The 10 Worst Laundry Detergents & The 10 Best

Wash Day Losers Vs. Winners

Why do some detergents make laundry harder instead of easier? The truth is, a lot of products look promising but barely handle a grass stain. On the other hand, some formulas do their job and leave clothes fresh and spotless. Sorting through hype, price, and performance isn’t simple. So, to begin with, let’s look at 10 detergents that consistently disappoint and fall short of expectations.

1. Era 3X Oxibooster

Here's a shocking truth: the worst liquid detergent comes from the same company that makes the best ones. Procter & Gamble's Era 3X Oxibooster landed dead last in Consumer Reports' liquid detergent category, performing terribly across nearly every stain test they threw at it.

2. Tru Earth Eco Strips

Environmental consciousness meets cleaning reality in the most disappointing way possible. Despite their compostable packaging made from biodegradable materials and complete water dissolution, they simply lack the concentration levels needed for effective cleaning. Reviews note their ineffectiveness on heavily soiled clothes.

3. Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean 5-In-1 Power Packs

The "5-in-1" marketing promise crumbles when you examine the actual cleaning data. These Church & Dwight pods managed only middling scores for body oil and grass stain removal at their absolute best. Besides, they proved abysmal at getting out basic dirt. 

4. Molly's Suds Original Unscented

A pediatric nurse's heartbreaking loss inspired this company's creation, yet good intentions couldn't overcome poor cleaning performance. While this detergent excels at removing blood stains well, it fails miserably on dirt, grass, chocolate, and other everyday stains that families encounter daily. 

5. Sun Triple Clean

Budget-friendly pricing becomes meaningless when your detergent barely outperforms plain water. Consumer Reports discovered that this Henkel-manufactured product has such poor cleaning capacity that clothes often require pre-treatment or complete rewashing to achieve acceptable results. The marketing targets families on tight budgets.

6. Xtra Plus OxiClean

Church & Dwight's budget strategy backfired spectacularly with this liquid detergent that borrows the trusted OxiClean name but delivers none of its cleaning power. The substance works with both high-efficiency and conventional washing machines, yet demands rewashing or extensive pre-treating to achieve acceptable results.

7. Original Gain

Twenty cents per load sounds reasonable until you find out that this popular detergent scored a dismal 36 out of 100 points in Consumer Reports testing. Despite the pleasant fragrance that many consumers specifically seek out, it failed to give adequate stain removal.

8. Ariel With A Touch Of Downy

Procter & Gamble's international powder detergent proves that combining two functions often compromises both effectiveness areas. This dual-purpose product is said to be one of the worst powder detergents, noting it performs well on blood stains but doesn't work on anything else. 

9. Earth Breeze Liquidless Eco Sheets

Technically crowned the strongest option among laundry sheets, Earth Breeze still struggled mightily against grass, chocolate, and oily stains. The 3x3-inch sheets dissolve fully and feature plastic-free, recyclable packaging. However, the cleaning enzymes found in conventional detergents are missing.

10. Kind Laundry Sheets

Consumer Reports tested six laundry sheet brands, including Earth Breeze, Ecos, Ecowise, Kind, Sheets Laundry Club, and Tru Earth, with Kind ranking among the category's disappointing underperformers. Multiple reviews confirm they lack sufficient cleaning power for real-world laundry challenges. 

On the flip side, these detergents provide the cleaning power you're actually paying for.

1. Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release

Tide Plus excelled at removing body oil, salad dressing, chocolate, and plain old dirt from test samples with consistent effectiveness. Designed explicitly for high-efficiency machines, it works as an excellent pretreatment for stubborn spots. The same is priced at 28 cents per load.

2. Gain Flings Original

Balance becomes the keyword when affordability meets performance in these popular laundry pods from Procter & Gamble. Each pre-measured pod eliminates overdosing concerns while delivering consistent cleaning results across different load sizes. This makes laundry day foolproof for busy households. 

3. Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean Liquid

Costco's private-label success story unfolds in the laundry aisle, where this exclusive detergent earned "best buy" status among 52 tested products. The manufacturing partnership with Henkel explains the impressive output despite the budget-friendly 12–14 cents per load pricing structure.

4. Arm & Hammer Clean Burst Powder

Hot water activates this powder formula's full potential. This renders it particularly effective for removing protein-based stains like blood and sweat. The concentrated powder demands precise measuring for optimal results, but offers strong cleaning power when used correctly according to package directions. 

5. Persil ProClean Stain Fighter

Did you know Persil Proclean Stain Fighter earned an 84 out of 100 score in Consumer Reports testing? At approximately 21 cents per load, you get European cleaning technology at competitive pricing. Powerful enzymes work effectively even in cold water temperatures.

6. Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin

This superior stain remover tied for third place in Consumer Reports cleaning tests. The fragrance-free and dye-free formulation retains enzyme-powered cleaning effectiveness. It is hypoallergenic, dye-free, and fragrance-free, which is why it's ideal for sensitive skin, including those with eczema or allergies.

7. All Free & Clear

Here is the #1 detergent brand recommended by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin. The formula is tough on stains but gentle on skin and clothes, safe for use in all types of washing machines, including high-efficiency (HE) models.

8. Woolite Everyday

Fabric protection takes center stage with this specially formulated cleanser that prevents stretching, shrinking, and fading. Cold water activation preserves fabric integrity particularly well, though the formula works for all temperature ranges. Dark colors benefit from the specialized care approach.

9. Cleancult Refillable Liquid Detergent

Rigorous testing of 28 laundry detergents revealed this eco-conscious option as a top performer that almost completely erased all but one stain during laboratory trials. One tablespoon of the concentrated formula brilliantly cleans even large loads. It follows a refillable glass bottle system.

10. Tide Free & Gentle Liquid

This product is entirely free of dyes, perfumes, optical brighteners, and phosphates while still tackling tough challenges pretty well. It removes fussy stains like spaghetti sauce, grass, and formula when used with proper pretreatment techniques. Tide Free & Gentle is also safe for eczema-prone users.