FAQ
How does the Ecoegg laundry egg work?
The Ecoegg laundry egg contains a number of small pellets and it is these pellets that are the secret to the Ecoegg laundry egg’s cleaning power.
Firstly, we recommend cleaning your machine with an ecoegg Detox Tablet so that any residue from previously used detergents or fabric conditioners are cleaned away.
Then, simply open your Laundry Egg and fill the larger half of the egg with the two types of mineral pellets. Our own scientific testing shows that these two types of pellets used together give the optimum cleaning results.
- The tourmaline ceramic pellets weaken the adhesive forces between the dirt and fabric.
- The mineral pellets then naturally ionize the oxygen molecules in the water which then penetrate deep into the fabric lifting away the dirt and grime, without fading colours or damaging the fibres.
Close your egg so that it ‘clicks’ and place it in your washing machine on top of your laundry.
The mineral pellets work together in the water to effectively draw dirt from your clothing fibres and soften your clothes leaving your laundry clean and fresh without using harmful chemical laden detergents.
The mineral pellets in the ecoegg Laundry Egg are perfect for people with sensitive skin, are non-biological and do not contain any petrochemicals, enzymes, bleaches, phosphates, parabens, SLS/SLES, palm oil or microplastics.
You’ll need to replace your mineral pellets after approximately 2 months of use (this time frame will depend on whether you have the initial 70 wash egg or 50 wash refills, how often you put a wash on and the machine wash cycle you choose.)
What are the benefits of using the ecoegg Laundry Egg?
The ecoegg Laundry Egg was originally developed for people with sensitive skin. It has been dermatologically tested on people with sensitive skin and given the result of ‘excellent.’ The mineral pellets contain no harmful chemicals. We are so proud to have worked with Allergy UK to hold their ‘Allergy Friendly Product’ award’ for the Laundry Egg which gives customers confidence and trust in our product.
The ecoegg Laundry Egg helps to reduce your single-use plastic use. Once you’ve used your Laundry Egg for around 70 washes, you can buy Refill Laundry Egg Pellets which allow you to use the egg over and over again.
If you switch from liquid detergent and fabric conditioner to a Laundry Egg you can save up to 40* bottles of plastic each year. (*Based on 7 washes a week and 18 wash bottles.) Ecoegg has also been awarded the Good Housekeeping Institute’s ‘Getting Greener’ accreditation (in the UK) that recognises our efforts towards sustainability and reducing plastic.
The ecoegg Laundry Egg is suitable for vegans and is cruelty-free. Made without any testing or cruelty to animals, and without any animal derivatives, the ecoegg Laundry Egg is suitable for use by vegans.
The ecoegg Laundry Egg is also suitable for handwashing. Simply place the egg to soak in water for 5-10 minutes then handwash as normal. The Laundry Egg must not be used above 60 degrees Celsius.
The ecoegg Laundry Egg case comes with a 10 year guarantee.
What's in the ingredients of the Laundry Egg?
None of the products in our range contain any harsh chemicals or ammonia that normal detergents often contain. The cleaning pellets are non-toxic and do not contain any harsh chemicals, petrochemicals, enzymes, optical brighteners or phosphates. Contains: 5-15% Anionic surfactants, 15-30% non-ionic surfactants.
The fragrance free option contains no perfume which can irritate sensitive skin. But if you opt for the fragrance option, the pellets are lightly infused with natural fragrance oils, leaving a delicate, fresh/floral scent on your laundry while still being great for sensitive skin.
Does the ecoegg Laundry Egg contain harmful chemicals?
The mineral pellets in the ecoegg Laundry Egg do not contain any harmful chemicals and are perfect for people with sensitive skin. The pellets are non-biological and do not contain any petrochemicals, enzymes, bleaches, phosphates, parabens, SLS/SLES, palm oil or microplastics. They are made from a blend of biodegradable surfactants, stabilisers, builders and binders.
Do you need to use fabric softener with the Laundry Egg?
You do not need to use fabric conditioner with the ecoegg Laundry Egg as the mineral pellets soften the fibres of your laundry.
If you wish to use fabric softener, this will not affect the operation of the ecoegg Laundry Egg.
We would recommend an eco-friendly fabric softener/conditioner where possible. Alternatively, some people find that a couple of drops of essential oil works great. Just put a couple drops of your favourite essential oil into the drawer of your washing machine before each wash.
The ecoegg Dryer Eggs also help to soften your clothes.
How do the Laundry Egg pellets clean and soften clothes?
The biodegradable surfactants in the Laundry Egg pellets lift dirt from the fabrics because one end of the surfactant’s molecule is attracted to water and the other end is attracted to dirt and grease. The surfactant molecules help water to take hold of the dirt and grease, break it up and wash it away. The other ingredients in the pellets ensure that dirt and grime in the water do not move back onto the fabrics and remain in the wash water. The black tourmaline pellets naturally ionise the water making it slightly more alkaline. Alkaline water lifts dirt better, but also softens the fibres of the clothes. Acidic water can be damaging to clothes and fibres.
Can the Ecoegg laundry egg be used for hand washing?
Yes. Just pre-soak the Ecoegg laundry egg in the water for approximately 20 minutes and then hand wash as normal, allowing water to flow through the Ecoegg laundry egg.
How is it possible to shorten the rinse cycle?
As the Laundry Egg does not contain any soap agents, it leaves almost no residue on your clothes. Therefore, the rinse cycle can be significantly reduced, saving water, time and electricity. Some machines have a ‘rinse hold’ button, which, when pressed, skips the rinse cycle. If you can’t cut-out the rinse cycle, this will not affect the Laundry Egg, you just will not be saving on water and energy.
Is the Laundry Egg environmentally friendly and ethically sourced?
The ecoegg Laundry Egg packsging is 100% recyclable, as is the egg case. The ecoegg Laundry Egg case has a warranty of 10 years and can be refilled with ecoegg Laundry Egg Refill Pellets which helps to reduce single use plastic. The cardboard box that the Laundry Egg comes in now used 56% less cardboard than the previous box design.
The natural mineral pellets inside the Laundry Egg contain no harmful chemicals. Ecoegg UK is working with their supplier to find an alternative material for the plastic pellet bags. The bags need to keep the pellets dry and retain the fragrance, so they hope to find something that can maintain the quality of the pellets but be made from something other than recyclable plastic. They are also looking at putting all pellets into one bag for our 70 wash Laundry Egg rather than having individual bags.
Ecoegg UK have a process of due diligence with all of our suppliers and will not work with unethical suppliers. They are not able to disclose the locations of our suppliers or sources of our ingredients for intellectual property and competitive reasons.
Is the Laundry Egg case BPA-Free?
Yes, the Laundry Egg case is BPA-Free and recyclable. It is made from three different types of material so that it can withstand the temperatures in the washing machine.
Is the ecoegg Laundry Egg safe to use with sensitive skin including babies skin?
There are no harmful chemicals in the Laundry Egg pellets. We tested the Laundry Egg on subjects with sensitive skin and were given a rating of 'excellent' by industry recognised testing by 'Dermatest'. The Laundry Egg also holds Allergy UK's 'Allergy Friendly Product' award. The pellets are hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. We have never tested the Laundry Egg pellets on babies but we know that a lot of parents happily use it for newborn's, toddler's and children's laundry and some parents use it to wash the clothing of children who suffer from skin allergies due to the very low level of fragrance and no harmful chemicals.
Can the Laundry Egg be used on modern cloth nappies?
Yes, most definitely! As our Ecoegg laundry egg contains no harsh chemicals and is hypoallergenic, it is highly recommended to wash your cloth nappies using the laundry egg. This will also help prolong the lifespan of the cloth nappies as the laundry egg doesn’t leave any residue unlike most conventional laundry detergent do.
You can use the laundry egg in your ‘pre-wash’ cycle if you have one. This initial wash will help remove odour and excess urine before your ‘actual’ wash’. When the pre-wash cycle ends, you can just leave the laundry egg in your washing machine and start your ‘actual’ wash cycle. This is the time to add some essential oil for extra fragrance if you like.
For a more detailed instructions, we’ve created a page on top tips to wash your cloth nappies using our laundry egg.
Will the Laundry Egg harm washing machines?
No, the ecoegg Laundry Egg is perfectly safe to use with all makes of washing machines. It is made from soft, durable rubber, so it is gentle on your machine. cc
Can the Ecoegg laundry egg be used in all temperature washes?
The Ecoegg laundry egg will work great in washes up to 60 degrees Celsius. It will also work well in cold water washes. The Ecoegg laundry egg should not be used above 60 degrees Celsius as this will significantly shorten the life of the cleaning pellets.
Can the Ecoegg laundry egg be left in for the whole wash cycle?
Yes. However, the ecoegg Laundry Egg MUST be removed for the final drying cycle if you have a washer-dryer.
The Laundry Egg was developed purely for washing your laundry and the Dryer Egg was developed to be used in the tumble dryer.
Therefore the Laundry Egg would need to be removed before the drying cycle.
The Dryer Egg would need to be added at the beginning of the drying cycle.
If you do leave the Laundry Egg in the machine during the drying cycle, it will shorten the life of the pellets
TOP TIP: As the Laundry Egg does not contain any “soap” agents, it leaves almost no residue on your clothes. Therefore, the rinse cycle can be significantly reduced, saving water, time and electricity. Some machines have a ‘rinse hold’ button, which, when pressed, skips the rinse cycle. If you are unable to cut out the rinse cycle, this will not affect the Laundry Egg.
Do I need to dry the Ecoegg laundry egg between washes?
If you are doing several washes one after another, then you do not need to dry the Ecoegg laundry egg between washes. However, once you have finished washing for the day, you need to leave the Ecoegg laundry egg out of the machine to dry.
How do I know when to refill my Ecoegg laundry egg?
Keep an eye on the white mineral pellets inside the Ecoegg laundry egg. When these have dissolved to about half of their original size, then you need to refill the Ecoegg laundry egg. You should also monitor the cleaning power of the Ecoegg laundry egg. When this reduces, it’s probably time to refill the pellets.
You will need to refill your ecoegg Laundry Egg roughly every 2 months (approximately 7-10 weeks). This time period will differ according to a number of factors:
1. Whether you are using the initial 70 wash egg or 50 wash refills.
2. How often you put a load of laundry on each week.
3. Which washing machine cycle you typically use – hotter longer cycles will use the pellets more quickly.
You can also replace your mineral pellets if you noticed they are not "shrinking" after a long period of time.
How do I safely dispose of old mineral pellets (that are not dissolving)?
Although the ingredients are biodegradable and do not contain any harmful chemicals, Ecoegg UK has recommended that the pellets will need to be disposed of via your general waste. They are unable to recommend that they be disposed of in your compost or in your garden because they have not tested the effect on wildlife and plants.
Do the pellets contain limonene or linalool?
The fragranced pellets for the laundry egg do not contain limonene or linalool.
My Ecoegg laundry egg/washing machine/clothes smell strange?
When you have been using conventional washing powder or liquid for a while, the residue left from these can build up in the pipes and crevices of the washing machine. If not cleaned away, these build-ups can cause a bad odour. Your usual detergent will mask the smells from these build-ups.
However, when you switch to the Ecoegg laundry egg, there is no strong fragrance to mask the smells, so it can be more noticeable. In this case, you should detox your washing machine to give it a good clean.
You can purchase our 6 washing machine detox tablets available in our online shop. Or purchase our bundle offer to save more.
How to use: Simply unwrap ONE detox tablet and place it right inside the drum of your machine (front loader). If you have a top loader put the tablet in the “long-middle-bit” (right inside the drum) where you usually put your washing powder (NOT where you put the softener). Remember to put the machine on the hottest setting and on the longest cycle available (leave the drum empty – do not put any clothes in). This will leave your machine fresh and clean. It is recommended to detox your machine once every 1-3 months, depending on how often you wash.
How to wash extra smelly clothes before using the Ecoegg Laundry Egg?
For all clothes as a general rule: Make sure to rinse any stain especially urine/poos or any smelly substance that comes in contact with your clothes IMMEDIATELY with water (before your pre-wash) to avoid the smell to penetrate through your clothes. This will help eliminate the odour further in addition to using our tips below.
Some tips to help wash EXTRA smelly clothes before using the laundry egg:
To help to lessen/remove odour from smelly clothes, use the Spray and Refresh (2-3 squirts) or a few drops of essential oils of your choice in the softener dispenser (during your wash cycle). It will help to eliminate the odour as well as giving your clothes a fresh fragrance.
Another tip: For really smelly clothes, do a PRE-WASH FIRST using the Earthwise liquid wash (or any eco-friendly liquid detergent). Then start the wash cycle immediately with the laundry egg after the pre-wash. Make sure the laundry egg has enough room to move so please do not over-fill the machine. This will REALLY help to eliminate the odour.
Is the Laundry Egg suitable to use on waterproof clothing?
WITH ALL WATERPROOF CLOTHING, PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ ALL WASH CARE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND LABELS PRIOR TO WASHING. IF IN ANY DOUBT, DO NOT USE.
Our laundry pellet pH value is under 11 which, compared to regular detergents, makes our formula very gentle. However, it is advisable that for different kinds of waterproof clothing to follow the care label instruction, as each waterproof fabric has a different specification and quality.
With waterproof clothes, and waterproof items in general, even if they are washed only with water - overtime, and with each washing cycle, the process slowly decreases their waterproof function.
Our Laundry Egg contains anionic surfactants which are organic substances. It also contains non-ionic surfactants which have no charge on their hydrophilic end, which helps them to remove oily stains better. Non-ionic surfactants are generally used together with anionic surfactants as active ingredients to create foam in water, that lifts up dirt and grime from clothes, and it is a very gentle technology.
It may also be advisable to put either the item of clothing or the Laundry Egg in a small net bag for extra protection.
Can I use the Ecoegg laundry egg in all types of washing machine?
Yes! It will work great in front loaders, top loaders and twin tubs. One Ecoegg laundry egg is normally sufficient for normal wash load of 7-8 kg. If you are using the Ecoegg laundry egg in a larger machine, you may need to use two Ecoegg laundry eggs.
Do I need more that one Laundry Egg for a large machine?
One Laundry Egg is suitable for washing machines up to 7-8kg. Therefore, if you have a much larger washing machine, you will need to use 2 Laundry Eggs. Please allow plenty of space in your washing machine for the clothes and the Laundry Egg to move around freely.
Why isn’t my Ecoegg laundry egg working as well as I expected?
There are some steps you can take to make sure you are getting the best from the Ecoegg laundry egg:
- Make sure you are not overloading your machine. The Ecoegg laundry egg needs room to move around in the wash.
- Make sure that your washing machine is not set to use the minimum amount of water.
- Whilst the Ecoegg laundry egg works well on most everyday stains, just like with normal washing detergent, there may be the occasional stain that requires extra help. A ‘pre-wash’ or ‘in wash’ stain remover can be used as normal. This will not affect the performance of the Ecoegg laundry egg in any way.
- The Ecoegg laundry egg contains no harsh bleaching agents. If you find that your whites are not coming out as bright as you are used to, try adding some eco-friendly laundry whitening powder to your whiten loads.
It is important to remember that the Ecoegg laundry egg does not contain any harsh chemicals and therefore cannot be compared to the clean of conventional biological washing detergents that can contain toxic chemicals and bleaching agents. The Ecoegg laundry egg is a much more natural alternative which is kinder to the environment, your skin and your pocket.
Also, it is important to remember the amount of money you will be saving by using the Ecoegg laundry egg. For every day worn once and minor stained clothes, using a concoction of toxic chemicals is an unnecessary waste of money. The Ecoegg laundry egg can help you save in the long run.
Can I use the Ecoegg laundry egg if I have a septic tank?
Previous customers with septic tanks that have used the Ecoegg laundry egg have not incurred any problems as the Ecoegg laundry egg leaves almost no residue in the water. However, please note that we have not conducted any scientific testing with septic tanks so this may not be the case for everyone.
Can I continue to use water softening tablets with the Ecoegg laundry egg?
Yes, they will not affect the operation of the Ecoegg laundry egg in any way.