Rating of washing powders

If you believe the advertising, every detergent on the store shelf washes perfectly, preserves color, and has an extremely safe formula. But in reality, finding a high-quality detergent is difficult, as some whiten better, others are more economical, and still others have a suspicious smell.

Finding the golden mean is possible: just take a look at our ranking of automatic washing powders. It includes brands trusted by homeowners, with analyzed ingredients and proven effectiveness. Which brands are best, and what their pros and cons are—we'll explore them in this article.

The most popular powders

First, let's look at the selection offered by mass-market stores. Some are put off by their relative cheapness, but believe me, even inexpensive products can offer good quality powders. The key is to know what to look for.

Sarma ACTIVE Lily of the Valley, one of the most affordable detergents, tops the list. Despite its low price and unremarkable design, it easily rivals the well-known and expensive Persil and Ariel. It's manufactured by Nevskaya Kosmetika, a domestic company that produces many highly regarded detergents. Sarma is distinguished by thorough whitening, high efficiency, versatility, and an affordable price tag. But there are some “buts”: a far from ideal composition with phosphates, aggressive bleaching agents and sulfates.

Pros.

1. Suitable for all fabrics.
2. Removes both fresh and old stains.
3. Affordable price.
4. The presence of an antibacterial effect.
5. Whitening.

The downside is the presence of aggressive bleaches, surfactants, silicates and other harmful substances.

ARIEL GORNY RODNIK (Mountain Spring) boasts similar characteristics. It has been a household name since 1991 and has been delighting consumers with its optimal quality and attractive price for 27 years. In addition to the savings, its gentle cleaning of bed linens, towels, and robes, even at 30 degrees Celsius, is particularly appreciated, as is its ability to preserve linen's brightness and combat stubborn stains.

It's best not to use the powder on knitwear, and the composition isn't particularly environmentally friendly.

Pros:

• maintains the whiteness of laundry with regular washing;
• dissolves quickly;
• rinses out completely;
• bleaches cotton fabrics.

Cons:

• contains silicates, anionic surfactants and optical brighteners;
• is spent uneconomically;
• spoils knitwear;
• Over time, it washes out colored items.

Next up is PERSIL AUTOMATIC. If we were to choose which laundry detergent best handles "heavy" stains, the renowned brand Persil would take the cake. All thanks to the addition of special granules with liquid stain remover to the powder mass. Moreover, the product perfectly washes both white and colored items, regardless of the type of fabric.

Pros:

• universal use (in semi-automatic, automatic and hand washing machines);
• phosphate free;
• effectively removes dirt;
• low consumption.

Cons:

• contains strong flavorings;
• the product is not completely rinsed out due to poor solubility;
• many aggressive surfactants and bleaching agents.

The powders reviewed are the best among those offered by mass-market brands, but their quality is far from ideal. If you want to wash your clothes with truly safe detergents, you should look in a more expensive segment. We'll discuss this in more detail below.

The highest quality and safest powders

When eco-friendliness is paramount, consider other brands. These include luxury and expensive products that not only effectively remove tough stains but also boast the absence of harsh chemicals. These include the following.

SPARK DRUM LAUNDRY DETERGENT is a Korean laundry detergent that combines high washing performance with a safe formula. Its main bleaching agents are green tea leaf extract, pine needles, and Schisandra extract. These ingredients help remove stains easily, even at low temperatures and in hard water, and provide a pleasant bonus: strong antibacterial properties. The concentration of active ingredients is so high that a purchased pack or sachet will last for a long time.

Pros:

• slowly consumed;
• natural whitening ingredients;
• antibacterial focus.

Disadvantages: the presence of unsafe surfactants and silicates.

It's impossible not to mention the Belgian ECOVER ZERO NON BIO, recognized as the best among all manufactured laundry detergents. Its unique feature is the use of more effective and safe organic substances instead of chemical surfactants. Agricultural waste, hay, straw, and other natural elements serve as alternatives. Naturalness has a significant impact on cost, and this product is several times higher than the average price of a mass-market bleach.

Pros:

1. There is no pungent smell.
2. High concentration ensuring minimal consumption.
3. Versatility.
4. Completely environmentally friendly composition.
5. Hypoallergenic.
6. Absolutely harmless to linen and skin.
7. Washes out completely.
8. Removes any degree of dirt.

We were unable to find any disadvantages to this product.

The German FROSCH COLOR ALOE VERA powder rounds out the elite powder rankings. Its formula isn't perfect, and includes surfactants and zeolites, but it doesn't contain harsh sodium phosphates, chloride compounds, or unsafe bleaching agents. However, it does contain a natural ingredient—aloe vera—which softens and has antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties.

Overall, the product does an excellent job of cleaning clothes thoroughly the first time, without leaving streaks, without fading the color, and without damaging the fabric structure.

Pros:

• ideal for colored laundry;
• does not damage tissue;
• versatility;
• easy to wash off;
• dissolves quickly.

The disadvantages include the high cost and the presence of surfactants and zeolites.

Consumers choose what's best: something more expensive and eco-friendly, or something more affordable with a nasty ingredient list. While safety considerations are rarely given to adult products, they are paramount for children's products. Therefore, we suggest reviewing the top 10 best products for children.

The best products for children's clothes

Since a 2015 experiment testing three top children's laundry detergents, which shockingly revealed the use of toxic and harmful ingredients, little has changed. There are still unsafe products with excessive surfactant content. There is only one way out: choose only proven brands.

The first detergent on our list to undergo numerous laboratory and user tests is BURTI COMPACT BABY. It is made with safe biological surfactants and neutral zeolites that lather and foam well. This makes the cleaning mixture completely safe for babies.

The eco-friendly nature of the composition has virtually no impact on the bleaching properties: difficult stains are removed even in cold water, with the exception of deeply ingrained "old" stains.

Pros:

• absolute safety;
• no phosphates in the composition;
• complete washing from fabrics and machine parts;
• quickly removes fresh stains.

Cons:

• does not cope with old stains;
• There are many fakes.

Another children's brand is BABYLINE. However, it's not without controversy: its effective stain removal and hypoallergenic properties are coupled with unsafe ingredients. Thus, the powder contains phosphates and surfactants, which ensure impeccable cleanliness even in cold water. Another advantage is the absence of strong shock absorbers, so the undershirts and diapers will not have any extraneous irritating odors.

Pros:

• hypoallergenic components;
• neutral smell without harsh fragrances;
• Can be used in water below 30 degrees.

Cons:

• useless against old stains;
• surfactants and phosphates in the composition.

Rounding out the top three best baby detergents is the Danish brand MEINE LIEBE. It specializes in producing safe powders that comply with European standards, so they are free of phosphates, chlorides, and other harsh ingredients. In addition to dry formulas, the range includes gels, conditioners, and oxygen-based stain removers—all for comprehensive and effective cleaning.

Thus, MEINE LIEBE FOR WHITES OXI EFFECT is designed for washing light-colored laundry in both automatic and hand washing machines. Despite its relatively safe formula, it's worth noting that the surfactant content significantly exceeds the recommended values. Another drawback is poor stain removal in water temperatures below 60°C (140°F).

Pros:

1. White items do not turn yellow when washed.
2. The powder does not leave streaks on the fabric.
3. Easy to wash off.
4. Concentrated formulas ensure economical consumption.
5. No phosphates, chlorine, formaldehyde.
6. There is no pungent smell.

Cons:

• washes only at temperatures above 60 degrees;
• high content of surfactants.

Knowing the names of trusted brands makes it easier to navigate the laundry detergent selection and choose truly high-quality brands without overpaying or risking your health. It's important to consider more than just price, as cheaper products often get used up faster, while more expensive ones are more concentrated and cost-effective.

   

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