A trip to the detergent aisle can feel like a dizzying onslaught of multiple laundry detergent types. Every year, around 965 million detergent units are sold. Liquid detergent is the most popular while powder the least. But with brightly colored packages loudly proclaiming things like, “Odor killer!” “Safe and soft” and “10X the clean!”—how do you know which detergent is best? 

To start, think about what’s most important to you: Cost? Convenience? Shelf life? Eco-friendly? To help you decide which of the different types of laundry detergents is a right fit, here’s a clear list of pros and cons for four laundry detergent types.

1. Powder 

Before powder detergent, people mixed wood ash with fat—over a fire—to make soap. While it would clean clothes, it left soap scum and wasn’t the best at stain removal. In 1907, the German company, Henkel®, fixed those problems when it invented the first powder detergent, called Persil®.

Pros:

  • Is toughest on heavy soils and stains
  • Most affordable
  • Eco-friendly cardboard packaging
  • Lasts longer

Cons:

  • Bulky boxes
  • Doesn’t dissolve well in cold water, leaving soap residue on laundry washed in cold cycles
  • Not as convenient to pre-treat stains because you have to first make a paste by mixing the powder with water 
  • Can be harder to measure if it doesn’t come with a scoop

2. Liquid

In 1956, Wisk® invented the first liquid laundry detergent. Liquid detergent gained fast traction with Wisk’s wildly successful, 20-year-long “Ring Around the Collar” campaign, which showed how liquid detergent is perfect for spot cleaning and pretreating stains.

Pros: 

  • Best for grease and oil, as liquid better penetrates fabric fibers
  • Easy for pre-treating stains and spot cleaning
  • Can easily measure correct amount

Cons:

  • Limits the effectiveness of oxygen bleach
  • Doesn’t last as long as powder—it loses cleaning strength over time
  • Plastic bottles aren’t as eco-friendly

3. Pods

Pre-measured and highly concentrated, Tide® invented detergent pods in 2012. Quickly becoming popular, detergent pods gave consumers a faster, mess-free, more convenient way of doing laundry.

Pros: 

  • Is very convenient, especially if you share a laundry room 
  • Can’t overdose
  • Doesn’t last as long as powder—it loses cleaning strength over time

Cons: 

  • More expensive
  • Can’t be used for spot cleaning or pre-treating stains
  • More difficult to adjust for different load sizes

4. Sheets

Launched in 2019, detergent sheets are becoming known as the most sustainable detergent solution. Detergent sheets help people cut back on plastic waste and use less chemicals when washing clothes.

Pros:

  • Are eco-friendly with cardboard packaging and less chemicals and ingredients
  • Don’t spill or make a mess
  • Can’t overdose
  • Is very travel-friendly and space-saving, especially if you share a laundry room 

Cons:

  • More expensive
  • Can’t be used for spot cleaning or pre-treating stains
  • Must be ordered online, not available in stores

Leave the Agitation to Your Washer

Whether you’re living alone in a high-rise apartment or are a busy parent with full hampers in your home’s laundry room—choosing the laundry detergent type that’s best for you can be simple. Just use this list of pros and cons on different types of laundry detergents to make a clean decision. Happy washing!