During the month of testing, we found ourselves gravitating toward Tide – Coldwater when it came to washing loads with tough stains. They are easy to use, distribute well in wash water, and come in a huge variety of scents. As liquids, they are also good for pretreating stains.
The most affordable solution for households, Arm & Hammer Clean Burst receives rave reviews for its value, scent, and everyday cleaning potential. Hero Clean Laundry Detergent originated from the complaint that detergents didn't come in any scents that weren't sweet or floral. They also maintain alkalinity, which helps to remove acidic, fatty and oily soils, and keeps soils from redepositing during the wash cycle.
Traditional laundry detergents can impact proper cleaning by creating a cushion of excess suds between the surfactants and the soil, which prevents the detergent from being able to grab the soil and remove it. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. All of our reviews are unsponsored, so we earn money by using affiliate links. Do you really want that in the fibers of your clothes? Cons: Powders dissolve better in warm water, which uses more energy than cold water. Plus, one of our experts thought the scent was heavenly. Due to low water levels in an HE washer during the wash and rinse cycles, HE detergents must work differently from traditional laundry detergents. Packs cannot be adjusted for small loads or hand-washing single items.
Mary has been writing professionally for more than 20 years and is a leading expert on fabric care and housekeeping. Pros: Liquids dissolve better in both warm and cold water, making them more energy efficient. Some consumers balked at the cost, but for those with sensitive skin, it was well worth the price. After testing 17 detergents on 10 stains, we’ve made Tide Ultra Stain Release our new top pick. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 90% of the energy used by clothes washers is for heating the water. from both cotton and polyester. Packs are designed for average soil and load size. They use only a few simple ingredients that you can easily pronounce, and can be as cheap as $.02 per load. Laundry Detergent Ratings If you would rather make your laundry detergent, there are recipes available for liquid, pod, and powders. Balancing green certification with a decent stain-fighting ability and a reasonable price, this detergent is a good option for those who want an eco-friendly detergent that doesn’t require extra pretreating steps. This gave us an idea of what consumers look for in a laundry detergent, so we could form some key metrics to use for comparison. The soil can’t be removed without the appropriate levels of detergent, leaving you with dirty clothes.
While the eco-friendly or natural detergents were less effective at removing stains, we couldn’t get enough of how soft our laundry felt after washing it in Ecover – Zero laundry detergent. Not only is Ecover eco-friendly, it’s formulated to be washed in cold water so it’s energy-efficient as well. They also need to be able to hold soils in low water volumes, so they don’t redeposit onto your clean clothes.
If you find you do have hard water, you can treat it by adding a water softener to your wash cycle.