The Most Trusted Cleaning Products in America

Big-name brands like Clorox and Tide get a lot of fanfare, but do they live up to their names?

Even with the vaccine rollout and restrictions lifting, stores are still struggling to keep popular cleaning products in stock. But which cleaning products do people trust the most to keep their homes clean and themselves and their loved ones safe?

Reader’s Digest teamed up with the research firm Ipsos Connect to conduct a survey to determine the most trusted brands in America. From cars to credit cards to, yes, cleaners, 3,500 of our readers revealed which household names they trust the most. And our survey evaluated three different categories of cleaning products: disinfecting wipes, household cleaners, and laundry detergent.

The results might not come as too much of a surprise: Clorox took the top spot for disinfectant wipes. Clorox “is durable, effective, [and] it kills germs,” as one survey respondent explained. Another respondent added, “I am an absolute clean freak and Clorox goes a long way.”

Girl pulling out wet wipeDay by Day Photography/Elizabeth Casey/Getty Images

Lysol, meanwhile, was the favorite household cleaner. “What’s not to love about Lysol? The very best disinfectant around!” one recipient raved. “When I use my Lysol, I KNOW I am safe and protected from nasty germs in my home.” “I…love that the products work like they say they do,” added another. Lysol is one of the best hospital-grade cleaning supplies for your home.

Finally, when it came to laundry detergents, Tide was the champion among Reader’s Digest readers. As the world’s best-selling detergent brand, it has scores of loyal customers. Among them is one of our survey recipients, who said, “[I] have tried others, but always go back to Tide. I think it cleans better.” Another commented on how Tide Free and Gentle doesn’t irritate his skin.

So, according to the survey, these big-time brands do indeed live up to their names and promises. They’ll keep your home, clothes, and belongings squeaky clean. Next, find out the most trusted hotel chain in America, and check out the full results of the Most Trusted Brands survey.

Meghan Jones
Meghan Jones is a word nerd who has been writing for RD.com since 2017. You can find her byline on pieces about grammar, fun facts, the meanings of various head-scratching words and phrases, and more. Meghan graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2017; her creative nonfiction piece “Anticipation” was published in the Spring 2017 issue of Angles literary magazine.