Doing laundry entails so much. From lugging the clothes to the machine (or worse, to the Laundromat!), to sorting, checking pockets for ink pens and loose change, to pouring in the big goopy laundry liquid. It’s enough to make you dream of living in the future where everyone seems to have the same uniform on day in and day out. Surely they must still do laundry too, though. But I bet it’s a lot easier.

In fact, doing laundry today just got a little futuristic with SmartKlean–the revolutionary Laundry Ball technology that eliminates the need for laundry detergent. They sent us a few to try out here at EcoSalon, and we were pretty impressed. I was particularly wowed at how they handled my most favorite delicate eco-clothes—from Reuse brand skinny jeans to my super light Stewart + Brown tops.

What’s so unique about SmartKlean is that it doesn’t use soap or detergents to clean clothes. How then do they get clean?

We were shocked to find out that laundry detergents don’t use soap either. According to SmartKlean, it’s a common misconception. Detergents use petrochemicals to help boost the water’s cleaning power. And even eco-friendly detergents can contain harsh chemicals. So, what if cleaning laundry could be done another way? SmartKlean uses the principles of bioelectricity and hydrodynamics to do the same thing—but without all the mess and waste of laundry detergent.

SmartKlean uses four types of ceramic beads and magnetic center in the Laundry Ball. Infrared balls radiate negative ions that help the water remove dirt. Alkali balls increase the pH levels to help lift dirt and oil. Antimicrobial balls contain nano-structured silver to kill and remove bacteria. Chlorine removal balls eliminate the chlorine compound in the water to protect the fabrics from oxidation. And magnets make the water molecule clusters smaller, increasing dissolved oxygen and eliminating odors.

And the outer shell also agitates clothes to make them cleaner. The plastic exterior of the laundry ball is composed of environmentally-friendly thermoplastic elastomer free of BPA and PVC. Its shape and weight are designed for agitation in order to beat dirt and grime off clothing during the wash cycle, somewhat similar to the old way of cleaning laundry before washing machines were invented!

I have to admit, we were a bit skeptical at my house, especially for delicate clothes and fabrics…some of which aren’t easily replaced, either. I know it’s probably a bit of an obsession, but I simply could not live without a certain pair of argyle socks and a super comfy pair of yoga pants. But SmartKlean says that this technology can actually extend the life of clothes and offer protection from damage detergents often cause. And wouldn’t you know it, all of our clothes came out completely clean. They even felt lighter and fluffier than with a normal detergent. They smelled fresh—and not in a detergent kind of way like the clothes were being scented. No, they actually smelled fresh. We also put the Laundry Ball to the ultimate test: dirty diapers (with a stain pretreatment). Clean as a baby’s bottom—you know, after.

And speaking of babies, SmartKlean’s Laundry Ball offers another advantage over detergents—no chemicals, no fragrances—and that means no risk for sensitive or allergy-prone skin. That’s a big plus for us. And while we used a non-chlorine bleach for the diapers, we used the SmartKlean non-toxic stain remover to get out some spit-up on a shirt. It worked wonders and with little effort on our part.

The Laundry Ball is also really economical. I was shocked to find out I could do a load of laundry every day of the year using the same SmartKlean ball. Did I mention I have a baby? We do laundry around here almost as often as we change those diapers. SmartKlean says the Laundry Ball will replace 20 to 40 laundry products in one year. And it will help reduce water use, too. Because there are no detergents to rinse off, you can completely eliminate the rinse cycle (if your machine offers that setting) when doing laundry, saving you money on water. You can also shorten your wash cycles as well, which also saves money. You can expect to save 2,400 to 8,000 gallons of water during the lifespan of the Laundry Ball. I didn’t even know I used that much to clean my clothes in the first place! And saving water in general is a really good thing for the planet these days, too.

I also really loved how gentle it was on all of our clothes. We don’t believe in fast fashion in this house, so we invest in high quality clothes that we hope will last a long time. Reducing the exposure to detergents (natural or otherwise) and eliminating the extra rinse cycle really adds life to garments. I have a hunch that fashion designers will start recommending SmartKlean Laundry Balls to extend the life of their clothes.

Some technologies can be hard to grasp. I imagine that just 50 years ago, being told we’d someday all be communicating through smart phones linked to an invisible web of information, there would have been plenty of skeptics out there—myself included. And the Laundry Ball concept feels a little similar to me. The only difference here is that I’ve tried it and I know it works. In that sense, it’s not only a miracle laundry product, it’s also kind of a time machine. So, in the future, whether or not we all wear the same uniforms day in and day out, you can bet we’ll be doing laundry a lot differently.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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What’s the best way to take care of your clothes? Hand washing! And really, it’s not that difficult, we promise. Here’s an easy play-by-play guide for how to hand wash clothes.

Hand washing your clothes is one way you can make them last (almost) forever. As laundry piles up, it might seem daunting, but making a habit out of it—like brushing your teeth or cooking for yourself— shows the same reflection of care for our clothes. Plus, consumer care accounts for the largest usage of energy in the entire lifecycle of a garment. So by hand washing, can save a ton on your energy and water use by cutting out the washer and dryer.

I use my bathtub for larger loads, but your bathroom sink or a bucket is great for smaller loads. Here’s how to hand wash clothes at home:

1. Separate clothes, just like you would while doing laundry, into whites and colors. Even if you know they won’t bleed, we are out for special attention right? Because you have complete control, I usually go a step further to separate out what is really dirty (aka my fiance’s work clothes) and what might have only a simple stain or smell like body odor.

2. As you are separating color and dirt-level, spray stain remover like Bac-Out Stain Eliminator or Attitude Stain Remover. These are non-toxic and organic!

3. Next make sure your sink or tub is clean. Try one of these 9 great eco cleaners for your home. Fill the space with lukewarm or cool water. As the washing space is filling up, pour in the required amount of hand washing or gentle laundry soap. Ecos, Greener Living Laundry Liquid, and Green Shield are great options, or try making your own.

4. Add garments, one at a time, giving thorough attention to each. Dip and lift the item several times so it’s evenly covered with the soapy water. Gentle rub any stain areas between your hands until the stain is removed. Add more soap if necessary.  Repeat this with each item.

5. Once each piece has received specialized, loving hand-washing attention, you can swish around all the garments together one more time.

6. Next, drain the sink (or tub), allowing dirty water to drain out.

7. Turn on the cold water, fill up the basin part-way, and thoroughly rinse each garment until all the soap is gone (you may have to do a second rinsing to get all the soap out, and remember, soap carries the dirt with it, so getting it all out of fabric is important.

8. Next, carefully wring-dry and set aside. If you are dealing with a very delicate piece, or a knit item, you should like it flat on a clean towel, then roll the towel around the item, then press down gently; water will be squeezed into the towel, but garment’s shape will be held.

9. Success! You’ve hand washed your clothes. Hang them up to dry outside on a clothes line, on a foldable drying rack, or get creative around your house (hang off backs of chairs or on a hangar in an airy spot). For very delicate items, lay to dry on a clean towel, and flip every few hours.

 Photo Credit: Luminitsa

Want more great laundry tips? See also:

Dry Clean Only? An Eco Expert Tells Us Why It’s Safe To Ignore Labels

5 Top Eco-Friendly Cleaning Recipes

 Top 10 Chemical-Free Cleaning Tips

The post Ditch The Washing Machine: How To Hand Wash Clothes appeared first on EcoSalon.

The sustainable cleaning geniuses at Method recently launched my latest cleaning obsession: Method Laundry Detergent. They call it a “laundry revolution” and short of figuring out a consumer-friendly way to wash clothing without water, I agree. When you’re shopping for an eco-friendly laundry detergent, less is more from the size of the bottle to the length of the ingredient list.

The formula is not only plant-based and free of toxins like phthalates and harsh surfactants, but it’s also highly concentrated – meaning a little bottle can tackle 25 big loads. When you buy a hefty jug of laundry detergent, it’s not only heavy to carry home from the store or to and from the laundry mat, it’s heavy for trucks to move it from the factory to the store, which means more resources are needed to get it to your washing machine.

I know what you’re thinking, many laundry manufacturers have released highly concentrated formulas in the past. Yes, but Method’s brand new bottle helps you follow this ‘less is more’ creed. Instead of pouring a cupful into your machine, you use four squirts from the pump. You won’t be able to carelessly spill the jug or pour an excessive overflowing portion because the bottle design simply won’t allow for it. Trust me, you’ll appreciate both the lack of a gooey drippy cap and the ease of handling this bottle with just one hand.

Another plus for the planet: the bottle is recyclable and made from 50 percent recycled materials. All-in-all, according to Method, their new detergent’s carbon footprint is 35 percent less than the conventional competition and it’s the first Cradle to Cradle certified detergent on the market. Bonus for you: If you want to try the product, Method will give you $2 off with a printable laundry detergent coupon.

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