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Liquids, pods, powders, and more.
Photo:Real Simple / Dera Burreson
It isnt as effective on oil.
As far as laundry detergents go, the Gain Original Liquid Laundry Detergent swept the competition.
It only fell short when removing the oil stains from our athletic shirts.
This liquid laundry detergent has a powerful staining-fighting formula and a welcoming scent.PHOTO: The Spruce
Our towels felt plush and fluffy after use, and all our clothes felt completely clean.
Honestly to die for.
Our towels felt a bit stiff.
PHOTO: Real Simple
When it comes to convenience,pod detergentscant be beat.
It’s not as effective on oily stains.
If you prefer a powder, this one from Mollys Suds is a great option.
If you do prefer fragrance, there are plenty of scented options available.
During testing, completely removed our chocolate and red wine stains.
It had a bit more trouble with foundation and chlorophyll, but did lighten the jojoba oil.
The ideal amount of powder depends on the amount of laundry you have.
After washing our clothes and towels, everything felt soft, especially the grey shirt.
And with the small scooper, one bag lasts about 70 washes.
With a solid stain performance and subtle scent, it gives a real bang for your buck.
They dont work as well on tough stains.
They successfully removed chocolate stains and got the wine out of a grey shirt.
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After washing, the T-shirt felt pliable, and the linen napkin was even softer than before.
Even so, we found these sheets effective and easy to use.
Averaging about 30 cents per sheet, theyre a solid deal.
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Certain linens might feel stiff after use.
Free of perfumes and dyes, it left our linens with a barely noticeable clean aroma.
Our towels felt fluffy after use, and our clothing felt mostly pliable.
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The cost per load is high.
After leaving the box on our dining table, it pretty much perfumed the entire room.
For regular loads, we used one tile; for larger or stinkier ones, we needed two.
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We were impressed that even our dirtiest items smelled nice after use.
That said, note that the strong fragrance may be overwhelming to sensitive noses.
An alternative to plastic Tide pods, these tiles contain 100% concentrated ingredients packed in a soft fabric.
We liked the tidiness of this productno messy measuring like there is with liquidand that it dissolved well.
Our clothes felt super soft and fresh after washing, with no coating or weird residue.
It left clothes with a faint chemical smell.
After washing, our garments felt fluffy and light with no stiffness or scratchiness.
If youre battling tougher stains, this detergent is definitely worth it.
They lack stain-fighting power.
Its even gentle enough for babies and pets, earningan A rating from the EWG.
The tradeoff for its natural ingredients, however, is itsability to fight stains.
While it managed to remove chocolate and wine stains from our T-shirts, other stains were only lightened.
That said, we appreciated that our linens didnt feel slick, sticky, or wrinkly after use.
While its a bit pricey, for anyone prioritizing a natural formula, it’s worth the cost.
We also couldnt get enough of its subtle fresh scent.
For those with extra-sensitive skin, we recommend theDropps Sensitive Skin Detergent.
Free from fragrance, dye, and other irritating enzymes, its safe for both babies and pets.
We added various stains to each garment to see how well the detergents could remove them.
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For the cotton T-shirt, we added jojoba oil, chocolate, wine, and foundation.
For the gray athletic polyester T-shirt, we replaced the foundation with chlorophyll to mimic a grass stain.
Considering these factors, we compiled our list of the best laundry detergents.
PHOTO: Real Simple
In terms of convenience,pod detergentsare the easiest to use.
Powder detergentsare usually cheaper than liquids and pods, and their high concentration is very powerful.
Sinceliquid detergentsare already dissolved, you dont have to worry about clumps or residue.
That said, liquid detergents are the messiest to handle.
Still, the pouring process could get messy, so we recommend keeping a towel or napkins nearby.
Formula
A detergents formulathe ingredients it’s made ofis what determines its effectiveness.
In addition to effectiveness, skin irritation is also worth considering.
Fragrance can also be an irritant, so unscented options are a safe choice.
Shes used liquid detergent and pods and finds pods to be the most convenient.
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