And now for something completely different (Patreon)

Testing an Ecoegg from ASDA

Not my usual style of video, but when I saw this on sale in ASDA (UK chain formerly owned by Walmart), I was wondering whether the bold claims had any substance. The only way to find out was to test it. This is basically a plastic shell filled with various beads, that claims to be an alternative to normal detergents, with a life of 50 or 70 washes. (70-wash as supplied and then smaller 50-wash refills.) The white pellets are supposedly a concentrated surfactant (molecule that bonds with both water and oil), and the dark tourmaline pellets are supposed to ionise the water and make it more alkaline. If the ball does liberate surfactants then keep in mind that it will also do so during the rinse cycles that are normally used to wash residual dirt and detergent out of your clothing. The laundry industry is full of theatre with optical whiteners (ultraviolet fluorescing dye) that gives the impression of white clothing being brighter, and really pungent aromas that have been marketed to the point that people think that "fresh linen" is actually what fabric is supposed to smell like. Then there are the "softeners" that basically coat your clothing (and laundry equipment) in fragranced wax to give it a softer feel in the same way that oil and grease soaked overalls feel "soft" too. You can wash most clothing in just plain water with no detergent, and it will rise out the natural bodily salts and dust, but it can leave a slight stale aroma after a while as plain water will not remove natural oils well. That's where it's useful to use a SMALL amount of detergent to help wash the oils out. I tend to use standard dish washing liquid, but be aware that some machines will foam excessively with dish soap and that can result in water spraying out the detergent drawer when the machine fills for a rinse. A small quantity of fabric conditioner washed down into the drum will get rid of foam virtually instantly. While the laundry detergent manufacturers want you to pour huge quantities of their detergent into your machine, it only takes a small amount to clean normal clothing. Try using half the amount you normally use. The same goes for conditioner. If you want to use it to mask aromas then try using much less than normal. The Ecoegg did impart a faint and fairly pleasant aroma onto clothing. And for non manual workers it may be enough to get satisfactory results. But for those of us who have physically active jobs a more traditional detergent may be a better option. This may actually work for you if you alternate between conventional detergent and the use of the laundry ball (as a placebo) to help cut down on chemical use. If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- https://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty. #ElectronicsCreators