There are three common choices in the great battle of laundry detergents: liquid vs powder vs pods. But which one is the best laundry detergent for you? That depends on quite a few factors, and your needs and preferences. Learn about the pros and cons of each type of detergent so that you can make the best decision for your family!
How to Choose the Best Laundry Detergent
Which detergent is your best option? Here are some things to consider when making your decision!
Pros and Cons of Powder Laundry Detergent
As the first laundry soap on the scene, powder detergent is still a staple in many laundry rooms. While powder has been around the longest, it does have some drawbacks along with some perks:
Pro: You can buy powder laundry detergent in bulk, which can save you money
Con: Powder can be messy and can sometimes leave a residue on clothes if not used correctly.
Pro: If you have sensitive skin, powder detergent might be the best choice for you because it doesn’t contain as many chemicals as liquid or pods.
Con: Powder detergent doesn’t dissolve as well in cold water, so it might not be the best choice if you have energy-efficient washers that use cold water most of the time.
Pro: Powder detergents are more stable. This allows for stronger ingredients that perform exceptionally well on tough stains like grass and muck.

Liquid Laundry Soap Pros and Cons
Liquid Laundry soap is becoming increasingly popular and is the go-to for most people because of its many benefits. Here are the pros and cons:
Pro: Liquid laundry soap is easy to use.
Con: Liquid laundry soap can be messy
Pro: Liquid laundry soap is typically less expensive than pods.
Con: If you have sensitive skin, liquid laundry soap might not be the best choice for you because it can contain more chemicals than powder.
Pro: Liquid laundry soap is very effective at cleaning clothes in cold water.

Benefits of Laundry Pods
Laundry pods have a lot of the effectiveness of liquid, but with added benefits of simplicity and cleanliness. Here are our pros and cons!
Pro: Pods are usually the easiest and cleanest option
Con: Pods are usually the most expensive of the three
Pro: Pods are very effective at cleaning clothes in cold water.
Con: Pods can’t pretreat or spot-treat stains.
So, what’s the best laundry detergent? If you enjoy simplicity, go with pods, and if you like to save money, go with powder! But if we were to pick just one, we find that our choice is usually liquid, since it’s a good balance of affordability and versatility.
Before we go, we wanted to leave you with a few additional laundry tips and tricks!
Laundry Tips and Tricks
Now that you’ve picked your detergent, here are some more tips to help you stay on top of your laundry!
- Whatever soap you’re using, pretreat your clothes with a stain remover before washing them to get rid of tough stains!
- To make your clothes last longer, hang them to dry instead of using a dryer.
- If you have sensitive skin, look for laundry detergents that are hypoallergenic or fragrance-free.
- Keep your laundry room organized to make laundry less of a chore with our laundry room storage hacks!
We hope this blog helped you pick the best laundry detergent for your household! If you’re dealing with problems that changing your laundry soap won’t fix, you can always call the washer and dryer repair service team at Ortega’s Appliance Repair, we’re here to help!