I really like the products from Dirty Labs. Bonus that they come in metal containers (not plastic), so you know they actually get recycled.

I usually use Costco's free and clear liquid detergent in our front loader machine. But, I think that the secret to getting great results with any detergent is to use the pre-soak cycle with almost every load. That extra 20 minutes that the clothes soak in the "soapy" water gives great results.

Buy a bottle of Tide Free and Gentle. Use the presoak option as fillmoe suggests. When you run out of Tide, try another brand. Tide is the number one bestseller in the US because it works very well in most situations.

If you think extra hard water is a serious problem, get the chemical info from your water company or well analysis so you can see if adding a water softener will make a significant difference.

If you are regularly washing clothes with farm dirt or automotive grease, you may need to experiment with some heavy duty, hot washer cycles and possibly use some laundry detergent boosters.

I make my own -- I think the quality is as good as the best stuff, while the cost is equal to the cheap stuff.

The recipe is not of my own making; it's from this website: How does she /make laundry detergent.

But it's not liquid. I don't favor liquid.

Truth is, every liquid detergent I have used has done a decent job of getting clothes clean. I usually choose based on scent as I hate strongly scented products. I was using Free & Clear, but my DH wanted some scent. I tried the Publix Lavender scented detergent and didn't mind the smell ... it got discontinued in my area soon after! So then I tried the Seventh Generation Fresh Lavender Scent and have been using that for the last two months. Works fine and the scent is subtle.

I also add OxiClean Odor Blaster pods to the detergent when washing sweaty workout clothes.

I liked both Tide and Arm & Hammer, when we used liquid laundry soap (or "laundry sauce", as my daughter calls it!)

I couple of years ago we switched to laundry sheets, because I hate all the plastic in a big laundry soap jug (and the energy it takes to ship that liquid all over the country). I've used a few different brands, and haven't been unhappy with any of them.

I also use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets, and I've been very happy with those too!

Less is more.

I bought several jugs (both liquid and powder/pearls) of Persil eight years ago when the powder was discontinued. Am down to no liquid and 1/2 jug of the pearls. I recently bought a medium jug of Tide Ultra Hygienic Clean. I don't like the scent, it has sour undertones, and leaves the clothes with a scent reminiscent of what I've noted in the past in some dirty/smutzy washers that I've cleaned up for clients.

I prefer powders but choices are sparse and what is available typically are lower-tier formulations vs. a given brand's liquid offerings.

Dadoes, I use the Arm & Hammer oxi powder. It's very fine and it rinses clean.

I usually use Wonder liquid, but MRS. MEYER'S CLEAN DAY Liquid Fabric Softener might actually be good.

Please check both links and tell us which one would be better for us to choose.

I think the replies to this thread suggest that there really aren't any terrible laundry detergents out there. What may be best for 20 people on Houzz may not be best for you.

My suggestion is that you get the smallest jug of each that you can find, and try them both for yourself.

Mrs Meyers works well but I find the scents too strong for my taste. Currently using Dirty Labs and like it pretty well. Also used Dropps for a long while.

I've tried a few liquid detergents and couldn't stand any of them. Not because they didn't work but because of smell or too much suds. Persil was god awful smell wise. I also tried Tide with a touch of Downy on sheets and had to rewash them with something else because the smell was so strong. Gain scent was too strong. All Free was pretty good. I prefer powders. I buy Tide with Oxi powder from Costco. It does not leave a strong smell on clothing and does a good job of cleaning.

I'm with Kendrah ^^^that the best smell is no smell. Just the smell of clean. (I use Nellie's powder).

Persil liquid (the version from eight years ago, LOL) has to me a nicer scent than Tide liquid. Everyone has different scent preferences.

7th Generation Free & Clear is about as good as I've found in a liquid. It's adequate. My criteria is no scent, or scent so minimal it's almost non-existent, no optical brighteners, and won't fade my clothes. You'd think this would be easy to find....but no....

ETA: For powders, I've been using Miele UltraColor of late. It's fantastic. There is a scent in the box, but the laundry comes out with only a faint hint of scent, it's barely detectable.

I use Arm and Hammer Powerfully Clean formula. No Oxi or anything on the label. It gets my clothes clean and I get some really strange things in my clothes along with general filth spending a lot of time around horses. It rinses clean and doesn't stink.

Jeeves on tiktok recommends Persil Original and Ariel for liquids.

^^ Persil is VERY strongly scented. I can't take it, it's enough to set off an asthma attack just by opening the jug.

I'm another one who doesn't like Mrs. Meyers stuff. I don't get the hype. Very strongly scented, some of the scents are downright awful, and the cleaning stuff I've tried in the past don't really clean all that well. One of the worst products I tried was the powder cleanser for scrubbing the sink. I had to rinse and rinse....and rinse and rinse and rinse....and then rinse and rinse again, it was a major ordeal to get the residue rinsed off. Some of my family members have the liquid hand soap in their bathroom and I won't soap up my hands after using the facilities (rinse only), it's too strongly scented and it really lingers on the hands. (I guess if I had to go #2 I'd go to the kitchen and get the dish soap...)

I use Kirkland Brand from Costco. I became allergic to Tide at some point, switched to Gain, then switched to Kirkland. Have tried Persil, but didn't find it performed any better than Kirkland. I used Arm and Hammer for a sprint when my husband was selling Arm and Hammer and got cases of free product. It worked as well as the others. I will buy Gain if I run out and am not doing a Costco run for a few weeks.

I'm not convinced that one brand is significantly better than the next. I do use Fabreeze additive for anything that has been damp (towels, wash clothes, cleaning rags) because it completely eliminates any lingering odors. I use it regardless of which detergent I am using.

Good Grief - Buy a bottle of what you're considering and move on!

The Mrs Meyers product you mentioned is a fabric softener, not a detergent. I agree w @shirlpp— but a bottle of the other stuff and move on!

shirlpp, I disagree. If you don't want to read these posts, move on!

@elbits - I don't care if you agree or disagree with my comment. It was not meant for you.

shirlpp, but yet here you are, telling people to move on because you don't like people talking about detergent. This is what people do here. RUDE.

I put white vinegar in the softener bin when I wash towels. I use unscented laundry detergent but also have scent booster beads so different household members can adjust the scent to their preference.

You are putting words in my comment that I did not say @elbits. There is nothing in my comment about me not liking folks talking about detergent. READ IT AGAIN!

I am aware of what people do on Houzz. I've been on this forum for years.

Tide Free and Gentle works very well and is unscented.

Tide Free and Gentle liquid is a wonderful detergent that will get pretty much anything clean. It's unscented and contains no optical brighteners unlike almost everything else on the market.

I have been watching this thread for a few weeks now, and have been surprised at how many folks are talking about using liquid detergents, which I always thought was not in the best interest of the machines. I switch between Tide and Gain powders. The Gain I do not believe gives me the most stain free wash. The only time I use bleach is when I am washing cleaning rags, and I do that as much for the washer as for cleaning the rags. Since so many people here like Greeny and George are positive on liquids, I am now wondering if it matters much anymore as long as I routinely use hot water, and never do cold washes, and I quit using FS about 3-4 years ago. My partner mentioned Persil, but I keep reading about the strong scent. I may experiment and buy a container of it. At this point our washer is almost 8 years old, so if I get 3 more years out of it I will be satisfied.

I second Tide Odor Refresh! Presoak or AutoSoak does wonders regardless of temperature!

I figure the reasons majority of people use liquids are 1) stronger manufacturer marketing of liquids, 2) powder choices have become limited, 3) powder choices typically are low- to mid-level products without as many enzymes as the available top-level liquids.

I recently ran out of Persil Power Clean 2in1 liquid and am almost out of Power Pearls, of the big supply I bought eight years ago when the pearls were discontinued. I bought a bottle of Tide Ultra Hygienic Clean. I find the Tide scent to be cloying and the residual a bit musty, with tones of the stank of a few of the gnasty washers I've cleaned up. Everyone's scent receptors, of course, have different programming, LOL.

I agree dadoes about the marketing-all of the commercials I see are for pods and liquids, and scented beads. One of our neighbors mentioned she uses those scented beads because it makes her bedding smell the way she prefers. I researched what people are saying about them, and most agree that they do damage to the machine because of the coating of the unit-much as you describe dadoes you see when you disassemble one. We can still get the powders here at HEB, Costco and Sam's Club. Beyond Tide and Gain though, the selection is sparse and very costly, particularly for the amount of the product.

Have you tried Ariel or Foca or Roma if your HEB carries them? I keep a supply of Ariel. Foca and Roma tend to be more sudsy. I sometimes use Ariel solo, sometimes add a bit of it with a dose of liquid something-or-other.

Tide still makes powder laundry detergent. It is readily available in my area and is also available on Amazon. However, I do use liquid detergent, such as Seventh Generation and Tide Free and Clear for my color and dark loads because they do not have optical brighteners.

I still use and love Tide unscented powder for about 25% of my laundry. What would make it even better is if they removed the OBs and added TAED and a bit more oxygen bleach.

Gain original sent pods….I have sensitive skin and scent is important..I like that it has a fresh scent but it does not linger on..have used it for ever! cleans great I care for my 94 year old morher and it cleans her stained clothing without pretreating.

I love the smell of the g a i n liquid soap! But I have used Arm and Hammer deep clean fresh scent and it has no lingering smells of of odors and no strong perfume and it really cleans better

Persil Free & Sensitive works well. At Amazon.

The Persil F&S contains optical brightener. This may or may not be something people deliberately avoid; I do.

Persil F&S Ingredient link: SmartLabel™