What Are the Best Laundry Detergents
Doing the laundry is one of those chores that nobody looks forward to, and yet it is an essential part of life. Some people are happy using the first laundry detergent that comes to hand; others take the time to seek out the best laundry detergents to get the whitest shirts and the brightest colours.
But does it make a difference which laundry detergent you use? Any detergent will get the clothes clean, right?
Any detergent will remove surface dirt and freshen up the clothing a little, but many cheaper detergents will redeposit the dirt back into the clothing making them dull. It takes a good detergent to remove stains, keep your colours bright and provide the smell of clean laundry, which is why Love2Laundry only uses the best laundry detergents for your dry cleaning.
Here are the top 5 laundry detergents that we recommend for use at home.
Quick Answer: The best laundry detergent depends on your clothes and the kind of wash you need. Liquid detergent is usually better for cold washes and powder can work well on tough stains and warmer washes. For many people, Ariel and Persil are both good choices.
Top 5 Laundry Detergents
Laundry is an expensive part of life, so we can understand when people opt to buy the cheapest laundry detergent. However, the wrong detergent can ruin your clothes. These detergents may seem more expensive on the surface, but the long-lasting benefits mean that you will not have to replace your clothing as often which can save you a fortune.
Gain Liquid Detergent
Gain is well known for leaving clothes fresh with a variety of scents to choose from. Using Gain ensures that your laundry comes out of the washing machine with a fresh smell that may linger for up to six weeks.
This detergent works well in both hot and cold washes. It is cheaper than Tide; however, it is also not as effective as Tide when removing stains. That doesn’t mean Gain will not remove stains, but you may need to do some pre-laundry work with some stain remover first.
Tide Detergent
Tide has been around since Procter & Gamble developed the Tide formula in 1946. It has many years of developing and perfecting under its cap, making it a laundry detergent you can trust. While it doesn’t come with as many scent options as the budget-friendly Gain detergent, it is well known for its enhanced stain-removing abilities.
To wash your clothes with Tide detergent is to have confidence that most stains will be removed without having to do a prewash of any sort. Tide is the best-selling laundry detergent in the USA for good reason. Time and time again, Tide has proved to be an award-winning brand.
Persil Detergent Pods
For a European detergent that can rival the USA’s Tide, you want Persil. The Persil detergent works almost as well as Tide with one major difference. They offer a smaller, more focused collection that works well overall, while Tide offers something for every job.
While Persil does not offer many different scent options, the two scents they offer last a long time. Henkel and Cie have been perfecting the Persil formula since 1907, so you know it has been tried and tested. Both Tide and Persil are ranked high amongst cleaners, but Persil is a clear-cut winner if stain removal is important. Persil pods received the top tested cleaning awards in 2019 when it beat 42 detergents to the top of the list.
Ariel Washing Powder
When it comes to detergents, you will find families swearing by liquid while others say washing powder is the best. In truth, both are excellent options depending on the results you need to achieve.
If you wash in cold water most of the time, you are better off sticking with liquid detergents because they are more likely to dissolve into the water. However, if you are dealing with tough stains powder detergent is often stronger than a liquid. This is the case with Ariel Washing powder.
Ariel powder is excellent at removing tough stains and keeping whites looking fresh. Renowned amongst mums for its no-nonsense cleaning ability, this option will remove stains as tough as tomato ketchup on white shirts.
However, as it is a powder, many have noted that you need to use Ariel powder on a temperature wash in your washing machine for full effectiveness.
Ariel Liquid Detergent
While it is not as effective as Ariel powder at removing stains from laundry, Ariel detergent has many things going for it. For one, it gives your laundry a freshness comparable to Febreze. Ariel liquid detergent can work well on stains in a cold wash, but for this to work effectively you need to take the time to do some pre-laundry work.
By rubbing some of the liquid directly into the stain before washing the item, you can help the detergent lift stains in a cold wash. To avoid having to do pre-laundry work, use the powder detergent on a hot wash.
What is the Best Laundry Detergent in the UK
Persil or Ariel are the best laundry detergent options in the UK. They can both be classed as mid-price to premium brands depending on the version you want to buy. However, the best two for the UK are Ariel Powder and Persil Liquid, so Ariel wins on affordability but that is where the clear-cut win ends.
| Feature | Ariel Powder | Persil Liquid Pods |
| Price | More affordable than liquid detergents. | More expensive than powder detergents. |
| Stain Removal | Removes tough stains in one wash. | Removes tough stains in one wash. |
| Works on Cold Washes | Best used on wash cycles of 30°C or above to prevent powder residue. | Works effectively on both cold and hot wash cycles. |
| Ease of Use | Requires measuring the correct amount of powder before each wash. | Pre-measured pods make dosing quick and easy. |
| Risk of Residue | May leave powder deposits on clothes or inside the machine if used on low-temperature cycles. | Dissolves easily, reducing the risk of detergent residue. |
| Risk of Overdosing | Incorrect measuring can use too much detergent, which may affect clothes and washing performance. | Pre-measured pods reduce the chance of using too much detergent. |
Conclusion for Best Liquid Detergents
We hope you have found this article useful in explaining some of the finer points of laundry detergents. The best laundry detergent is not something that can be told, as it is going to depend on your needs and the needs of your family. Ultimately, we want you to have the best laundry detergent for you.
To us, at Love2Laundry, you are our family, so we ensure that we use the best available detergents to suit your needs and the needs of the laundry we clean. We work hard to save you time and money on your laundry.
As seen on our Trustpilot page, we continually meet our aims of providing a flawless, quick and clean service that you can rely on. We are proud to have the privilege of taking care of the laundry of London.
FAQs
Is powder or liquid detergent better?
Both forms of detergent are better and have their own advantages and the choice depends on the results you need to achieve. Liquid detergents are best to use in cold washes because they are more likely to dissolve in water and perform better. Whereas powder detergents are more efficient in warm or hot washes because the wash temperature enhances their cleaning power by dissolving completely and removing tough stains.
What’s the best detergent for cold washing?
Liquid detergents are best for cold washes because they dissolve more easily and completely in cold water. There are now powder detergents that also dissolve in cold water but the overall effectiveness remains with liquid detergents.
Is Persil or Ariel better for stains?
Persil and Ariel are both excellent at removing stains. Ariel is often better for tough, dried-on stains and it is more affordable than Persil liquid. Persil works well on everyday dirt and is equally effective in cold or hot washes. The liquid pods also save your washing machine from limescale buildup. The better choice depends on the type of laundry you wash most often.
Do more expensive detergents actually work better?
Not always. A more expensive detergent does not always clean clothes better. It may have extra features like better stain removal or a longer-lasting fresh smell, but many cheaper detergents can also clean everyday clothes very well when used the right way.
