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Top 6 Laundry Detergents

By Sarah Aguirre, About.com

In our race against piles of dirty clothing, we need a laundry detergent that works effectively for our clothing. It needs to remove stains, remove dirt, refresh, clean, all without leaving any irritation for our skin. These laundry detergents are some of the most effective and efficient available to keep your clothing clean.

1. Tide Laundry Detergent

Tide Laundry Detergent works well as a pretreater, soaker, and laundry detergent for almost every laundry need. The new Tide Simple Pleasures Detergents also offer a variety of wonderful scents. Other Tide liquid laundry detergents comes with many different additives including fabric softener, color-safe bleach, and fabric refreshers. Tide laundry detergent also come in a dye and perfume free formula for those with sensitive skin, as well as powder. Although Tide is not the least expensisve laundry detergent, it is one of the best at removing tough grease, grime, stains, and dirt.

2. Gain Joyful Expresions Laundry Detergent

This detergent smells so wonderfully and works so well that it practically calls to you off the shelf. My husband, who usually only likes to buy the least expensive brand, loves Gain Joyful Expressions because it combines a wonderful detergent with a reasonable price. Try the Apple Mango Tango or the Gardenia Delight scents.

3. OxiClean Detergent Ball

The Oxiclean detergent ball offers convenience and simplicity along with effectiveness. This ball really works. Drop it in your washing machine and leave it there for up to 20 washes without having to add detergent to your loads. The clothes rinse out well, and while they may not come out smelling like a flowery garden, they come out wonderfully clean and without any detergent residue.

4. Method Laundry Detergent

Method laundry detergent takes up less space in your home and accomplishes the same cleaning power. This laundry detergent contains active enzymes and allows stains and soil to be broken down. The laundry detergent from Method is fresh and leaves clothing smelling great. Method doesn't contain phosphates. It is biodegradable and is never tested on animals. Method is also available in HE and Baby detergent formulas.

5. All Small and Mighty

All has offered a wonderful combination of great cleaning power and an affordable price. Now they've added a convenient size to the mix. All's laundry detergent is super concentrated so that a very small amout of detergent washes an entire load of clothing. The smaller sized bottles take up less space and are easier to handle. All Small and Mighty comes in a few different types, including Free and Clear, and High Efficiency (HE).

6. Cheer TrueFit Laundry Detergent

Cheer's TrueFit laundry detergent wants to prevent mishapen clothes emerging from your washing and drying cycles. Cheer TrueFit's unique formula is designed to let fibers slide back into shape more easily, allowing your favorite sweater, or super comfy pants to retain their shape and their place in your wardrobe.
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