Top 7 Budget Laundry Detergent 2026

What we love

• Cleaning performance is your only priority and ingredient safety is not a concern for this specific use.
• Budget is a hard constraint and you're comfortable with the documented safety tradeoffs.
• You're washing work clothes, uniforms, or athletic gear where heavy stain removal is the primary need and the items won't contact sensitive skin.

Worth knowing

• You're washing laundry for infants or anyone with eczema, asthma, or chemical sensitivities.
• Avoiding 1,4-dioxane, synthetic fragrance, or optical brighteners matters to your household.
• You want full ingredient transparency — Tide's label obscures components behind 'Fragrance.'
• You've read this review.

What we love

• You need universal availability right now — Dreft is in every grocery store and pharmacy when alternatives aren't accessible.
• You're washing older children's laundry (not newborn) and the specific newborn-safety concerns are less relevant to your situation.
• You're using up an existing supply before switching — washing items thoroughly with an extra rinse cycle reduces surface residue.

Worth knowing

• You're washing laundry for a newborn or infant — the ingredient profile contradicts the 'gentle for baby' marketing.
• Synthetic fragrance is a concern — Dreft contains undisclosed fragrance chemicals.
• Optical brighteners are a concern — they coat fabric and remain in contact with baby's skin.
• You've read this review.

What we love

• You want named enzyme cleaning power in a liquid concentrate without compromising on fragrance-free, non-ethoxylated ingredients.
• Liquid convenience matters — this delivers the clean formula profile without the powder-format tradeoffs.
• Value is a factor — at $0.19/load this is competitive with mainstream brands for a substantially cleaner formula.

Worth knowing

• Zero preservatives is a hard requirement — Molly's Suds Powder is a better fit.
• Independent third-party ingredient certification is required before purchase.
• You prefer dry formats for reduced packaging and shipping footprint.

What we love

• You want EPA Safer Choice certified ingredients and government-backed ingredient review.
• Budget is a real constraint — at $0.11/load this is the most affordable clean-label option.
• Published 1,4-dioxane test results (not just claims) are important to you.

Worth knowing

• You are specifically avoiding all ethoxylated surfactants including SLES.
• You want a SLES-free formula for baby laundry where any dioxane pathway is a concern.
• You prefer powder or concentrated formats.

What we love

• You want named enzyme cleaning power without compromising on a non-ethoxylated, fragrance-free formula.
• Budget matters — at under $0.10/load this is the best value clean-label liquid in the category.
• You prefer liquid concentrate format for convenience and cold-water performance.

Worth knowing

• Zero preservatives is a hard requirement — a dry-format option will serve you better.
• Independent third-party ingredient certification is required before purchase.
• You specifically want EPA Safer Choice or EWG Verified status.

What we love

• Clean ingredients AND verified ethical business practices matter equally to you.
• You're happy with powder format and don't need enzyme-powered stain removal.
• You want excellent value at $0.22/load from a mission-driven brand.

Worth knowing

• You specifically need EPA Safer Choice or EWG Verified ingredient certification.
• Heavy-duty enzyme stain action is required for your household's laundry loads.
• You prefer liquid format for convenience.

What we love

• You want the shortest, most minimal ingredient list possible for baby or sensitive-skin laundry.
• You're washing everyday fabrics and don't need heavy-duty enzyme stain action.
• You prefer powder format for reduced packaging and no preservative concerns.

Worth knowing

• You regularly tackle heavy protein stains — sweat, blood, food — without pre-treating.
• Independent ingredient certification is a requirement before purchase.
• You need a liquid format for convenience or pre-treating.