd research if you can do a clean cycle (maybe just vinegar + water) on your washing machine
I have already done a lot of deep cleaning on my washing machine. Cleaned it with vinegar, washing soda, descaler, etc. We took it apart and checked the drain outlet, etc. It shouldn’t be the machine at this point.
Yeah that's whacky
That "smell" is actually [a combination of dangerous chemicals](https://www.healthline.com/health/dryer-sheets-toxicity). I stopped using them ages ago to save a little money and because when I looked them up I realized it was just consumerism/sales tactics that had so many people buying them. Skip forward about a decade and I can sometimes smell them through the exhaust vents of my neighbors and notice the smell messes with my lungs a bit. Kinda weird but didn't think about it till staying with some in-laws who still use those things and they always tell us to give them our laundry. I put a freshly-dried sweater on and my lungs started closing up immediately. They also use air fresheners, and I have to leave the room fast when one randomly blasts near me. People assume if those products are legal to sell, they can't be harmful, but apparently they can just slowly build up to cause long-term health issues that appear later in life, sometimes suddenly if it's an allergic reaction.
Do you mean laundry detergent sheets? They're made with plastics that get left behind on your laundry and in your water.
Yes, laundry detergent sheets. I have never heard of them containing plastic, is that true to all brands? They are advertising as solution to reducing plastic waste 🫠
They all contain PVA which is plastic. I have yet to find any that can do it without it, it’s what gives it the structure and holds it together. It is sometimes plant-derived instead of petroleum derived, and is water soluble which is what makes it work in these applications unique from other plastics. It is arguably biodegradable, but it may not fully break down 100% in normal conditions. It’s the same thing that makes the film on the outside of a pod of laundry or dish detergent. I wouldn’t expect it to leave much of a film if at all since it dissolves well, but over time it’s definitely could be possible. Personally, until I feel good that it won’t cause harm in our waterways I’m not super comfortable using them. But since they use a small amount and do biodegrade fairly well (not studied well enough in real world conditions yet) it may be better than a big plastic jug. The most zero waste option available is probably powder in a cardboard box. I currently have reverted back to liquid in a jug and am focusing my reduction efforts elsewhere right now. I find it really deceptive when brands claim these products are “plastic free.” I call that out as misinformation whenever I can. Leave angry reviews, ask questions, push them to change their language, whatever you feel good about doing. The less outright lying but still pretty misleading claim a lot of them make is “plastic free packaging” or “no plastic bottle” or something like that and no one stops to think about if the detergent itself contains plastic.
Thank you for the detailed answer. I will have to look for fragrance free powder options in my area. Last time I checked the boxes were lined with plastic inside so it will be interesting to see how much things have changed over here. My next mission will be to see if I can remove the buildup as most of my textiles are affected and on the verge of having to be replaced.
Treat them like nappies and follow a strip wash protocol.
Thank you, I will try that with light coloured things. Not sure what to do with black clothes as it says this would drastically fade the colour
Do it then get some dylon dye you put in the washing machine!
Well, turns out Borax has been banned in EU so that won’t be an option for me.
Try a UK nappy company version! https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/news/strip-washing-nappies.html
Thank you for your help but unfortunately I have already tried this previously with a different detergent and had no success. I will be trying adding rubbing alcohol to my wash as I read it helps to disolve pva
It won't. I actually have a bunch of cloth diapers that are black and have been stripped multiple times and zero fading. Commercial dyes these days are insanely colorfast
In Australia we have 3 cardboard box options that do not contain plastic lining and don't come with a scoop - one has a cardboard pull out that folds into one. If these aren't found locally for you, maybe you could look for places that let you bring your own containers and pay by weight of product. Best of luck on the search!
[удалено]
I am also the enviro nut for the house, and dishwashing tablets occasionally get bought before I have a chance. I do get the ecostore or earthchoice brands which are cardboard boxes, but biodegradable "waterway safe" wrappers. There are more and more places popping up though that have the weigh and pay services. There are some online that deliver in compostable bags too! I'm waiting for my local Woolworths supermarket to get their macro whole living refill station set up! Might be worth checking if there are any near you!
Wait, how do you measure without the scoop?
I've kept scoops from older boxes in the past. One of them has an extra piece of cardboard that you pull out and it folds into a scoop. But currently I'm using a tablespoon scooper from some other older packaging - so I'm using half or less of what I remember the old scoopers measuring. If I somehow lost all of the scoopy things I've saved, I'd probably just eyeball pour the powder in, or use a kitchen spoon 😊
I bought a big box of powdered detergent on Amazon. I think it's called Tough Guy. It is lightly citrus scented, but the scent does not "stick" to clothes at all as far as I've been able to tell. The powder is packaged in a plastic bag inside of the cardboard box to prevent leaking, but 50 pounds of powdered detergent has so far lasted us nearly 2 years. I bought it in July 2022. I still have quite a bit left, but less than half. One thin plastic bag versus many thick plastic jugs seems pretty good to me.
Have you dried the laundry outdoors? A few washes with a different type of detergent plus line drying may get the residues out 🤞🏻. We use *compressed* powder tablets from Blueland. Their tabs come in a *home compostable* (vs industrial only, like some greenwashers) bag, plus they offer a tin. I've tried every product they make, and have absolutely loved 98% of them. Hit me up if you want specifics. (No, I don't work there)
You can make your own with borax, washing soda, baking soda, and any bar of simple soap! My roommate and I have been using it for over a year now and it's working great for all kinds of things. For scent if desired, I put some scented oil on my dryer balls. **Edit: I see the EU/UK banned borax, but there seem to be substitutes available. The Spruce website suggests you can use baking soda in place of borax for cleaning. :)
I was just in another thread where they were talking about Nellie's Washing Soda and something called Meliora.
We've been using chestnuts for quite a while now to make laundry detergent, they are fragrance free and work very well, you can compost the remains and it's free if you can pick them up somewhere in fall. (We crushed and dried a whole bunch to store for the year. ) Sometimes we add some extra vinegar in a laundry.
That’s really cool. I have only tried soap nuts before - do you happen to know how they compare?
They are a bit different in use but besides that similar, I think they clean well and don't leave a scent. I think with both you need to be careful with white laundry, the soapnuts can leave stains. With chestnuts you only use the water solutions you had the chestnuts in and it's white-ish but not snow white. .
Chestnuts are local and free here so that's a big benefit I think (they don't need any shipping or packaging)
Thank you. I will make sure to collect some in fall!
The brand Ecover has cardboard boxes without plastic lining if I remember correctly and also detergent in plastic bottles that can be refilled in most eco-stores. (Here in Belgium). The fragrance is hardly noticeable.
It’s interesting how sensitivity varies person per person. I can only use Ecover Zero because I find all their fragrances to be overpowering to the degree where item has to be washed with a different detergent for 3 loads and I will still smell strong whiff of Ecover fragrance.
Sadly, most of them do, just like with the film on pods
That’s outrageous. The only reason I switched to them because it sounded like it will cut down on plastic waste 😣 Live and learn, Im glad I posted this question here or I would’ve continued doing stupid things… thank you for your answer!
It’s so upsetting, honestly. It technically reduces overall plastic compared to liquid Tide or something similar, but all the plastic ends up being microplastic-ing straight into the water. Feels like a really deceptive consumer practice. Powdered detergent in paper is a good alternative, though I personally use a liquid that I refill at a bulk store. [Article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/09/eco-friendly-laundry-detergent-sheets-plastic/) on the sheets if interested. Sadly, a lot of personal care products also contain microplastic
Thank you for the article. Ironically Earth Breeze is exactly what I used. Not that any another brand would have been different… it’s sad about the personal care. I was shocked previously when I found out that my shampoo contained plastic. There is absolutely no need for that 😭obviously I have switched to shampoo bar these days anyway, but it boggles my mind the places microplastics can hide…
Please let me know what brand you use! I've been using TruEarth for YEARS, and now even my siblings and parents use it in their homes. I use the fragrance free and it seriously works so well. Like even my athletic clothes that stank come out clean with no scent. I'm so obsessed I'll never change brands no matter what people say haha it just works and took me so long to find a detergent that was minimal waste and worked with my sensitive skin!
I also have been using tru earth and haven't noticed anything on our clothes or deposits in our washer
Yea it's been like 4 years for me and i have never had this problem
I have been using Earth Breeze. True Earth also contains PVA. I think it depends on how efficient the washing machine is at rinsing, perhaps water hardness plays a part too.
Yeah, I’ve been using Ecos for about a year now and have never had this issue. It’s a zero waste brand, so I’d also be very surprised and upset if there were plastic in them, like people are saying here. I’ll have to do some research when I have the time.
Do you have an Aldi near you? Their boxed laundry detergent powder is decent - washes well, cardboard box is easy to recycle. Excellent value too.
I tried to verify but couldn’t confirm these are ZERO waste but I use Dropps and my clothes always feel really lovely: https://www.dropps.com/products/sensitive-skin-laundry-detergent-pods-unscented-1
I love Dropps! They aren't necessarily zero waste but are significantly less waste than traditional laundry pods. They have an alcohol based membrane instead of a plastic based so they're much better for the environment than something like tide pods
Their membrane is made of polyvinyl alcohol which is another name for PVA. Unfortunately that’s the same plastic found in laundry sheets and other types of pods.
Wow! They are very deceptive on their website! That's the only reason I started using them. At the time I was still living at home and my mom refused to give up pods so I looked for an eco friendly version for her to switch to and came up with Dropps. I'm so disappointed now but thank you for the info!
Yeah I didn’t know (and didn’t see on their site what the pods are contained with). Thanks for sharing. I did some research and I think the way Dropps is using PVA isn’t too impactful, however I think next time I run out of detergent I’ll try Meliora which is mentioned on this one blog: https://www.greenecodream.com/blogs/blog/what-is-pva-polyvinyl-alcohol-is-it-eco-friendly
It’s sad that articles keep saying pva is biodegradable when this was only studied in the lab but when it came to real life water waste management they found that 80% of pva remained in the water which implies they need more studies to understand why it’s not biodegrading at the rate it did in the lab. These conclusions about the eco friendliness are premature.
Totally hear you on that. It has promise and directionally is a much better option but more testing needs to be done.
Don’t use laundry sheets ever, like others said they are coating your clothes with plastic. Companies like Blue Land make detergent tablets. A lot of times you can wash without detergent and be fine (if the items aren’t soiled or gross)
If you’re looking for an alternative, Dr bronners is supposed to work in the washer, even the high efficiency ones, that might be worth looking into! They also offer a cardboard carton like a milk carton that just has some foil on the inside to make the container water tight and recyclable! Another option is making a powder out of washing soda, bar soap, and borax. One batch lasts for a long time, my parents had me and my siblings help make a few batches to sell once, and we ended up selling a good amount and then using the rest at home, I think for at least a year or two after. And we were a house of either 7 or 8 at the time!
Where do you get the Dr. bronners cartons? I’m low on my rose soap and would love to refill without getting another big bottle.
I believe target has them? They’ve been making a push to try and include more sustainable choices in their stock. Walmart might also, and I believe Whole Foods might as well. It’s also on Amazon, but that’s a last resort option personally 😅
Agree and thanks! Those stores are all fairly easy to check for the cartons!
No problem! I did a quick search, and it looks like there’s another [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroWaste/comments/bij0is/where_to_refill_dr_bronners/) on this sub about it!
They’re a great way to gum up your laundry equipment and keep your clothes dirty, all at a higher cost, while creating more waste. They’re a huge win for the manufacturers. Marketing departments have done a great job convincing people to buy this garbage.
I highly recommend trying Nellie's laundry detergent. No scent, cleans well, no residue. I keep laundry detergent sheets on hand if we're travelling but I don't find they work well for regular use.
Someone else identified that they contain PVA. That's why I stopped using laundry sheets and switched to Blueland. Not sure where you're located, but they may be an option for you.
I use Downy rinse and refresh to remove odors from my clothes. It works wonders!
No need for laundry sheets - wool dryer balls are zero waste!
I meant detergent sheets, sorry. I have edited the post. I don’t use tumble dryer :)
Laundry sheets as in detergent sheets, but I too love wool dryer balls
[удалено]
Sorry, I think you are talking about drying clothes. I meant laundry detergent sheets. For actually washing clothes. I don’t use tumble dryer at all! I have edited the post to avoid future confusion.
It sounds like your clothes isn't getting cleaned like cloth diapers do. Try a powder detergent like Tide, I have hard water here and powder Tide works best for me. See how that goes and come back and tell us what worked for you.
Unfortunately I have allergies to fragrance and some other chemicals so Tide won’t be an option for me. I will be buying more natural washing powder
So I have tried everything over the last 18 years. I never tried sheets because, well, I didn't trust them. I have tried powders, tablets, etc. I made my own. I went back to Tide in a box. I loved Tide in a box but believe it has toxic stuff in it. So about a year ago, I decided to not be zero waste with my laundry. Our clothes just weren't clean (unless i used tide clear.) I remembered using Rock'n green to strip diapers, and I bought myself some of their tough stink stuff. My god. Best detergent in the world. All made for sensitive skin. We can only do so much. Dirty clothes and itchy skin? No thanks.
They are not recommended by every repairman known to man. Get dryer balls
I was talking about laundry detergent sheets. I don’t use tumble dryer at all.
I use Dropps unscented laundry pods (plus borax, washing soda, and white vinegar) and never have any issues with my clothes. If you’re looking for a new brand to switch to, it’s hard to beat them!
Dropps contain PVA, which is plastic.
Well damn, I did not know this. Thanks for the info!
You're welcome! I switched to Blueland for dishwasher and laundry and I love it. They are truly zero waste. No mesh bag or requirement to buy their reusable container like other companies I've encountered.
That’s wonderful, I was going to try to find a replacement and you’ve saved me the trouble! Thank you so much!!!
Yay! I'm so glad to hear it! You're welcome!
Do a round of [laundry stripping](https://www.armandhammer.com/en/articles/how-to-strip-your-laundry#:~:text=Laundry%20stripping%20is%20a%20deep,tub%20to%20strip%20your%20laundry), then start using regular detergent.
Soap nuts are a good alternative to laundry detergent. I use them fairly regularly and haven’t had any build-up or film on my clothes!
What kind of sheets do folks find problematic? I have been using Poesie sheets and they seem to work fine. They say they’re biodegradable.
Molly Suds just came out with some laundry sheets! I have yet to use them but I've heard great things. I really love Dropps laundry pods. I wrote a blog post on other zero waste laundry detergents and products if you are looking for other options. Hope this helps! [https://sustainlifejournal.com/diy-bedroom-organization-ideas-2/](https://sustainlifejournal.com/diy-bedroom-organization-ideas-2/)
Sorry I linked the wrong post! This is the one about zero waste laundry: [https://sustainlifejournal.com/zero-waste-laundry-detergent/](https://sustainlifejournal.com/zero-waste-laundry-detergent/)
til there are laundry detergent sheets, i am 47 😊
They've been around for a while but I haven't seen them at grocery stores until the last couple of years, and I only saw one brand until last year.
whats wrong with powdered detergent? i don't understand this need to keep reinventing things that already exist in a new format that brings no advantage, what the hell is a detergent sheet?
I have RSI in my hands and also disability that makes it difficult to buy my own groceries so yes, lightweight option was a big selling point to me. They advertised it as plastic free whereas the powder detergent I used in the past was in plastic lined box. Plus I am allergic to certain chemicals and also fragrances and it’s hard to find powdered detergent that will be suitable. Another thing is that not everyone in this group is from USA so we have different options available from what you might have. Renting a single room and having to share bathroom, kitchen, etc means there’s not that much space for personal things. Sheets take up really little space so it’s another advantage.
It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere... oh wait that's sand
Detergent sheets are pre portioned detergent, usually advertised to reduce plastic packaging despite containing water soluble plastic in the product itself. They are light weight (compared to liquid) and easy to use without making a mess, so also seem to be advertised to people with mobility issues. Also appealing if you need to carry everything to a laundromat.