We all know that washing clothes at 30 degrees cleans them just as well as on a 40 wash and that it's better for the environment. But what about replacing detergents - do laundry balls work as well as good old-fashioned washing powder?

MODEL Helena Christensen might be telling us all to wash our clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40, 50, or 60, using Ariel. But there's another way.

Give up soap powder/liquid/ detergents altogether.

Not as daft as it seems. There's a growing range of products designed to do just that. And though at first it might seem a load of balls and nuts, we thought we'd give it a try.

ECOZONE ECO BALLS

£29.95 for 1,000 washes

THESE look like something from a kids' cartoon programme - jolly little yellow planets with star shapes and their own little green ring around them. They contain little pellets which apparently ionise the water and so help lift the dirt.

No detergent. No additives. No soap. No smell. No need for fabric softeners, nothing to make you itch. No need to rinse. Anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic. Just bung them in the washing machine and let them get on with it. They come with a refill of pellets plus a small tube of stain remover.

Do they work? Well yes - as long as your clothes aren't filthy. They coped well with general grubbiness, but weren't too good on oily or greasy stains. The other great bonus is the lack of smell. If you can't stand the sickly smell of most detergents this is a real plus. Also, even in our very hard water, they left clothes feeling softer.

Just be prepared for a lot of noise. It's not the bearings, it's the balls.

WASH IT LAUNDRY BALL

£7.99 for 100 washes

SAME idea, only one ball instead of three and not such a jolly design. Still fairly effective.

SOAPODS

£4.95 for about 25 washes

MOST odd. These looked like a little bag of lychee shells, but are the fruit of the tropical soap nut tree. You put some of these in a dinky little bag and use them in the wash instead of detergent. All very organic and natural.

Do they work? Hard to tell. However tightly we tied the bag, little bits of the shells kept escaping and struck to the washing. Not a good look. Yes, they were sort of cleaner, but just a tad too natural and primitive for us.

LIQUID SOAP NUTS

£5.99 for about 37 washes

SAME idea but without all the bits stuck to your washing. This was quite nice to use on woollies, nice and soft, but again not much good on anything really dirty.

DOLLY WASHER BALLS

£13.99 for nine

NOW these really do look like toys. Nine small bright plastic balls in different colours. Nothing in them. The logic is flawless. You put these in your washing machine and they replicate the action of the old washing dolly and knock the dirt out. That way, they say, you can reduce the amount of washing powder by three quarters. If only.

Do they work? We wanted these to work because the idea was so simple. Sadly, they didn't seem to make any difference at all. Also we kept losing them in the washing and fishing them out from under the washing machine or chasing them down the garden path. They were also incredibly noisy. They have now been appropriated by next door's cat, who thinks they're great.

WATER

WELL, it had to be worth a try. This was our control test. Maybe all those things worked because good old hot water would do the job anyway. So we tried putting a load through without anything at all, just a 50 degree wash in a super efficient washing machine.

And yes, a surprising amount of grubbiness was removed, but the results were definitely not as good as with all the various nuts and gizmos we had used. So they were obviously doing something.

CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT DETERGENT?

IT'S a wonderful prospect. No more lugging huge boxes, bottles or squidgy pouches back from the supermarket. No more spilt powder. No more huge expense and no more sickly smells.

It is ironic that in recent years, when we have all become cleaner and our clothes easier to wash, we have been attacking our washing more fiercely, more often with a greater barrage of chemicals. Maybe it's time to step back a bit. Not everything needs to be cleaned quite as viciously quite as often. Unless we're amazingly messy or have dirty jobs, most of us probably wash our clothes too hot and too harshly. They don't need it every time.

The great advantage of these alternative systems is that as well as saving the planet, they also save you money and effort. They cut down on chemicals, electricity and allergic reactions and save you money.

And yes. We've been converted. Sort of. Even since we finished the testing, we find we have still been using the Eco Balls and the Laundry Ball quite regularly. They've got most of our clothes clean and left them softer. We dry them outside and they smell of sunshine and fresh air, not artificial chemicals.

But we still have that box of Ariel for that occasional mucky load that needs a real blast. But as that now accounts for only about one load in seven, I reckon that we're winning.

And so, of course, is the planet.

We bought all our supplies from either Lakeland - www.lakeland.co.uk, or the ethical superstore in Newcastle - www.ethicalsuperstore.com. Other useful websites are www.ecozone.co.uk; www.ecoballsdirect.co.uk; www.greenshop.co.uk

Get shorty

They may be no bigger than a pair of Bridget Jones-style pants, but thigh-skimming shorts are the fashion statement of the moment.

But you don't need legs like a supermodel to get shorty this summer.

Those with a penchant for parading their pins can be as daring as they like with the vast array of shorts on the high street.

If you're feeling deluged by dresses and all things floaty and floral this season, step aboard for the sassy tomboy shorts alternative.

There's a shape and length to make everyone smile.

Don't shun shorts this summer. Make them a staple you can pull out from your wardrobe again and again with these sure-fire tips on how to wear them.

■ Think about your shape before you hit the shops. Which is the most flattering cut-off point for your shape? Mid-thigh? Below the knee? Don't rely on shop mirrors, which often take inches off your reflection.

■ Choose a fairly thick cotton. VPL and cellulite showing through at the rear is not a good look.

■ Dark colours are more flattering and go with everything.

■ Snip off your old boot-cut jeans just below the knee, and roll them up twice, for a great pair of weekend shorts. Team with wedges for a sexy look.