Tru Earth – Laundry Strips Review

Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergent – 384 Count

Cost: $149 + tax

The Goods:

• Paraben-free
• Phosphate-free
• Readily biodegradable in accordance with OECD 310D
• Hypoallergenic, certified by independent dermatologists
• Vegan: no animal-based ingredients or testing on animals by us or our ingredient suppliers
• Safe for septic and grey water

Manufactured in: Canada*

* I think their manufacturing facility might be in Burnaby, BC as I’ve driven by quite a few times for work. But it could also just be a warehouse for storage.

Overall Impression

I’ve been using these since April 2021; a lot longer than I thought! I started off with a smallish pack of 32, in the “Fresh Linen” scent. That was a no go for me. The scent was so powerful I could smell it as soon as I approached the mailbox. I’m very sensitive to scents, and this particular one made me wonder how eco-friendly these strips actually are. More savvy people can check out their ingredients here, but fragrance is only listed as fragrance, and not what it’s derived from.

In December of 2021 I ordered a box of 384 and smaller box of platinum, which I’ve rarely used. I generally stick to just one strip per load, and almost a year later I still have more than half the box left. Despite the steep initial cost, I know for me I’m definitely saving money in the long run. I estimate I used to spend about $20/month on a jug of eco-friendly liquid detergent, which brings me to mention some things I really like:

1. Not having to buy detergent often.
   Anyone who knows me probably knows how much I hate shopping, or even just leaving the house for anything mundane. Not having to worry about running out of detergent for 2 years is a big plus.
2. Saving money.
   $149 for two years or $480 for two years. I’m good with the former.
3. No plastic.
   Try to find an eco-friendly powdered detergent. I have never seen one, unless you count borax. I love how compact these are with absolutely no plastic packaging.
4. Saves space.
   This was huge for me. I have a smallish house with a lot of stuff in it. Space is at a premium and any way I can save space without having to get rid of something I may need is a bonus!

On the other hand, there are some drawbacks:

1. Sometimes they don’t fully dissolve.
   These can leave a white, paper-like residue on fabrics. My poor boyfriend got marks off for professionalism on one of his RMT exams because of this. I rolled my eyes because it literally meant it had been recently washed, but they found it to be unprofessional. This doesn’t happen every time, just apparently when you really don’t want it to.
2. Cleaning Power TBD.
   I’ve been using eco-friendly detergents for 12.5 years, so I don’t remember how well a regular detergent cleans anymore. I just expect it to not be great. I haven’t had any real complaints about these though. **
3. Weird disclaimers.
   In their FAQ they end so many with “…but we always recommend that consumers follow the specific washing and detergent recommendations of each clothing manufacturer.” I wash everything, including wool, silk, sports performance clothing etc. and have yet to have an issue. But then again, my standards are low. I met someone at work earlier this week who thinks shoes are “ruined” if they get dirty. My shoes are ruined if they no longer function as shoes.

Overall I like this product. I wouldn’t be opposed to trying laundry strips from a different brand to compare the efficacy, but I definitely recommend Tru Earth.

** I just wanted to add a little cleaning tip: if you want to get grease out of your clothing, skip the laundry booster and just use dish soap to scrub it out (just not the Just Make Nice dish soap because it can’t cut grease). I had a grease stain for years on one of my shirts and finally one person provided me with what now seems like an obvious solution. Sure enough, I went home, got some dish soap and poof! The stain disappeared. This is life changing as a very klutzy person.

Update: June 12, 2023

My opinion of Tru Earth is starting to go downhill. I have dozens of sheets left in my box and two packets, so I’m probably stuck using them for another year or so.

It has come to my attention that in order to make the sheets, Tru Earth uses polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA, which is a synthetic polymer. Although it can completely biodegrade, it requires certain bacteria to do so, which are not everywhere.

Although I’m still not sure what to think about that, one thing that is starting to drive me nuts, is that these strips are not degrading fully. The load I did today had multiple garments with this residue. It’s super annoying. Also I’ve noticed lately that it sometimes doesn’t remove my partner’s cologne smell from his collar from certain materials, or the smell from the armpits. A freshly laundered shirt may not smell laundered, and that is a big negative in my books.