The best laundry detergents for 2025, tested and reviewed

There’s nothing like splurging on a new piece of clothing, only to splatter it with olive oil or sauce while cooking. Or squirt mustard or ketchup on your favorite T-shirt during a backyard barbecue. And don’t get us started on the wine or ice cream that drips during what was meant to be a little well-deserved indulgence. We've been there, so we decided to test 24 popular laundry detergents to see how they fare. We pitted them against common stain culprits, including makeup, dirt, grass and ink — and while many impressed us, just a handful bubbled to the top. Here are the very best laundry detergents for 2025, a mix of potent pods, powders and liquids. And if you're all about fragrance, check out our guide to the best scented laundry detergents.

Table of contents

Best laundry detergents for 2025

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Factors to consider when choosing a laundry detergent

So many detergents, so little time! Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping.

• Detergent type:

  • Liquids are often cheaper than other formulas, and because you can use as much or little as you like, easily adjustable depending on the severity of the mess and size of the load.

  • Powders, like liquids, allow you to customize your dosage depending on the size (or dirt level) of your laundry.

  • Pods eliminate the need for measuring and are less messy to use than liquid (no drips!). However, you may not want to keep them around if you have kids, as there have been cases of children ingesting them by accident. They also often come at a higher cost than liquid detergents.

  • Sheets: Detergent sheets have grown in popularity as a more sustainable alternative to plastic laundry tubs and pods. We have not yet included sheets in our testing because our research has shown that they don't perform as well as other formulations and don't always dissolve properly, particularly in cold water.

• Stain type: If you or someone in your household is prone to messes, look for a detergent with “oxi” in the name, which means it contains oxygen bleach or a cleaning agent with oxygen-based stain-fighting properties, to help tackle tough stains. For sweat (and its accompanying stink), try a formula that contains baking soda or other deodorizers that can help neutralize odors.

• Fragrance type and intensity: Laundry detergent scents usually fall into one of these categories: fresh, floral or fruity. How do you know if a fragrance will last long? The stronger it is at first whiff, the stronger it will often be post-wash. Naturally scented formulas seem to be the exception to this rule, though.

• Skin sensitivity: The most long-lasting scents are often synthetic, so if you're someone with allergies or sensitive skin, you may need to forgo fragrance in exchange for a gentler formula. Look for detergents that are hypoallergenic and free of harsh dyes and overly heavy fragrances.

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How we tested laundry detergents

We scoured the internet, sorting through thousands of shopper comments on brand and retail sites for top-rated detergents. We also consulted with experts — including scientists and a fourth-generation dry cleaner who's tested more than 100 detergents — on high-performing formulas, as well as the types of stains we should pit them up against.

We narrowed our testing pool to 10 popular liquids, pods and sheets, plus 14 fragrance-forward detergents, taking each for a spin along with various stain swatches. We then checked how well each detergent fared in these common stain scenarios:

• "Office hours" test: We drew lines with black pen and permanent marker on the white cotton to test how the detergents could tackle ink.

• "Kiss and tell" test: We applied red lipstick and liquid foundation to test how the detergents could handle smeared cosmetics.

• "Wine and dine" test: We spilled red table wine, olive oil and sauce to test how the detergents could eliminate saturated liquids.

• "BBQ bust" test: We dripped mustard, ketchup and ice cream on the swatches to test how the detergents fared against common foods.

• "Sliding home" test: We soiled the cotton with dirt and grass to test how the detergents could stand up to sports and outdoor adventures.

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Other laundry detergents we tested

In addition to the 14 fragrance-forward formulas in our guide to the best scented laundry detergents, we tried these top performers:

Tide Oxi Boost Power Pods (44 cents per load): These detergent pods performed on par with our top Persil pick, wiping the ketchup, olive oil, red wine and chocolate ice cream clean and significantly reducing the appearance of every other stain but the permanent marker. Because there was a nominal difference, if any, we went with Persil because of its lower price tag.

Gain Flings! Pods (25 cents per load): Gain Flings! did almost as well as the Persil and Tide pods — plus, they're cheaper and smell amazing — but the others performed a little better at removing foundation, which gave them a slight edge.

Dropps 4-in-1 Oxi Pods (39 cents per load): Dropps' pods didn't appear as effective at removing makeup, such as red lipstick and foundation. But if you're willing to pretreat cosmetic stains in the name of a natural, free and clear laundry detergent, they're a good choice.

Gain Ultra Original Powder (14 cents per load): Gain's powder detergent was able to get the ketchup, olive oil, red wine and chocolate ice cream — and greatly reduce the other stains. In the end, Tide's Oxi powder proved more effective at removing red sauce and lipstick, taking the win.

Tide 10X Heavy Duty Hygienic Clean Liquid (24 cents per load): This detergent was among the top performers, holding the line with other Tide and Persil variations. Ultimately, we ended up going with Tide's Free & Gentle for its sensitive skin-friendly formula and more affordable pricing.

Persil Original Liquid (20 cents per load): Persil's liquid performed similar to the pods in our top picks, but the brand's pods and the winning Tide detergents appeared slightly better at removing, or at least reducing, red lipstick.

Arm & Hammer Deep Clean Stain Formula Liquid (21 cents per load): Arm & Hammer's formula cleared ketchup, olive oil, red wine and chocolate ice cream and got most of the "stubborn six," also greatly reducing the ink. Though from what we could see, our overall pick proved a slightly better match for makeup.

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Laundry detergent FAQs

What’s the difference between unscented and scented laundry detergent?

Scented laundry detergents contain naturally derived and/or synthetic fragrances, whereas scent-free detergent does not. Keep in mind that "unscented" detergent is not the same thing as scent- or odor-free detergent, which is often labeled "free and clear." Unscented detergents can still contain fragrances to mask certain ingredients or reach neutrality.

What’s better: liquid or pod detergent?

You can more easily adjust the amount you're using with liquid detergents, and they tend to cost less than pods. With pods, you avoid drips, and they're more convenient for carrying, ideal if you go to a laundromat. Ultimately, it depends on what's most important to you.

What's the best way to remove a stain?

Pozniak recommends pretreating clothes for best results, especially when it comes to more difficult stains like pen, ink, glue, dye and very soiled garments, as well anything anything that's designed to be permanent (i.e. why he anticipated we'd have trouble removing Sharpie marker in our test). "Take a small amount of liquid detergent — a few drops will do — and work it into the stain," he advises. "Let it sit for about an hour before washing if possible for best results. In general, the longer it sits on a stain the better, up to a week."

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Meet the expert

• Zachary Pozniak, The Laundry Book author and fourth-generation dry cleaner

We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.