The amazing washball
Washing clothes on a low temperature setting saves money but some of the detergents used are not always so very green because of the harsh chemicals and fragrances they may contain.
A washball or "ecoball" is a cheap and green alternative to detergents and works well for many types of wash. You can buy them in some health food stores. They will not be quite sufficient for all your needs but they can save you quite a packet over time. They work by ionising the water. The Chinese have a washing machine which works on the same principle, I believe. See my article on washballs for more details on how to use them.
Check out soap nuts!
Soap nuts are another good alternative to conventional laundry detergent. They are quite easy and economical to use. You just put them in a small bag - which is usually provided - and put them into the machine drum. They can be used over and over four or five times. Hot water draws out the natural saponins which wash without producing noticeable suds. The cold water rinse cycle does not release the saponins. Soap nuts are the product of the Sapindus Mukrossi tree which lives for many decades in India and Nepal. Sustainable communities now grow and harvest these seed casings ("drupes") for export. They are inexpensive to transport because they are light-weight and their contribution to CO2 emissions is also low, therefore.
Ref: Carpet & Rug Institutes Carpet Maintenance GuidelinesProducts I Like To Clean My Carpets: Febreze Carpet care
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