This includes liquidless laundry detergent sheets-eco-friendly dissolvable strips of concentrated detergent that prove to be ineffective for stain removal in our tests. One possible factor is that they may lack the enzymes and other chemicals that give many regular detergents their stain-fighting power. Sales of detergents that come with green claims represent a small part of the market, and CR’s tests over the past decade have found that these detergents do not deliver the same cleaning power of the top-rated products. See our updated ratings of the worst detergents, and also of wasteful washing and drying habits that could be costing you money. The worst detergents? They’re barely better than water when it comes to removing most stains. We test for that, too, as you’ll see in our ratings. Hard water, which has a high mineral content, can reduce the effectiveness of some detergents. The best detergents we’ve tested earn an Excellent rating for removing body oil and dirt-common stains-but they can also tackle tougher ones, such as grass and blood. Testers use a colorimeter, a device that measures color intensity, to see how much of the stain remains on each dry swatch, compared with stained swatches that have been laundered using only water. (We don’t use a dryer because the heat can alter the stains.) We wash swatches in two identical washers with each detergent, then allow the swatches to air-dry. As wash cycles got cooler, the chemistry of detergents had to change in order for them to clean effectively.

Today’s water- and energy-efficient washers are designed to operate using cooler water than traditional top-loaders of decades past. Even the best detergents can’t remove every stain completely. We use stains that are exceedingly hard to remove so that we can detect real differences among detergents. We tested over 60 detergents, liquids, pods, and sheets, some of which are claimed to be gentle on sensitive skin or friendly to the environment, as you’ll see in our laundry detergent ratings.įirst, we launder fabric swatches that are saturated with blood, body oil, chocolate, coffee, dirt, grass, and salad dressing. And if you’re concerned about the impact your laundry chores may have on the environment, read our guide to the greenest washing machines. But old habits die hard, so be sure you’re following the directions and measure the detergent-no more free-form pouring.īy the way, if you’re here because you suspect it’s not your soap but your washer that’s failing to get your clothes clean, check out our comprehensive washing machine ratings and buying guide for our recommendations of full-sized and compact machines. This helps to reduce the amount of plastic or cardboard needed to make the containers. But our tests reveal that they’re less effective at removing stains than traditional liquid detergent.ĭetergent formulas today are highly concentrated. They’re plastic-free, low-sudsing, and dissovable, and they help prevent detergent overuse. Instead, a niche market of biodegradable laundry sheets (also known as detergent strips) are greening up laundry aisles as an eco-friendly choice. How about powders? Sales have dissolved, and you’ll find very few brands on store shelves. Some pods are more expensive per load, too. (See our cautions about detergent pods, below.) Also, even the best pods, also known as packs, can’t match the cleaning power of CR’s top-rated liquid detergents.

Although pods, also called laundry packs, are convenient to use, they present very real dangers if you have children in the house. Liquid detergents remain the most widely sold type. Henkel follows and is best known for Persil, and Church & Dwight sells Arm & Hammer and Xtra detergents. Procter & Gamble leads the pack, and its lineup includes Cheer, Gain, and Tide. In terms of sales, three manufacturers clean up, tallying up almost three-quarters of the money consumers spend on getting their laundry clean, according to IRI, a market research firm. A vast range of products come with promises that they’ll fight stains, keep colors vibrant, brighten whites, eliminate odors, or be gentle on your skin and the environment. When you’re shopping the detergent aisle, though, there’s no easy way to tell which formulas deliver. Our tests of dozens of laundry detergents show that there are real differences from one formula to the next-and that some detergents barely clean better than running a cycle with water alone.

Purex pods