The other difference with using the laundry ball instead of detergents is the total lack of residue left in the fabric. No washing machine offers enough rinsing cycles to totally remove all the residues left behind by most detergents. In fact, in a lot of the latest 'water-saving' models, the rinsing can be even less effective. In the past, we often reset the machine for an additional rinse once it had completed its normal cycle, or in a lot of cases now, we try to compensate by using a softener.