Update on the Casa Malone “Eco-friendly” and “Zero Waste” product switch outs. While I do love our planet as much as the next person, the impetus for trying them was to see if a few minor product changes would have the effect of almost automatically keeping our bathroom and laundry area cleaner. This is my honest review of the various zero waste products I’ve tried, and their impact on the ease of maintaining cleanliness in my house.
Contents
LAUNDRY STRIPS: 10 out of 10.
Product Tested: Blue Water Eco-Laundry Strips (The lavender is GREAT! I’ve tried the Ocean breeze but is was a bit strong for my preferences.)
I’m never, ever going back to liquid detergent nor detergent pods. The laundry strips clean clothes just as well, cost less per load and eliminate messy, heavy detergent bottles and all their resulting empty bags or bottle packaging to throw out or recycle. Love it!
TOOTHPASTE TABLETS: 8 out of 10.
Product Tested: Weldental Chewtab Advanced Whitening Toothpaste Tablets
They’re far neater than toothpaste tubes, but the most famous brand, in my opinion, kind of sucks…(it’s just too chalk-like.) The best brand is this super cheap kind they sell on Amazon. Comes in Cinnamon flavor and a mint flavor.
But…disclaimer: my whole family has been slow to adapt to this. No one thinks to use them until the regular toothpaste tubes are empty. Also, evidently I must be accustomed to using a ton of toothpaste, easily double what normal people use because I prefer to use two toothpaste tabs per brushing.♀️ This is probably just a “me” thing.
BAR SHAMPOO: 9 out of 10.
Product Tested: B.O.B Bars Over Bottles Moisturizing Shampoo Bar
It’s nearly perfect. Cleans hair without stripping it and leaves behind no empty bottles in the showers. Only issue is the kids inevitably leave a few odd strands of hair on the bar when they’re done…I’m squeamish, so naturally, I abhor that.
BAR CONDITIONER: 4 out of 10.
Product Tested: B.O.B Bars Over Bottles Solid Intense Conditioner
Why so low? After all, it works GREAT. Every brand I’ve tried so far conditions fantastically while keeping the shower NEAT, clean, uncluttered while generating no empty bottles to deal with. So what’s my problem? Curly hair.
My kids use conditioner for added “slip” when detangling their hair. And they use an absolute TON of conditioner. (Really.) Just yesterday, a child (who shall remain nameless) used up a whole, BRAND-NEW, FRESHLY-OPENED bar of conditioner – in one shower. It’s supposed to last 10-15 washes. It evidently does not.
To be fair, our normal ratio is 4 bottles of conditioner used for every one bottle of shampoo. So bar conditioner may still prove worth it, if for no other reason than because it works and it eliminates the chore of gathering up empty conditioner bottles from the bathrooms to take outside for recycling.
CORELESS TOILET PAPER: 7 out of 10.
Product Tested: Compact Coreless 1-Ply Recycled Toilet Paper
Direct quote “I don’t know how she did it, but Mom has found a way to stock up on… SCHOOL toilet paper! This is the cheapest, thinnest toilet paper ever made.”
Also my husband absolutely hates it. And begged me never to buy it again. Then why such a high score? A fair question…
- No empty cardboard holders left behind on the spool. (Ever.)
- Zero. I have not had to complain about this in an entire month.
- CANNOT, will not, clog toilets…not even if you have kids that spin arm-length-after-arm-length, after arm length of toilet paper every time they’re in the bathroom. This stuff is thick enough to work, but thin enough that it can’t clog a toilet. Not ever.
- The cost is a wash. It’s not much cheaper than normal 1000 sheet paper. But your bathroom will remain cleaner with these. (Probably the reason why schools use them, actually.)
Conclusion
Results: zero waste products DO automatically keep your laundry room and bathrooms WAY, WAY cleaner. No empty bottles or bags anywhere, no globs of toothpaste in sinks, no empty cardboard on the spools are a game changer if you don’t like to clean, yet paradoxically do like a clean home. Zero waste products will be your best housekeeping hack. Who knew that?
Zero waste = zero trash = zero mess in your house.
Now you know.
- Honest Reviews of Eco-Friendly Zero Waste Products - November 4, 2022
- 7 Dollar Stretching Life Hacks From A Mom Of 6 - March 2, 2022
