Let's be honest: detergent is a boring topic to discuss. People usually go to the store to get the cheapest detergent and call it a day. But after a while, the smell fades and your shirts aren’t as comfortable as they used to be…plus your skin starts to itch more than usual. I wanted something special yet gentle that wouldn’t leave my clothes smelling like chemicals or a middle school locker room.
With the world continuously evolving and innovating, detergent is also changing! Enter the world of luxe laundry. Their promises of transforming boring laundry days into luxurious experiences were tempting, but were they true? Time to find out.
Test 1: Let’s Compare
We analyzed Laundry Sauce (the up-and-coming), Tide (a classic), and The Laundress (my mom's favorite) to see who ticks all the boxes. Lets see the results:
The (Boring) Middle School Smell: Tide
Tide is the classic detergent to just check the box. It has been around forever and there is no argument it gets the job done. But what job is that really?
They have a variety of smells but none that are tailored to me. With the world becoming more intimate and personalized, I wanted a smell that matched who I am. Furthermore, as soon as I put on my washed clothes, I noticed I had to put on perfume to cover up that chemical smell.
Tide prides itself on being eco-friendly, but they use chemicals like sodium borate, which can be a skin irritant. What’s the point of saving a couple of bucks if you're going to get skin problems and possibly a rash?
In sum, Tide is a great option if you are looking to check the box for detergent and smell the way you always have.
The Runner-Up: The Laundress
The Laundress is a very popular detergent that has become more popular. They offer personalized scents that are tailored to each individual. However, their quiz is over 15 questions... why does it require so much detail?
When I finally got my personalized smell, I opened the bottle and was confused. Why was the scent MIA? After the wash, I still couldn’t smell anything and was disappointed. So the next time I used even more detergent and still got the same result. Not only do I not have my desired scent, but I wasted detergent and may need to go get some more soon…
As someone who cares about the environment, I was disappointed when I saw that The Laundress didn’t have any recyclable caps and there was some controversy over products they recalled due to safety concerns (👀). All of this was a red flag for me.
The Winner: Laundry Sauce
I can’t believe it took me so long to find Laundry Sauce, but I am so thankful I did. Laundry Sauce’s personalized quiz took me 30 seconds to answer 6 questions to find a scent for me: Egyptian Rose scent.
After the first wash, my clothes had never smelled better. Seriously, people started asking me what perfume I wear! Little did they know I'm only "wearing" Laundry Sauce.
Yes, the price is a lot. I know, I know: $69 for detergent is hard to justify. However, when I consider how much money I'm saving on perfume and other scents, this was a no-brainer! Plus, if you subscribe, you get 15% OFF the order, which decreases the cost to 85 cents a load. The top-notch clean and scent power is worth the extra cost, especially because I’m not spending $150 on a bottle of perfume.
The icing on the cake is that they use 85% biodegradable ingredients and pods that vanish into harmless compounds. Plus, their pods arrive in chic recycled paper boxes – 60% post-consumer materials!
My recommendation: RUN, don’t walk, to get Laundry Sauce
After sifting through suds and scents, Laundry Sauce wins this luxury detergent showdown. Its combination of stain-fighting power, intoxicating scents, value for money, and strong eco-consciousness makes cleaning clothes the best part of your day!
So, why not turn laundry day into a luxurious experience? Trust me: your clothes (and your nose) will thank you!
