Best Laundry Detergents in Australia | CHOICE Reviews

Laundry detergents

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Based on intensive lab testing across 200+ product and service categories.

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The best laundry detergents will remove spills like oils, makeup and starches from your clothes. Detergent also amounts to at least half the running cost of your washing machine so it pays to pick the right one.

We've tested popular laundry detergents in a lab setting to tell you which ones:

We've also partnered with Shop Ethical on this update to show the ratings the Ethical Consumer Group gives to each company.

Our interactive comparison tool helps you find out which detergents claim to contain enzymes, which ones claim to be phosphate-free, and even how they compare to washing your clothes in plain water. Just like our washing machine reviews, our Recommended list will show you at a glance which products come out on top.

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Detergent manufacturers are changing formulas on a constant basis, sometimes at least once a year. If you like to buy in bulk, it could be worthwhile only buying a year's worth of detergent rather enough to last you five years. You can check our test results the following year to make sure the detergent you bought is just as good as it was the previous year.

Almost all laundry detergents claim to be suitable for use in both front and top loader washing machines, and also perform differently in both types. So we've tested them in each type of washing machine and listed the scores for the detergent when used in a top loader, and when used in a front loader. Selecting the type of washing machine you have at home using the filters on the left of this page will show you the results that are most relevant to you.

List of brands we tested in this review.

This is the price we paid for the pack size tested. The cost per wash is based on this price, so if you can find it cheaper, your cost per wash will be cheaper as well.

enter value/s in increments of 1 between 0 and 39

We recommend liquid and powder laundry detergents in front loaders with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 80%, while liquid and powder top loader detergents must get at least 60% to be recommended. Top loaders typically don't wash as well as front loaders, hence the decreased criteria. Capsule laundry detergents must have a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 70% in either front or top loader machines to be recommended.

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These are detergents that don't necessarily do well enough to be recommended, but are still great value for money. For front loaders, a laundry detergent must have a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 70% and cost under 30 cents per wash. For top loaders, a laundry detergent must have a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 60% overall and cost under 30 cents per wash.

Whether we tested the detergent in a top loader or front loader washing machine. If the detergent claims to be suitable for both, we test in both. You'll find the scores under the requisite machine type.

We test a range of liquid, powder and capsule laundry detergents as well as laundry detergent sheets.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

General detergency is a measure of how well the detergent keeps soils suspended in the wash water and prevents them from being redeposited on your clothes. It's also a measure of how effective enzymes are at removing protein-based stains, and how effectively a detergent removes oil. Differences of 8% or more in general detergency and soil removal are visible to the human eye.

enter value/s in increments of i between 43 and 91

A measure of how well a detergent removes perspiration stains from your clothes. Differences of 8% or more are visible to the human eye.

enter value/s in increments of i between 43 and 93

Differences of 1% or more are visible to the human eye.

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Differences of 8% or more are visible to the human eye.

enter value/s in increments of i between 42 and 78

A visible difference to dirt removal from the fluid make-up swatch is hard to pick due to uneven soil removal.

enter value/s in increments of i between 30 and 80

Differences of 1% or more are visible to the human eye.

enter value/s in increments of i between 49 and 100

Differences of less than 1% are visible to the human eye.

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Differences of 7% or more are visible to the human eye.

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Differences of 4% or more are visible to the human eye.

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Differences of 10% or more are visible to the human eye.

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A green tick indicates the product claims to be 'sensitive' on the pack.

As claimed on the packaging. Enzymes target protein, starch or biological-based stains such as grass or blood. Different enzymes target different stains. Enzymes are known to cause irritation, so should be avoided by people with sensitive skin.

As claimed on the packaging. Optical brighteners coat the fabric with fluorescers that absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as blue light, making the clothes look whiter and brighter even though they don't actually remove any dirt. They help minimise greying of whites. Products with brighteners are best avoided by people with sensitive skin.

As claimed on the packaging. Phosphates help soften the water and keep extracted dirt in suspension. But high levels of phosphorus can lead to excessive growth of blue-green algae in inland waterways.

A green tick indicates the detergent is claimed to be safe for septic tanks if used as directed. The claim is usually based on the detergent having no chlorine bleach or phosphates. While detergents generally don't have much of an effect on the septic tank's treatment capabilities, a high sodium load can cause problems with the soil over time as it's released into the subsoil trenches.

As claimed on the packaging. This generally means the detergent is low in phosphorus and sodium, and your greywater would be safe for plants.

Where the product is made, according to the packaging.

This is calculated based on the price we paid, the pack size we used, and the dose we measured based on the manufacturer's directions, not the claimed number of doses per pack. If you can find a product cheaper instore, or a more economical pack size, your cost per wash will reduce accordingly.

This is the pack size of the products we bought and tested, in grams or millilitres.

General detergency is a measure of how well the detergent keeps soils suspended in the wash water and prevents them from being redeposited on your clothes. It's also a measure of how effective enzymes are at removing protein-based stains, and how effectively a detergent removes oil. Differences of 8% or more in general detergency and soil removal are visible to the human eye.

Differences of 8% or more are visible to the human eye.

Differences of 7% or more are visible to the human eye.

A measure of how well a detergent removes perspiration stains from your clothes. Differences of 8% or more are visible to the human eye.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

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