After Testing Over 29 Laundry Detergents, These 7 Are the Best We Recommend

Best Overall

Gain Original Liquid Laundry Detergent

$17 $15 at Amazon $6 at Walmart $13 at Target

When evaluating overall effectiveness, ease of use, value, and scent, our top contender was Gain Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap Plus Aroma Boost. This liquid detergent performed the best in our testing at removing stains and leaving clothes and linens feeling fluffy, lightweight, and clean.

The most standout feature, however, was its refreshing scent that remained on the laundry and can last for up to six weeks. We also like that it’s compatible with all machines. With a median price of 19 cents per load, it’s also an excellent value when the recommended amount is used. 

Although we did find this laundry detergent to be the most effective at removing certain stains including chocolate, wine, grass, tomato sauce, and makeup, it fell short when it came to oil stains. Since oil stains are notoriously hard to remove, we don’t see this as much of a drawback and think this detergent has plenty of other great features that more than make up for it. 

_{Form: Liquid | Quantity: From 46 fluid ounces | Number of Loads: From 32 loads | Scent: Original}

Best Pods

Tide PODS Laundry Detergent Soap Pods

$20 at Amazon $20 at Walmart $20 at Target

We’re keen on recommending Tide Pods as the best laundry detergent pods, particularly for their convenience and overall performance.

During our testing, we liked how effective the pods were in all water temperatures and how they left clothes feeling soft and fluffy with a light scent. We also like that they come in various package sizes, from 16 to 112, and a few pleasant scent options. 

While we do appreciate these pods’ cleaning power, some stains in our testing like wine, oil, and makeup, required either stain pre-treatment or a second pod in the load. Still, these are a reliable and efficient laundry detergent, especially for those who don’t want to spend time measuring laundry detergent. 

_{Form: Pods | Quantity: From 16 pods | Number of Loads: From 16 loads | Scent: Original, Spring Meadow}

Best Sheets

Bryt Laundry Detergent Sheets

$12 at Amazon $15 at Walmart

Like laundry pods, detergent sheets are pre-measured and simple to use, only consisting of a simple toss in the washing machine. And if we had to choose just one to recommend, it would be the Bryt Laundry Detergent Sheets. 

Most detergent sheets require you to use two sheets to effectively clean larger loads, but the cool thing about these Bryt sheets is that regardless of your load size, you only need one. Our textiles came out cleaner and softer.

If you’re not a huge scent person, you’ll appreciate how subtle the notes are. We could only smell the detergent sheets when they were up to our nose, but our clothes didn’t have a detected scent post dryer. 

And while the Bryte detergent sheets impressively lifted our chocolate and red wine stains, the makeup, spaghetti, grass, and other tested stains were still noticeably visible post-wash. So we highly recommend having a pre-treatment on standby. Still, we think this is a useful option for anyone who does laundry while they travel or is not prone to tough stains.

_{Form: Sheets | Quantity: 50 | Number of Loads: 50 | Scent: Fresh linen}

Best Powder

Gain Original Powder Laundry Detergent

$32 $22 at Amazon $24 at Walmart $24 at Target

Powder laundry detergent can often get a bad reputation for being a bit messy. But when it comes to value, we think it's unbeatable. We recommend Gain Original Powder Laundry Detergent for its pleasant and classic Gain scent, excellent value, and compatibility with all machine types. In our testing, we liked the handle on the box that made it easy to carry and the included scoop with exact measurements. 

We found in our testing that this laundry detergent powder was able to significantly fade most of the stains we tested, particularly the chocolate, grass, and mud stains, but was unable to remove them completely. If you prefer a powder detergent and are looking for a great value, we recommend pairing this with a stain remover for a successful laundry day. 

_{Form: Powder | Quantity: From 45 ounces | Number of Loads: From 44 loads | Scent: Original}

Best for Sensitive Skin

All Free Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent

$22 at Amazon $6 at Walmart $12 at Target

Whether you’re sensitive to fragrance and dyes, or you’re looking for a laundry detergent to remove everyday allergens such as pet dander, All Free & Clear 2X Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent is the best laundry detergent for sensitive skin.

In our testing, we also found that this laundry detergent was one of the best when it came to removing stains, which we attribute to its concentrated formula. We also liked the bottle and cap were easy to use, and overall it left laundry feeling soft and smelling clean without the use of fragrance.

Despite being slightly more expensive than other laundry detergents, we think the cleaning power and formula for sensitive skin make this more than worth the price. We also appreciate the label recommendation from dermatologists and pediatricians. 

_{Form: Liquid | Quantity: 82.5 fluid ounces | Number of Loads: 110 | Scent: Unscented}

Best Liquid

HEX Performance Laundry Detergent

$26 at Amazon View on Hexperformance.com

Most liquid laundry detergents have a thicker consistency, similar to gel, but the HEX Performance Laundry Detergent is a true liquid that pours like water and performs well on strong odors and most stains.

In our testing, we were impressed with how well it got rid of or significantly faded most stains while also neutralizing strong odors. We think this laundry detergent is especially useful for athletic wear, and we like that it has a biodegradable and eco-friendly formula that is gentle on skin. We also like that there are several scent options, including fragrance free. 

While we liked the smaller container that’s easy to handle and may be convenient for storing in small spaces, it does mean that there is less product in this standard size compared to other options. However, this laundry detergent also comes in the form of pods and a larger 100 fluid ounce box container with a pour spout. 

_{Form: Liquid | Quantity: From 32 fluid ounces | Number of Loads: From 32 loads | Scent: Citrus Woods, Crisp Linen, Fragrance Free, Fresh & Clean, Lavender Fields}

Best Eco-Friendly

Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent Packs

$14 at Amazon $14 at Target View on Grove.co

When it comes to the best eco-friendly laundry detergents, we’ve always been a fan of Seventh Generation. We love these Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent Packs since they are free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and artificial brightener, and the bio-enzyme formula is 94 percent plant-based ingredients. We know that plant-based or natural detergents are both gentler on the environment and your skin.

This detergent also has 20 percent more cleaning power and concentration to tackle tough stains. Lastly, to confirm the eco-friendliness of these pacs, they’re an EPA Safer Choice Certified product and have an A rating from the Environmental Working Group. 

The free and clear option does not have fragrance, but if you’re looking to add some scent to your laundry, there are three scents to choose from. It’s important to keep in mind that these can be hit or miss when it comes to cold water washing, but they perform well in either warm or hot water. Regardless of the temperature, we still think these are the best laundry detergent for those who want to minimize their environmental footprint. 

_{Form: Pods | Quantity: 42 | Number of Loads: 42 | Scent: Citrus, Citrus & Cedar, Free & Clear, Lavender, Unscented}