Laundry Detergent: Reviews

When it comes to laundry detergent for standard top-loading washing machines, Tide liquid laundry soaps are tested the most widely. They receive the best reviews overall, even though they are more expensive than many… competing mainstream brands. Tide is well-reviewed by consumers, and in more formal testing it excels for stain removal and keeping colors bright. While we've put Tide 2X Ultra Concentrated with a Touch of Downy in our Best Reviewed chart, you should note that Tide 2X Ultra Concentrated detergents as a whole are top performers in comparison testing, and any of them would be a good choice. The HE version of this detergent, a low-sudsing soap for high-efficiency washers, also gets good reviews and costs about the same.

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Although we didn't see it included in as many tests as Tide, Wal-Mart's house brand, Great Value Everyday Elegance 2X Ultra, cleans only slightly less impressively than Tide laundry detergent in testing and it costs much… less. As with all laundry detergents, the fragrance may not be to your liking, but Everyday Elegance cleans as well or better in tests than other laundry soap. Everyday Elegance is a liquid soap formulated for standard washing machines.

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We didn't find Country Save included in formal comparison tests, but this powdered laundry soap has a strong fan base, particularly among parents who started using it for laundering cloth diapers but now use it for all of… their laundry. This mild detergent is dye-free and fragrance-free, and it contains no phosphates (which can harm marine life). Since you only use a small amount of this powder, costs are low -- about 18 cents per load for standard washing machines or 9 cents per load for high-efficiency machines (since you use less). Country Save's packaging is made of recycled and recyclable materials.

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Seventh Generation laundry detergents are the most popular of the eco-friendly detergents among consumers and experts. Seventh Generation soaps use vegetable-based cleaning agents instead of petroleum-based agents. In… addition, they have no phosphates, which can be harmful to marine animals. Free & Clear contains no dyes or fragrances that can irritate those with sensitive skin. In comparison tests, Seventh Generation laundry detergent falls in the middle when it comes to cleaning, but for many, the slight loss in performance is an acceptable tradeoff for a detergent that has less environmental impact. Seventh Generation can be used in both standard and HE washing machines. Seventh Generation detergents are easier to find than Country Save's eco-friendly soaps, but Country Save is less expensive.

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