SAN ANTONIO – When it comes to getting rid of nasty stains or just ordinary grime, new detergent ratings from Consumer Reports will help you avoid buying a laundry loser.
Consumer Reports testers used the detergents on special fabric swatches stained with body oil, dirt, blood, chocolate, wine and tea.
They found the lower-rated detergents, Trader Joe's Liquid Laundry HE and Xtra Scentsations, performed only slightly better than plain water.
The top-scoring detergents, Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Persil Pro-Clean Power Liquid 2-in-1, were best at removing body oil and dirt.
But the top detergents aren't cheap.
Consumer Reports said consumers who don't have clothes to wash with tough stains, like grass, or don't have a bunch of grungy clothes, can rely on some lower-priced detergents to do a good job.
Member's Mark Ultimate Clean from Sam's Club or Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean Free and Clear from Costco are both good options, as well as All Stainlifter detergent for half the price of Tide.
Another money-saver idea is to skip detergents with stain removers and pour some of the laundry detergent directly on the stain, rub it in and let it sit for a little while before washing.