And…why haven’t they thought of this before!???!! To think about all of the jugs of laundry I lugged into the elevator and back in college just to get my clothes cleaned!
Tru Earth was the first company that introduced me to this new way of doing laundry. With two young children in the home, I needed something that could be tough enough to get the baseball knickers cleaned up like new and the tempera paint off of school uniforms.
Since trying out Tru Earth I have experimented with other brands, see my other article comparing the many brands. This post contains some affiliate links. This does not affect our judgement or recommendations in any way. We are a participant in the Amazon Affiliate’s Program which is designed to provide a means for us to earn small fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This means if you click on the link and purchase a qualifying item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
I’ve stuck with Tru Earth. It was a great product for many reasons.
Is Tru Earth a Good Company?
Yes, I have found Tru Earth to be a good company overall.
Tru Earth laundry strips quality made. They are thick and waxy in feel and usually only require one half to get a load of laundry clean and smelling fresh. They are perforated down the middle and always rip apart clean.
The smell is light and fresh, which I’m a fan of because of the health benefits of low-to-no scent products. They also have a fragrance-free version. Read more about the worst toxins in beauty products here.
Tru Earth began as a family company in Canada born out of a desire to reduce plastic and help the earth. Their values stem from keeping things simple even as they continue to grow internationally and into new markets.
They have a limited product line, but every product that they sell aim’s for a common goal: to keep plastic out of landfills OR recycling centers. Despite the good that recycling does contribute to the millions of plastics discarded each year, an even better solution is to find alternatives to plastic to utilize fewer of the earth’s resources in having to procure, produce, pack and ship something that otherwise doesn’t need to be.
See more about reducing plastic in your household here.
Is Tru Earth Made in China?
Tru Earth is made in Canada. It is not made in China as the majority of the other companies in this market do.
They adhere to strict Canadian labor laws and health and safety laws; they also pay a fair living wage which has to be one of the reasons why the strips can cost more than other inferior brands per half strip. (I found them to be of better quality too)
Do Tru Earth Laundry Strips Actually Work?
In order to figure this one out for myself, I had to put the strips to work. Here are some of the tests that I performed with the results and the requirements.
| Stain/Clothing Condition | Process | Result |
| Grass stains on cotton picnic blanket | In this case, soaked the pants prior to washing them in a dissolved ½ sheet of Tru Earth. After soaking them, I rubbed the stain a bit and threw them in a regular load along with ½ sheet of Tru Earth. | Stains came out clean and I was able to throw them into the dryer. |
| Paint on white cotton uniform shirt | Soaked the stain in ½ sheet of Tru Earth and threw it into a wash of whites along with 2 x ½ sheets of Tru Earth. | Mostly gone but I could still see remnants of the paint. |
| Oil splashed from the pan onto rayon blend shirt | Pretreated with dish detergent upon staining. Threw it into a regular wash cycle with ½ a sheet. | Came out clean! No oil stain at all. |
| Mascara on Sheets | My favorite white sheets got mascara on them. I couldn’t risk NOT pretreating it, so I sprayed it with PINK SOLUTION and threw it into the machine with 2 x ½ sheets of Tru Earth. | Favorite sheets clean as new! |
| ULTRA FULL LOAD | Tried with ½ a sheet and found they cleaned way better with the full 2 x ½ sheets. | Ended up cleaning them twice with a full sheet and they came out clean! |
How to Use Tru Earth Laundry Strips &
What NOT To Do…
The simplest way to use Tru Earth Strips is to follow the simple and easy steps. I also found out how NOT to use them.
- Pre-treat any stains by either soaking them in a Tru Earth water solution OR by rubbing PINK SOLUTION (my favorite all-natural all-purpose cleaning product) onto it.
- Tear a sheet in half and put it at the bottom of the basin BEFORE inserting the clothing.
- Use a half sheet for a small to medium load and a full sheet for a large load.
- Wash on cold, warm, or hot.
It is as simple and easy as that!
Do NOT use Tru Earth Strips like this!
- Do NOT store Tru Earth laundry strips near anything wet. They dissolve quickly and you will end up with a gooey mess of detergent in the envelope.
- Do NOT insert Tru Earth laundry strips into the laundry detergent dispenser along with COLD water wash. They will not fully dissolve and this will gunk up your dispenser. Clothes will not come out clean.
- Do NOT throw the laundry strip in AFTER you put your clothes in. I did this and ended up with my strip stuck to the wall of my low-water washer. The clothes did not come out clean since the detergent didn’t dissolve at the bottom of the drum as intended.
I did find however that IF you insert a laundry strip into the dispenser and use WARM water, it will dissolve and wash clothes very well.
Do NOT try and wash a SUPER FULL load with only half a strip. You need a full sheet (which is two halves). Washing a very full load with only ½ a sheet will not fully clean your clothing and you will have to run it again.
How Much Does Tru Earth Cost?
On the Tru Earth website, depending on the quantity you buy Tru Earth can be quite cost-effective. I like that they sell packages of 384 loads. This quality will cost a little under $0.47 per load. If you’re just starting out and want to try Tru Earth before committing to an annual supply, they sell a 32-load package for as much as $0.68 per load. Both of these amounts can be decreased with a monthly subscription.
Amazon also sells Tru Earth offering a variety of price ranges depending on the product you chose.
Where Do I Buy Tru Earth Strips?
There are a variety of sites and stores selling Tru Earth Laundry Strips. Shop in places that are most convenient for you. I know for me, Amazon and Costco are the best options to buy TruEarth. Here are a few sites that sell Tru Earth.
- Tru Earth Website
- Tru Earth Amazon Store
- Zero Waste Outlet
- Walmart
- Zero Waste Store
- Natura Market
- Nourished Life
- Big Green Smile (UK)
- Well.ca (Canada)
- Canadian Tire (Canada)
Is Tru Earth Hypoallergenic?
The nice thing about Tru Earth Laundry Products is that they come in a variety of formulations and scents. They are all considered hypoallergenic, but if you are sensitive to scents, it is best to stick with the baby (scent-free) formulation or the fragrance-free formulation.
All formulations are paraben-free. Parabens are namely used in cosmetics and cleaning products as a way to shelf-stabilize formulations and keep them fresher longer. Parabens are considered safe to use by the EU and FDA, yet recent studies have noted that they could disrupt hormones and increase the risk of cancer in larger doses. They can also cause skin irritation.
All formulations are also free of dyes, bleach, and phosphate. They have been labeled as hypoallergenic by a dermatologist. My children both suffer from asthma and allergies since birth and have not found Tru Earth stips to be irritating or triggers to their conditions.
Tru Earth’s Green Footprint
Tru Earth has moved in the right direction for the planet as they ensure that the product adheres to these ethical and environmental standards:
- Made in Canada
- No Plastic is Used in Packaging or Product
- Toxic-free
- Safe for babies and those with allergies
- Phosphate-free
- Free of added dyes
- Free of chlorine bleach
- Readily biodegradable in accordance with OECD 310D
- Vegan: no animal-based ingredients or testing on animals
Do Tru Earth Laundry strips work in front load and top load machines?
Yes, Tru Earth Laundry strips work in both the front loader and the top loader machines. It is better to insert the strips into the basin rather than the soap dispenser. From experience and many reviews read, I noted the same recommendation from many users.
Why I Think it’s Worth it to make the switch to Tru Earth Laundry strips
- HUGE space saver! Perfect for apartment or minimalist living!
- Zero-Waste. Cardboard packaging is recyclable and there is no plastic generated from Tru Earth Products.
- Thicker stips have a higher concentration of detergent than other brands.
- Adheres to strict certifications:
- Paraben-free
- Phosphate-free
- Readily biodegradable in accordance with OECD 310D
- Vegan: no animal-based ingredients or testing on animals by us or our ingredient suppliers
- Satisfaction guaranteed. Return if you don’t like them.
- Easily buy a 1yr supply for $109 CAD!
Final Words
This product surprised me enough not only to switch my way of doing laundry, but it also enticed me to write this article and let you know that it is indeed a great product that saves space, time cleaning laundry messes and lugging laundry jugs, and is also good for the environment and the future of our planet. If you would like to try out a variety of different strips before you end up with your favorite, read this article:
3 Responses
I have been so curious about trying the Tru Earth laundry strips. I really like that they are a huge space saver and that they reduce waste. I have to give them a try now. Thank you for your awesome detailed review!
I have *almost* clicked to purchase Tru Earth a couple of times but was afraid they just wouldn’t work. Thanks for the very thorough review!
Oh my gosh! I just realized after reading this that I’ve been using my Tru Earth strips wrong. I was putting them on top and didn’t even realize it. I can only imagine the difference this is going to make for me. Thank you! 🙂