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===Consumer protection===
===Consumer protection===
In 1997 Trade-Net, sold a laundry ball product (the Blue Laundry Ball) in various US states. After complaints, their claims were investigated by consumer protection departments in [[Utah]], Oregon and Florida, amongst others, and the company was prohibited from making certain claims, including that "that such product cleans as well as conventional laundry detergent". Trade-Net offered a 'new' laundry ball product after this, but were forced to pay fines, including $190,000 to Oregon's Department of Justice, $10,000 to Utah and then in April 1999, $155,000 to the states of New York, Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma and the FTC. The company disappeared shortly after.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/04/anujdg12.htm |title=Erwin Richard Annau - Stipulated Final Judgment |publisher=Ftc.gov |date= |accessdate=2010-07-09}}</ref>
In 1997 Trade-Net, sold a laundry ball product (the Blue Laundry Ball) in various US states. After complaints, their claims were investigated by consumer protection departments in [[Utah]], Oregon and Florida, amongst others, and the company was prohibited from making certain claims, including that "that such product cleans as well as conventional laundry detergent". Trade-Net offered a 'new' laundry ball product after this, but were forced to pay fines, including $190,000 to Oregon's Department of Justice, $10,000 to Utah and then in April 1999, $155,000 to the states of New York, Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma and the FTC. The company disappeared shortly after.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/04/anujdg12.htm |title=Erwin Richard Annau - Stipulated Final Judgment |publisher=Ftc.gov |date= |accessdate=2010-07-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first = Thomas C. | last = Tobin | title = Troubled firm's building for sale | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/26616454.html?dids=26616454:26616454&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT | work = St. Petersburg Times | date = 1998-02-22 | accessdate = 2010-12-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first = Thomas C. | last = Tobin | title = Scientology in Clearwater | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/25879384.html?dids=25879384:25879384&FMT=FT | work = Scientology in Clearwater: Digging In | publisher = St. Petersburg Times | date = 1998-02-01 | accessdate = 2010-12-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first = G.G. | last = Rigsby | title = Scientology says it isn't moving into Dunedin | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/17006488.html?FMT=FT&dids=17006488:17006488&FMTS=ABS:FT | work = St. Petersburg Times | date = 1997-03-12 | accessdate = 2010-12-25 }}</ref>


==Multilevel marketing==
==Multilevel marketing==

Revision as of 09:21, 25 December 2010

Not to be confused with Dryer ball.
For the fabric softener product, see Downy Ball.
The Swedish "Magicball" is an example of a pseudoscientific washing ball product.

A laundry ball is a product that is promoted as a substitute for detergent. Producers of laundry balls have been criticised for making pseudoscientific claims about how these balls work and the extent of their benefits. [1] The product is often sold by participants in multilevel marketing schemes.[1] While many people report that these balls work, the benefits may simply be comparable to washing without any detergent.[2] Since hot water is a detergent, this may be all that is needed to clean lightly-soiled clothes. Balls which contain detergent appear to offer a level of cleaning comparable to 'eco-friendly' washing powders.[3]

Types of laundry ball

There are several types of laundry ball.

  • Balls which contain ceramic pieces (also called 'washing pearls').[4]
  • Balls containing magnetic materials.[5]
  • Balls which are sealed tight and contain a liquid or unspecified contents such as "a frequency enhanced mineral blend". [6][7] The cleaning mechanism for these balls is frequently vague or unspecified.
  • Balls which contain pellets of detergent. These balls may also contain ceramic or other ingredients.

Claimed benefits

Laundry balls are marketed as cheaper, environmentally friendly alternatives to ordinary washing powders or liquids. The claimed benefits include:[8][9][10][11]

  • Lack of chemicals which may harm the environment
  • Hypoallergenic and anti-irritation.
  • Can be re-used many times before refilling or replacing. This can range from 60 to 2000 wash loads.
  • Reduced water usage (because less rinsing is required - this assumes the customer uses a different setting on their washing machine).
  • Reduced waste from packaging.
  • Reduced use of energy (see embodied energy).

These benefits are comparable to the benefits of washing without any detergent.

How they work

Claims vary between products. Some claims are not backed by science, while others are an exaggeration of benefits. Balls which contain detergents may offer more cleaning power than water alone since their ingredients are comparable to normal washing powder, but in smaller quantities. It is claimed that conventional washing powder manufacturers recommend using more powder than is necessary, and that these powders contain unnecessary fillers or fragrances.[2] Critics question whether the amount of detergent released by these balls is sufficient to generate significant cleaning effects.[12][13]

Infrared and alkalization

Some of the pearl-based products claim to "generate powerful far infrared ray wave energy to cut off the hydrogen and binding of water molecule to have smaller water cluster to have the penetration and washing, at the same time, it radiates the anion electron to lower the surface tensile and interfacial tension for possible agent-free washing."(sic).[14][15] The claim of emitting infrared is not false, as all materials emit "far infrared waves", in other words, heat radiation. It is also true that heating reduces the surface tension of water, but the effect of the radiation emitted by the pearls is negligible compared to the radiation emitted by the water which is being heated. There are no independent tests showing that the pearls could generate stronger infrared waves by interacting with water than what they otherwise should.

The claim of alkalization is dubious, while it is true that the alkaline agents in normal washing powders catalyze the tensides, there are no studies suggesting that the washing pearls would affect the pH of the water.

Anti-chlorine properties

Many products also claim that the balls contain "anti-chlorine" agents which are supposed to neutralize chlorine which has been added to the tap water.[16] Chloride and bleach related substances are actually common in washing powders and chlorine is used in the disinfection of tap water. The claims state that by removing chlorine from the washing water the surface tension is (again) reduced and harmful chlorine can't interact with the clothes, even though the amounts in tap water are very small both in Europe (0.3-1.0 ml/l) and North-America (4 ml/l).[17]

Magnetic properties

Some products claim to have magnetic elements which "minimizes the size of the water molecule which helps with scale and rust removal of the washing machine and pipes". Both of the claims are false from a proven scientific viewpoint: while magnets do interact with rust, magnets will not keep rust out of your laundry, and molecules can't be "scaled" freely.[18]

Negative ions

Some laundry balls claim to release negative ions, which cause the dirt to weaken in its adherence to the fabric. It is possible that OH− ions, or hydroxide, could be created, but not in a large quantity.

Consumer protection

In 1997 Trade-Net, sold a laundry ball product (the Blue Laundry Ball) in various US states. After complaints, their claims were investigated by consumer protection departments in Utah, Oregon and Florida, amongst others, and the company was prohibited from making certain claims, including that "that such product cleans as well as conventional laundry detergent". Trade-Net offered a 'new' laundry ball product after this, but were forced to pay fines, including $190,000 to Oregon's Department of Justice, $10,000 to Utah and then in April 1999, $155,000 to the states of New York, Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma and the FTC. The company disappeared shortly after.[19][20][21][22]

Multilevel marketing

The product is often sold by participants in multilevel marketing schemes.[1]

See also


Notes

  1. ^ a b c Adams, Cecil (1997-07-25). "Do laundry balls really work?". The Straight Dope. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-02-25. {{cite news}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  2. ^ a b "Laundry Balls". Hollings.mmu.ac.uk. 1997-10-27. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  3. ^ "A 64743 B REPORT Issue 1.PDF" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  4. ^ "Magicball product description".
  5. ^ "Magna Clean Laundry System". Bwt.jeffotto.com. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  6. ^ "Portal Marketing liquid Laundry ball product page".
  7. ^ "Eco Balls Laundry | Wonder Balm | Laundry Washing Ball | Ayate Cloths | Wonder Ball Laundry". Mysticwondersinc.com. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  8. ^ "Laundry Pellets - China Manufacturer, Exporter & Developer". Laundryball.cn. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  9. ^ "Laundry balls, put to the test". Go Greener, Australia. 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  10. ^ http://www.laundryball.com.au/home.php
  11. ^ "Save water - Green Clean Products - laundry balls". Green Clean Products. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  12. ^ "More on green washing..." grownupgreen. 2006-11-17. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  13. ^ "EcoBalls — Are they for real? | Ramblings of a Geek". Jeremy Johnstone. 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  14. ^ "Bio magic globe product description".
  15. ^ "EP patent 0,870,862".
  16. ^ "True Green washing ball product page".
  17. ^ "FAQ of water supply of the city of Pori".
  18. ^ "Magnetic water treatment pseudoscience". Chem1.com. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  19. ^ "Erwin Richard Annau - Stipulated Final Judgment". Ftc.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  20. ^ Tobin, Thomas C. (1998-02-22). "Troubled firm's building for sale". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  21. ^ Tobin, Thomas C. (1998-02-01). "Scientology in Clearwater". Scientology in Clearwater: Digging In. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  22. ^ Rigsby, G.G. (1997-03-12). "Scientology says it isn't moving into Dunedin". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
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