Trending claims

Advice: Use a dye- and fragrance-free detergent to wash all family clothes together without sorting by color.

Fact: Smaller laundry loads can be more effective and are gentler on the washing machine.

Fact: Lauren Sullivan's family still uses a compact washer-dryer unit six years after purchasing it.

Advice: Use Amodex stain remover for ink marks.

Fact: Amodex excels on ink stains, including permanent ink, but is less effective on food stains like mustard and gravy.

Statement: Signe Brewster said her family uses separate laundry baskets for dryable clothes, non-dryable clothes, and kids' clothes.

Fact: Amodex Ink & Stain Remover is gentle on fabrics.

Fact: Kalee Thompson used the 3 Sprouts Laundry Hamper for her oldest son and later passed it to her tween.

Advice: For stains not noticed immediately, an overnight soak in warm water with a high-quality detergent like Tide Ultra Oxi can be effective.

Statement: Courtney Schley advised that oil stains require liquid detergent or dish soap, while soil stains need a paste of powder detergent and water.

Advice: Wirecutter generally recommends washing clothes in cold water rather than hot water.

Advice: A pre-treatment mixture can be made by applying about 70% Tide Free & Gentle and 30% water to a stain.

Statement: Andrea Barnes said washing brightly dyed clothes in warm water can make them look dingier and faded.

Well-formulated detergents contain enzymes that break down organic soils like body oil, blood, and grass.

Wirecutter has spent over a decade testing laundry appliances, detergents, and laundry aids.

Statement: Andrea Barnes noticed brighter colors and fewer stains after switching to Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent.

Advice: To check for enzymes in a detergent, look for ingredients ending in '-ase' on the label, such as amylase, lipase, or mannanase.

Tide Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent contains amylase for starch-based stains and subtilisin for stains from blood, grass, and sweat.

All five of Wirecutter's top laundry detergent picks contain enzymes.

Author Brooklyn White is a mother of four who has done thousands of laundry loads.