Laundry Washing Detergent Guide
Facts & Essential Information

There are lots of types of laundry washing detergent available to wash your clothes and other laundry, but they're not all made the same, and some are better for one job versus another. Here's your guide to determine which one you should use in your machine for which loads.

Basic Types Of Washing Machine Detergent You Can Choose From

Choosing which product to wash your clothes and other washable fabrics in can be difficult, not only because you have to choose a brand, but also because you've got to choose a type of detergent.

For example, you may need high efficiency detergent, natural, powdered, liquid, gentle, or with or without enzymes or other particular ingredients.

Many of these products also have additives such as bleaches, softeners, and scents, as well as special formulations such as for babies.

Finally, laundry soaps are available in a wide range of prices, from super expensive to super cheap, and everything in between.

The choices can be endless.

Here are some articles with the low down on some of these topics, to help you find the best laundry detergent for your family's wants and needs, and special circumstances.

Liquid Detergent Facts & Uses

Powder Detergent Facts & Uses

Stain Remover & Laundry Detergent Pacs

Guide To High Efficiency (HE) Products

Info Re: Laundry Products Containing Enzymes

Brands Of Baby Laundry Supplies

Brands Of Delicate Wash

Brands Of Natural Detergent

Low Sudsing Detergent: How Does It Really Work?

Detergents To Prevent Fading Colors

Major Problem With Some Brands & Scents: Allergic Reactions

If you don't have allergies to lots of things you may not consider how many people all around you are truly impacted by the problem of laundry detergent allergies. Trust me when I say, however, that you most likley know several people for whom this is a major concern.

The reason for this is that soaps, including those made for washing clothes, get up and personal with your skin because some residue from them stays in your clothing. That, coupled with the strong scents many laundry products are given means that rashes, hives, and other allergic reactions are common.

This is a major cause of mine here on the site, to educate and assist people with these problems, because my son is an allergy sufferer himself, and I've lived the ups and downs of hypoallergenic and scent and dye free products.

Here's some advice for how to deal with this serious issue, to make sure your clothes get clean without endangering your or your family's health and comfort if you're an allergy sufferer.

Allergy Symptoms & The Cure

Available Hypoallergenic Brands & Reviews

What To Do When Have Allergic Reaction

Pictures: Find Out If You're Suffering From Detergent Allergy

Laundry Detergent Can Cost Big Bucks, But Does It Have To?

It seems like they keep raising the price of detergent every other day, doesn't it? Well, I feel your pain. I personally believe everyone should have products available to them, in their price range, that do a good job.

Heck, you've heard about the recent increase in Tide detergent theft right? That's a real shame and shows that these products are really just priced too high in this bad economy, in my opinion.

Plus, there is a prevalent belief that cheap brands don't clean your clothes as well, but take it from me, the queen of using cheap and store brands - this doesn't have to be the case!

Of course, there are some dud products out there that really do suck at cleaning your clothes, including several cheap or discount brands. I'll help you find the diamonds in the rough that work really well to wash your clothes, and are still within your budget.

Plus, I've explored several other ways to save money when doing your laundry, such as making your own laundry soaps and other supplies.

Here are some ways to make the cost of this essential product more manageable for you.

Low Cost Options & Ideas

Homemade Detergent Recipes {From Taylor}

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipes {From Readers}

What Can You Do If You've Bought A Detergent And Hate It?

If you've been searching for the best laundry detergent, there's no doubt you tried a few that didn't make the cut for you, either because they didn't work well, or you don't like something about it (or it causes you to have an allergic reaction).

Here's a great idea from a reader who shared what to do with extra detergent. She says:

If you purchase detergents that end up not working for your household, rather than dispose of them, the local animal shelter, or your veterinarian's office, would most likely gladly accept your castoffs.

I like that idea. I'm not sure if women's or homeless shelters will accept open bottles of detergent too, but if they do this may also be a good place to donate these items.

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Taylor's Recommended Stain Removers

Laundry Detergent Reviews & Ratings

Fabric Care Guide

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CAUTION: This website is provided for informational purposes only. It is provided as is, without warranties or guarantees. Some stains and messes just won't come out, and are permanent. Further, some cleaning methods can harm your item, so if what you want to clean or launder is sentimental or expensive call a professional. See disclaimer of liability for more information.