Liquid vs. Powder Detergent vs. Pods: Which Is Best for Your Laundry?

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When it comes to laundry detergent, the options may feel endless. There are tons of brands to choose from, but the more important question may be which type of detergent works best when doing laundry: Is powder vs. liquid detergent better? And what about laundry pods? Are they worth the hype—or should you stick with the basics?
(While you’re at it, also learn how to wash silk and hand-wash clothes properly!)

“All detergents have pros and cons,” says LaundryTok expert Melissa Pateras, author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home. She notes that it boils down to personal preference and your laundry needs. For example, your desire for a more budget-friendly option may take precedence over a neatly contained detergent. But if you want a detergent that can double as a stain pretreater, your idea of the “best” choice will likely be different.

Reader’s Digest spoke to both Pateras and Mary Gagliardi, Clorox’s in-house scientist who’s also known as Dr. Laundry, about which type of detergent is right for you. Ahead, you’ll find out what each has to offer, as well as expert tips to help you maximize their performance.

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Powder laundry detergent

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On a budget? Powder is by far the most wallet-friendly option when it comes to laundry detergent. It’s also a smart pick for extra-dirty loads. “Powder detergent is usually formulated at a higher pH, which can optimize cleaning of heavily soiled work clothes and sports uniforms,” Gagliardi says. Here’s what else you need to know.

Pros:

• Cheaper per load than liquid or pods
• Comes in recyclable and eco-friendly packaging
• Has the longest shelf life

Cons:

• May have trouble dissolving in colder water
• Can be used for pretreating clothes, but you need to make a paste or dissolve it first, adding an additional step to your laundry routine
• Needs to be kept dry to avoid clumping

Expert tips for using powder laundry detergent

• Always use warm or hot water. Yes, the right water temperature to wash your clothes in ultimately depends on the fabric, but you really need warm or hot water if you decide to use a powder detergent. That’s because some powders struggle to dissolve in cold water. As a result, clothes may end up coated with a grainy residue and not as clean.
• Pre-dissolve powder detergent for delicates. If you’re washing an item that calls for cold water, Gagliardi suggests pre-dissolving powder detergent in a little hot water before adding it to the machine. This will take care of the potential dissolving problems and give your clothes the right amount of cleaning power.
• Put powder detergent in the tub or dispenser. When you’re washing everyday laundry loads, either should work fine. Just be sure to check your washing machine’s instructions.

Liquid laundry detergent

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If you prefer washing your clothes in cold water, this is the best type of detergent for you. “Liquid detergent disperses easily in cold water temperatures, so it’s great if you want to exclusively use cold water,” says Gagliardi, noting that people often use cold water for energy savings (though it’s also gentler on clothes). Simply measure the correct amount with the cap provided, and add it to your washing machine’s tub or dispenser. If you’re still deciding between powder vs. liquid detergent, the pros and cons below should help clear things up for you.

Pros:

• Dissolves well in any water temperature, including cold
• Can be used to pretreat stains easily
• Easy to use for hand-washing

Cons:

• Can be messy, heavy and cumbersome
• Comes in plastic packaging, which is not environmentally friendly
• Pours quickly, which can lead to using too much detergent

Expert tip for using liquid laundry detergent

• Use it to combat stains. “I prefer liquid detergent because I also pretreat stains with it,” says Pateras. Just pour just enough detergent onto the garment to cover the stain, let it soak in for a few minutes and then toss it in with the rest of your load.

Laundry detergent pods

While you probably now know where you stand on the powder vs. liquid detergent debate, you might still be wondering about pods. The least-messy detergent option, pods are premeasured and the detergent is contained. They are also easy to transport, which is why they’re a good pick for people using communal laundry rooms.

Pros:

• No need to measure detergent
• The lightest option—no heavy bottles or boxes to move around
• Zero mess
• Long shelf life

Cons:

• Most expensive option
• More difficult to use for pretreating stains, since they must first be dissolved in warm water
• Potential for poisoning because the brightly colored packets can look like candy to young children
• Have lots of plastic packaging, which adds to the environmental impact
• Hard to measure if you have a smaller or larger load

Expert tips for using laundry pods

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• Know when and where to add the pods. “Laundry pods typically must be added to the clothes washer prior to adding your laundry so that they dissolve,” says Gagliardi. If you put the pods on top of your laundry, they might not dissolve, which could leave residue on your clothes and not clean them as well. So place the pods in the bottom of the washer drum, then add your clothes and run your cycle. If you have a large-capacity washer and it is fully loaded, use two pods for better cleaning results.
• Keep pods out of reach of young kids. You’ve probably heard about the dangers of laundry pods—and for good reason. The brightly colored pods look like candy to kids and are toxic if consumed. That’s why proper storage is so important. “Pods must be kept in their original packaging,” says Gagliardi. “The pods won’t be visible and therefore are not appealing to children.” That said, you should still go one step further and store them high up, where children (and pets) can’t reach them.

Why you should trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece, Maryn Liles tapped her experience as a home writer, and then Mary Marlowe Leverette, a fabric-care expert with more than 40 years of experience, gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We also relied on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Melissa Dilkes Pateras, author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home: Housekeeping Hacks You Can’t Live Without; email interview, Jan. 9, 2024
• Mary Gagliardi, in-house scientist and cleaning expert at Clorox; email interview, Jan. 8, 2024

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