Which? Don't Buy washing powder and laundry detergent

Don't Buy laundry detergents fail to clean everyday dirt from your clothes or keep whites and colours bright. So you'll find yourself washing your laundry twice or sighing over your once favourite jumper that's lost its vibrancy – both outcomes cost you money.

Every laundry detergent brand claims its products offer a thorough and hygienic clean, but we've exposed plenty over the years that have left us disappointed. 

Our stringent lab tests separate the Best Buy washing powders and laundry detergents from those you should avoid. 

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Washing powders and laundry detergents to avoid

We've tested laundry detergents from big-name brands such as Ariel and Persil, brands designed to be more eco-friendly, like Ecover and Method, and supermarket own brands. 

• Our lab experts put every laundry powder, liquid or capsule through rigorous tests and give it an overall Which? score, so you can see at a glance which ones are the best and worst.
• We test laundry detergents every year, including retesting some products that we've already reviewed. That's because plenty of detergent manufacturers reformulate annually – sometimes significantly impacting how well their detergents clean. If your favourite detergent now has a 'new and improved' formula, our reviews can tell you if it's still worth your money.
• We rate each detergent on how effective it is at removing common stains, including food, sweat, wine, blood, mud and grass.
• Detergents that score 45% or less are Don't Buys. 

Log in or join Which? to find out which washing powders and laundry detergents we've named as Don't Buys.

To compare and contrast all the detergents we've tested, check out our washing powder and laundry detergent reviews.