Swap Your Pods For Cubes: Plastic-Free Detergent for Your Laundry Room and Kitchen

If you’ve been looking for a plastic-free detergent that’s just as easy as a pod, this one’s for you. The Nellie’s pod swap is simple: swap plastic detergent pods for Nellie’s Laundry Cubes in the laundry room, and Nellie’s Dish Cubes in the kitchen. Keep the pre-measured, grab-and-go convenience. Skip the plastic film.

Small changes add up. Here’s what makes a Cube different from a pod, how each one works, and how easily they fit into the routine you already have.

Pods vs. Cubes: What’s the Difference?

Most laundry and dishwasher pods are wrapped in a thin plastic film made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA or PVOH). That film is designed to dissolve in the wash, but it’s still a synthetic polymer, and it’s one more material going down the drain with every load, potentially clogging your pipes.

Nellie’s Cubes take a different approach. They’re pressed, concentrated detergent with no film around them at all. Both Cubes are PVA-free and contain no microplastics, so there’s no wrapper to dissolve and nothing extra to think about.

• Pods: pre-measured detergent sealed inside a PVA film.
• Cubes: pre-measured, concentrated detergent with no film or wrapper.

Same one-and-done convenience, minus the plastic film.

Why a Plastic-Free Detergent Swap Makes Sense

Cutting back on plastic doesn’t have to mean overhauling your whole home. Laundry and dishes happen almost every day, so they’re one of the easiest places to make a change that sticks.

Concentrated Cubes also mean you’re not paying to ship and store water. Liquid detergents are made up largely of water, while our Cubes pack the cleaning power into a compact, pre-measured format. That means less bulk under the sink and in the laundry cupboard.

Meet Nellie’s Laundry Cubes: A Laundry Pod Alternative

Nellie’s Laundry Cubes are a PVA-free, plastic-free laundry pod alternative made for everyday washing. Each Cube is highly concentrated, so you get powerful cleaning without unnecessary fillers.

• HE-compatible and designed to dissolve in hot or cold water
• Pre-measured, so there’s no pouring, scooping or guessing
• Enzyme-powered with protease and amylase to help lift everyday messes
• Available in Unscented, Fresh Linen, Spa Day and Lavender, with scented options fragranced with essential oils

How to Use Laundry Cubes

1. Place 1 Cube directly into the drum.
2. Add your clothes to the washer, being careful not to overload it.
3. Run your wash as usual.

Tip: Always put the Cube directly in the drum, not in the detergent dispenser.

Meet Nellie’s Dish Cubes: A Dishwasher Pod Alternative

Nellie’s Dish Cubes are a PVA-free dishwasher pod alternative with no plastic film. Each concentrated Cube is packed with enzymes to cut through everyday grease, grime and stuck-on food.

• Built-in rinse aid, so there’s no need to buy or add a separate one
• No pre-rinse required. Just scrape off excess food before loading.
• One Cube, one load, for a simple, pre-measured routine
• Available in Unscented, Lemon and Eucalyptus Mint

How to Use Dish Cubes

1. Scrape excess food from your dishes and load the dishwasher.
2. Place 1 Dish Cube in your dishwasher’s detergent dispenser. Cubes fit most standard dispensers.
3. Run your dishwasher as usual. Skip the separate rinse aid.

How Detergent Cubes Fit Into Your Routine

If you already use pods, you already know how to use detergent Cubes. The habit is the same: grab one, drop it in, press start.

• Keep them where you use them. Store the laundry tin near the washer and the dish tin under the sink.
• Keep them dry. Store Cubes in a cool, dry place and close the tin between uses.
• Swap as you go. Finish your current pods, then replace them with Cubes. No need to change everything at once.

Common Questions About Making the Switch

What’s in Nellie’s detergent Cubes?

We list our ingredients right on each product page. Laundry Cubes are made with ingredients like sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, sodium carbonate and enzymes (protease and amylase). Dish Cubes use ingredients like sodium carbonate, citric acid, sodium carbonate peroxide and enzymes (protease and amylase). See the Laundry Cubes and Dish Cubes pages for the full lists.

Will Cubes leave residue?

Residue usually comes down to how a product is used, so a few simple habits go a long way. For laundry, place the Cube directly in the drum, use the right amount for your load size, and don’t overload the machine so everything has room to move and rinse. For dishes, put the Cube in the detergent dispenser and let the built-in rinse aid do its job.

If you have been using pods for a long time... you may be asking yourself; why is there a film on my plates? Always make sure your dishwasher filter has been cleaned recently (especially after using plastic pods, those are a major buildup culprit!)

Do Laundry Cubes work in cold water and HE machines?

Yes. Laundry Cubes are HE-compatible and designed to dissolve in hot or cold water.

Do I still need rinse aid with Dish Cubes?

No. Dish Cubes have rinse aid built right in, so you don’t need to add a separate one.

Ready to Swap Your Pods For Cubes?

Small switches in the laundry room and kitchen are an easy way to use less plastic every day, without giving up convenience or cleaning power. Start with one room or go for both. Swap your pods for Nellie’s Laundry Cubes and Nellie’s Dish Cubes, and let your everyday clean get a little lighter on plastic.