It’s been a while since I wrote a blog post. I had pneumonia and wasn’t really motivated to do anything for a month. But now I’m over it, so let’s dig in!
I generally use Tide Pods for my laundry. There are pros and cons to it, but I don’t have children or pets who can get poisoned. And I use the tubs because they can be recycled in Chicago. Don’t use the bags though.
Although Tide PODS bags aren’t recyclable, Tide PODS tubs are recyclable where facilities exist. Thanks for your feedback.
— Tide (@tide) March 29, 2017
So anyway, I ran out of pods one day, and my boyfriend ran downstairs to the store and picked out ECOS Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear. It’s a Plant-Derived Detergent with Built-In Fabric Softener. The bottle is a #2 plastic, so it’s recyclable in Chicago. He was very proud of himself for finding something eco-friendly for me. Win-Win.
I really wanted to like this detergent, but I honestly didn’t feel like it packed a punch when it came to cleaning my clothes. It also didn’t do anything with stains. Additionally, their motto is “Lifts Dirt. Loves Colors!” And, I gotta be honest, since I started using ECOS, this is what my towels look like:
Yes. Those are bleach stains. I haven’t changed anything about my laundry routine except this detergent, and I don’t use any new products. I’ve had these towels for only a year, and I don’t use OxyClean on colors, so while I can’t definitively say that this is the cause, I am pretty sure it is. It might be my fault for putting the detergent in too soon, but the fact is, this kinda sucks.
I did tweet at ECOS Laundry Detergent to ask about the stain-cleaning power, etc., and they were kind enough to respond:
For tougher stains, we suggest pre-treating the stain with the laundry detergent or our Stain & Odor Remover.
— Earth Friendly Products (@EFPClean) August 19, 2019
But the thing is, if this is already bleaching my towels, I don’t think I want to use the detergent to pre-treat any stains. And, because I feel so badly for writing a negative review, I invite all of you to read the comments on this post on Stain Removal 101, because I’m not alone.
How have your experiences been with ECOS? Different than mine? I’d love to hear them!
I don’t doubt your experience, you sound like someone who knows their way around a laundry room, but my experience has been the exact opposite. Great cleaning power, I actually feel like it cleans the clothes better. I buy the magnolia scent at Costco and love it. Even though my daughter uses dreft for darling grandbaby, I just use this for his clothes at my house-no problems. I actually came here because I hate throwing the gigantic plastic bottles in the trash. Our recycling option went from bad to nothing recently. I would have to haul it 20 minutes and across state line. Ridiculous, but true. Thinking of going to powder because the box would be better than these jugs. Really sad to lose this detergent.