Best Laundry Detergents

It’s an inescapable fact of life: at some point, you’re going to have to do laundry. Actually, you’re going to have to do it at a lot of points. Doing laundry is never going to be fun, but there are definitely some things that will make it even less fun than usual. For instance, having to wash the same piece of clothing multiple times to get stains out of it, if it comes clean at all. Or doing your laundry, putting on a shirt, and realizing halfway through the day that something is making you break out in an itchy rash. In both cases, the culprit is probably the detergent that you’re using, and taking a few extra minutes to shop around can save you a lot of headaches down the road. Here’s what to look for when choosing a detergent.

Powder: Powdered detergents are the oldest varieties on the market. Some machines have special compartments for powdered detergents, while others allow you to add them directly to the clothes.

• Because they are lighter, powdered laundry detergents can be an excellent option for people looking to buy online and save on shipping.

Liquid: Liquid laundry detergents have been the most popular detergents on the market for quite a while now. Simply pour the detergent onto the clothes, start the machine, and you’re good to go.

• Liquid detergents are great for people who want a simple, straightforward option when doing the laundry.

Packs: Detergent packs are small bundles of highly-concentrated detergent that get thrown in with the clothes and then dissolve when the water runs into the machine.

• Detergent packs are an excellent, highly efficient option if you don’t want to worry about measuring detergent into the machine. Just throw the pack in and you’re done.

High Efficiency: High-efficiency detergent is designed to get the clothes clean with the minimum of soap.

• High-efficiency detergent can be used in any washer, but some newer washers are specially designed to only work with high-efficiency detergent.

Here are some of the things reviewers mention when giving feedback on their detergent purchases:

• Cleaning power: This one is probably obvious. Customers want their detergent to have cleaning power. The best brands will clean just about any stain, no matter how tough. Less well-reviewed brands might do a good job with day-to-day cleaning, but not on tougher jobs, and there’s no reason to buy two kinds of detergent to wash the same clothes.
• Packing convenience: This one might not be quite as obvious. Some reviewers mention having a hard time getting the detergent out of the box or bottle, or the design causing spillage. Better brands take actual use into consideration and put their detergents in clean, easy-to-use containers.
• Dissolving and distribution: Detergent isn’t going to be very useful to you if it doesn’t dissolve in the water. The best brands, whether liquid, powder, or pack, dissolve completely in the water and don’t leave soap residue on your clothes or in your machine.
• Washer compatibility: Most detergents will work with just about any machine, but according to reviewers some machines (high efficiency, front loading, etc.) seem to work best with particular kinds of soap.

• Allergens: Unfortunately, this might be a case of trial and error. If you’re in the market for a new brand of detergent, it might be a good idea to buy a small size container, wash a small load of laundry, and give it a try. You’ll know pretty quickly whether you have a reaction to the detergent.
• Concentration: Be sure to take a look at how concentrated the detergent is. It might seem logical to spend more money and buy a bigger bottle of detergent—a bigger bottle obviously has more soap inside—but if the smaller bottle is more concentrated, you’ll be able to use less per load, and it might end up saving you money in the long run.
• Scent: This is a matter of personal taste and comfort. Since detergents come in a wide variety of scents (with plenty of scentless options available), go with a scent that suits your tastes—and, if you want to be popular at home and at work, one that the people around you appreciate as well.

All: All is one of the brands produced by Sun Products, which an American company that has been in the detergent business since 1975. The company produces a number of brands of laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and dish products.

Mrs. Meyer’s: Mrs. Meyer’s is an American detergent manufacturer whose main goal is to produce soaps without the kinds of chemical additives that can be found in other brands, particularly when it comes to scents. To that end, the company offers detergents that come scented with natural ingredients.

Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation is an American manufacturer of detergents, soaps and other household products. The company is dedicated to environmental responsibility, and therefore focuses on using recycled materials whenever possible and producing soaps and detergents that are biodegradable.

Tide: Tide has been one of the leading detergent companies in America almost since its founding in 1946, and for good reason: their products work. Today, as one of the brands owned by Procter & Gamble, Tide is one of the most popular brands on store shelves.