Powder detergents are especially efficient at removing stains like dirt, clay, and mud, says Jennifer Ahoni, the director of scientific communication for North America fabric at Procter & Gamble. Liquid detergents, on the other hand, are great at dealing with grease and body soil, Jennifer says.
It depends. While both liquid and powder laundry detergent will get the job done, there are different pros and cons to using each one. So it will depend on what you're after in a laundry detergent. Here's what you need to know about liquid and powder laundry detergent.
Washing a load of laundry without detergent may not effectively remove dirt, stains, and odors. Detergent is crucial for breaking down and lifting away grime. Without it, clothes may not get clean, and bacteria or odors could persist. Additionally, in hard water areas, mineral buildup on fabrics might occur.
Both work pretty similarly for regular, lightly soiled clothes (everyday laundry). Powder tends to work better for dirt/mud stains, and liquid is better for grease/oil stains. For more heavily soiled clothes from working out, liquid is better, esp in HE machines.
You can wash clothes with just water, but you may not get them thoroughly clean. The agitation from the washing and the rinsing of the water can take care of easy-to-remove dirt on the surface, but it won't take care of stains and any heavy odors. Use a laundry detergent to break down stains and soiling.
If powder detergent doesn't dissolve completely with each load, it can clump up and cause blocks in hoses and drains that can affect your appliance's performance.
Powdered Detergent Cons
More difficult to use for pretreating stains. Must be stored in a dry area to prevent caking. Does not dissolve well in extremely cold water leaving white residue on fabrics and in the washer. The fillers in powdered detergent can build up in septic systems and cause clogs.
Powdered detergents can also leave behind residue if they don't dissolve properly. This can cause white stains on your clothes or a buildup in your washing machine's drain, especially when used with cold or hard water.
Dish soap can cost much less than laundry detergent and can clean your clothes just as well. However, it's important to keep in mind that you will use a lot less dish liquid than laundry detergent. Adding too much dish soap will cause your washing machine to overflow with bubbles.
Pods are generally safe for your washing machine, but always check your model's owner's manual. Be sure to take a few precautions as you work them into your laundry routine. Disable any bulk or automatic dispensers in your washer to avoid a double dose of detergent.
Though you may be able to remove surface-level dirt and debris by washing laundry with water only, it may not be enough to wash away odors and stains. Laundry detergent is formulated to give your clothes a thorough clean and break down soils, so it is typically recommended when washing clothes.
Even the best detergents can't remove every stain completely. But laundry sheets as a group didn't perform well—netting scores that range from mediocre to lousy. “In fact, they had lower performance as a group than our lowest-performing liquid or pod/packs detergents,” Handel says.
The surfactants (or surface active agents) in detergent break up grease, stains, and food residues to disperse them in water. Without a surfactant (your detergent, in this case), your clothing would simply sit in the water and come out close to the same way it went in: dirty.
all Free Clear is the #1 recommended detergent brand by dermatologists, allergists and pediatricians for sensitive skin. 100% free of perfumes and dyes, all Free Clear is Tough on Stains, Gentle on Skin.
But our tests of dozens of laundry detergents show there are significant differences from one formula to the next. Some detergents are effective at getting clothes clean while others barely clean better than running a wash cycle using nothing but water.
Baking Soda + Lemon Juice
Many people know that baking soda and lemon juice are the go-to combinations for many cookies, cocktails, and cakes. However, these two powerful ingredients are also the greenest replacement for laundry detergents.
Powder detergents are especially efficient at removing stains like dirt, clay, and mud, says Jennifer Ahoni, the director of scientific communication for North America fabric at Procter & Gamble. Liquid detergents, on the other hand, are great at dealing with grease and body soil, Jennifer says.
"It's never an easy choice to discontinue a product, but the demand just wasn't there for Free & Gentle in a powder," Tide responded. The company suggested: "You may want to try the Eco-Box version in the box that offers a lighter, smaller, and more eco-friendly option of the liquid detergent for you."
We think that the Surf Excel Easy Wash Detergent Powder, Rin Advanced Detergent Powder, and Tide Plus Double Power Detergent Washing Powder are the best detergent powders in India.
“People are wearing more dark clothes,” Mueller-Kirschbaum says, “not the typical white shirt or blouse of 20 years ago.” And while powders are good for whitening and removing dirt, liquids, he says, are better at tackling the “stains we always have with us—the bodily oils we cannot avoid.”
The best washing powders for 2022 are:
Best for stain removal – Ecover non-bio washing powder: £9, Sainsburys.co.uk. Best for whites – Miele ultra white powder detergent: £16.69, Miele.co.uk. Best for sensitive skin – Fairy non-bio washing powder: £7.50, Wilko.com.
Remember, fabric softener is completely optional, and your garments will likely pop out of the dryer feeling fresh, clean, and soft without it. However, “For some, it might make doing their laundry a little more fun to use an extra product that smells very good and is colorful,” Fulford says.