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SHOP MOTHER'S EARTH
Here’s How I Tested 10 Laundry Detergent Sheets So You Can Just Pick The Best One
By Josie | Published on 09/01/24
You can make a difference
Do you ever feel like liquid detergent jugs are messy and full of chemicals? It turns out, you’re not the only one.
That’s until my sister and I stumbled upon a promising, plastic-free alternative: laundry detergent sheets. But there are more than 50+ different laundry detergent sheets on the market. That’s why over the past year, we have tested the 10 most popular laundry detergent sheets on the market for:
Cleaning Power
Ingredients
Price
Leftover Residue
Scent
These are my results:
Winner
Mother's Earth
9.5/10
Tru Earth
9.5/10
HeySunday
9.5/10
EarthBreeze
9.5/10
EC30
9.5/10
CleanPeople
9.5/10
Sheets Laundry Club
9.5/10
Frey Laundry Sheets
9.5/10
Here’s how I tested 8 top laundry detergent sheets so you can just pick the best one.
Fair grounds
To test different laundry detergent sheets on fair grounds, my sister and I bought 4 identical white T-shirts and dirtied each of them with a stain of wine and a stain of ketchup. On top of that, we continued to use each brand daily until we ran out of sheets from our order to get a really good grip on the performance. (I got you covered with some tips and tricks for each brand ;) )
Washing the clothes
Then we carefully washed each T-shirt with a different detergent sheet brand to see which one performed best.
Some objective criteria
We looked at 5 things in particular:
Stain Removal
Ingredients
Cost
Leftover Residue
Scent
And that’s exactly how our ranking was made: each laundry detergent sheet got a rating on each of these criteria and then I took the sum.
That’s simply how I came to decide my winner:
Before
After
Something about myself first…
Before I go deeper into explaining the results,
please let me introduce myself.
My name is Josie.
I am a 34-year-old mother of 2 little boys.
On top of trying to live a healthy lifestyle, I’m also very passionate about the environment.
That’s when my frustration started to grow with traditional liquid detergent jugs.
Do you know what’s in them (and what the chemicals are doing to your skin)?
Do you think they’re convenient to use?
In each case, I didn’t… and neither did my sister
If you can relate, then you will want to read on about…
The latest innovation in the cleaning industry
I’m talking about laundry detergent sheets.
These compact, paper-like sheets are infused with a precise amount of detergent concentration, designed to dissolve neatly in your washing machine. In other words, no more hassle of measuring and pouring liquid detergent.
This is why the popularity of laundry detergent sheets is skyrocketing at the moment. They are eco-friendly, space efficient, plastic-free packaging, and they completely eliminate messy spills.
High Cleaning Power
High Cleaning Power
Biodegradable
100% Plastic Free
Nasty Chemicals
Cheapest
$14
$.20/load
Expensive
$27
$.25/load
Convenient
Heavy Jugs
Easy Dosage
1 Sheet per Load
Sheets dissolve in wash
Spillage
Do they really work
Yes, after more than one year of switching to laundry detergent sheets I’m pretty sure of that.
But… make no mistake about it!
Not all of them do!
This explosion in popularity has led to a lot of new brands entering the market, but some do not achieve the highest quality standards.
After all, I’ve noticed everything depends on what ingredients are used and the quality of the ingredients used!
What to look out for?
Let me keep things simple here.
Bio-enzymes are the main ingredients for every of these detergent sheets.
But I found there’s only one that’s really made the difference in terms of cleaning power.
I’m talking about…
Protease
Protease is a special bio-enzyme found in plants (and humans) and has powerful cleaning features.
It is able to dissolve the very proteins that make up tough stains like oil and fats.
Think of protease as a knife that cuts up the proteins in these stains, so they can be easily washed out.
And that makes laundry detergent sheets that contain protease far superior.
Want to learn more?
Let me share some of my experiences…
Here’s how I tested 8 top laundry detergent sheets so you can just pick the best one.
Fair grounds
To test different laundry detergent sheets on fair grounds, my sister and I bought 4 identical white T-shirts and dirtied each of them with a stain of wine and a stain of ketchup. On top of that, we continued to use each brand daily until we ran out of sheets from our order to get a really good grip on the performance. (I got you covered with some tips and tricks for each brand ;) )
Washing the clothes
Then we carefully washed each T-shirt with a different detergent sheet brand to see which one performed best.
Some objective criteria
We looked at 5 things in particular:
Stain Removal
Ingredients
Cost
Leftover Residue
Scent
And that’s exactly how our ranking was made: each laundry detergent sheet got a rating on each of these criteria and then I took the sum.
That’s simply how I came to decide my winner:
Before
After
1
Mother's Earth
A real cleaning bomb
Rating: 9.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Best result of all tested detergents in removing stubborn stains (completely removed red wine & ketchup)
3-in-1: stain remover, detergent and fabric softener
100% plastic-free
Contains protease, glycerin as well as other bio-enzymes
Ultra-concentrated formulation
Suitable for every colour of laundry
Plant-based, skin-friendly ingredients
Fresh fragrance
Also suitable for high-efficiency washing machines and water softeners
Delivers CO2 neutral
Left no residue after washing
30-day free trial wash
What I don’t like 👎:
Only available through their online website - not in supermarkets or on Amazon
5-day shipping - is climate neutral then :)
Not for wool & silk (stated on package)
Contains protease, glycerin as well as other bio-enzymes
SHOP MOTHER'S EARTH
What I like ♥️
The results of the tests were just very straightforward. The laundry sheets from Mother's Earth, however a start-up, stood out head and shoulders above the rest.
Why is this? Mainly due to the gigantic cleaning power hidden in these laundry strips. The reason is quite simple. Both stubborn stains were removed piece by piece, even with cold water.
Mother's Earth laundry sheets not only feature the highest-quality ingredients like protease enzyme, glycerin and saponins.
It doesn't stop there.
They are also a tad bigger than those of its competitors on top of being ultra-concentrated. Therefore it practically has twice the washing power of its competitors. This makes Mother's Earth's laundry sheets completely unique, offering cleaning power that simply surpasses the others.
With its 3-in-1 formula (stain remover, detergent and fabric softener), it is also enough to tear off just a small piece of the laundry sheet to remove an individual stain, even when using cold water.
In me and my sister’s testing, these laundry strips did not leave any marks on clothes. Furthermore, Mother's Earth's Eco-Friendly Laundry sheets also dissolved extremely well in water, both hot and cold, and left no residue.
What I don’t like 👎
One of the only cons is that the delivery time is 5 days. This has to do with their commitment to climate neutrality. In partnership with Mast Reforestation and Grassroots Carbon, with investment, as much CO2 is removed from the atmosphere as delivery still causes. Also, the fact that the wax strips are only available on Mother's Earth's own website is quite unfortunate.
If you are looking for a climate-friendly detergent, without sacrificing cleaning power, our jury recommends Mother's Earth. Quickly check out their latest promotions (while stocks last), because at less than $0.19 cents per wash, they are also already the cheapest option in the test.
SHOP MOTHER'S EARTH
2
Tru Earth
Solid Second Place
Rating: 8.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Free of 1,4-dioxane
Works in all washing machines, including HE
Optimal for sensitive skin
Good cleaning power
Multiple scent options
What I don’t like 👎:
Leaves residue, doesn’t fully dissolve
More expensive
Website is hard to navigate
What I like ♥️
My overall feelings about TruEarth’s detergent sheets are pretty good. They removed most of the stains and did a pretty good job in keeping their product free from chemicals.
I also liked the fact that TruEarth offers multiple lovely scent options to choose from. I picked the Lilac Breeze scent and I must admit I loved it.
What I don’t like 👎
Unfortunately, they did not dissolve that well and left traces of residue all over the t-shirt. That should not happen, knowing that TruEarth is a more expensive option at 39c/wash.
You also want to look out for residue, especially on colored clothing you’ll notice some white marks…
SHOP TRUEARTH
3
HeySunday
Newcomer Takes The 3rd Spot
Rating: 7.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Dissolved well
30-day money back guarantee
Removes stains very well
What I don’t like 👎:
Tiny sheets
Vague about ingredients
Best to use small loads
Doesn’t remove odors
What I like ♥️
The third place goes to HeySunday and that is well-deserved. I thought I was taking a risk by ordering these but even without protease, these sheets are able to keep your clothes clean and remove any stains.
HeySunday
Mother's Earth
What I don’t like 👎
What could be improved is the scent. I personally felt like I had to assume my clothes were clean (based on sight) because they didn’t give us that clean smell or feel. I also didn’t find a list of ingredients, but based on their claims I think they are about as safe as the others.
⚠️ These sheets were noticeably smaller so you’ll need to toss in 2 sheets or just go for smaller loads when using daily.
SHOP HeySunday
4
EarthBreeze
Reliable Cleaning Performance
Rating: 7/10
What I like ♥️:
No residue
Budget friendly
Great stain removal
Lots of positive reviews
What I don’t like 👎:
No protease
Hard to cancel the subscription
Only 1 scent option
What I like ♥️
EarthBreeze is definitely a solid pick for doing your laundry. It removed my stains effectively and it left almost no residue, unlike TruEarth for example. Also, I think EarthBreeze was one of the first brands to come up with this product so… a well-deserved shoutout.
What I don’t like 👎
However, things can get a bit tricky with EarthBreeze. You’ll usually need 2 sheets to clean tougher stains, which is unfortunate. (The number of sheets advertised are practically ‘half sheets’ so to speak) Their sheets also do not contain protease which might be another explanation for needing more than 1 sheet.
Furthermore, I had a pretty hard time canceling my subscription at EarthBreeze and their customer service was kind of poor in my opinion. That’s why I gave it the fourth spot.
SHOP EARTHBREEZE
5
EC30
Great Cleaner
Rating: 6.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Suited for all washing machines
1 tree planted for every purchase
Powerful cleaning product
What I don’t like 👎:
Leaves chunks of residue
Intense scent
Questionable chemicals
What I like ♥️
The cleaning power of EC30 laundry detergent sheets did not go unnoticed. Especially for white clothing (like our tested T-shirts) the results were very good. EC30 stands out for its intense scent. You can even smell it from outside the packaging.
What I don’t like 👎
Using the rest of the sheets daily, we did notice a few things: 1) our coloured clothing was getting a little less vibrant over time and 2) I found some chunks of residue over my clothes. That’s definitely something to watch out for.
My sister and I didn’t really mind the strong & fresh scent but we did get a little bit suspicious about the ingredients in this. It turned out, our suspicions were right: EC30 uses a lot more chemicals than the other brands.
SHOP EC30
6
CleanPeople
The Perfect Scent
Rating: 6.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Multiple scent options
Gentle clean feeling
Works well in warm water
Septic tank safe
What I don’t like 👎:
Inferior for stain removal
Had to re-wash some loads
Didn’t dissolve easily in cold water
Pricey
What I like ♥️
In terms of scent, these laundry detergent sheets are really top of the line. The T-shirt came out with a nice fresh scent and Pricey a gentle feel to it. I really loved it. Online you can choose from 2 scents and a fragrance free option.
What I don’t like 👎
In terms of stain removal, CleanPeople did stay a bit below the expectations. Stubborn stains don’t really vanish with these laundry sheets, neither do they dissolve very well. I often had to re-wash some of my loads in order to really get my clothes cleaned. Or you could also toss in a second sheet to really tackle all stains. Anyways, that is very unfortunate because CleanPeople does come in at the higher price point of $0.41/wash. I had expected more.
SHOP CLEANPEOPLE
7
Sheets Laundry Club
The Amateur Option
Rating: 6.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Great linen scent
Gives off a soft feel
Septic tank safe
What I don’t like 👎:
Does include Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA)
Not really biodegradable
More expensive
Unpractical packaging
Not 100% clean but OK…
What I like ♥️
When I opened the box, I was immediately in love with the scent that came out of it. Something like a fresh linen scent (it doesn’t carry over too much on the clothes though 😣). I liked how these sheets gave off that soft feel to my clothes, definitely a plus for that.
What I don’t like 👎
Well, these sheets are actually not that eco-friendly. They contain PVA which makes it harder to be biodegradable etc. Added to that, some deep stains on the T-shirt didn’t completely get removed (a little mark was left).
At 40c/sheet, this is also not really your cheapest option. You want more for that price. That’s why Sheets Laundry Club isn’t ranking high for me.
SHOP SHEETS LAUNDRY CLUB
8
Frey Laundry Sheets
Not my first choice
Rating: 5.5/10
What I like ♥️:
Great design
Suited for all washing machines
What I don’t like 👎:
Left some residue on the clothes
More expensive
Little to no scent
Stain removal needs some improvement
What I like ♥️
The Frey laundry sheets definitely stood out to me because of their clean minimalist design. When I was using these sheets daily, I must admit they are overall quite solid (just like the others) and keep your clothes clean.
What I don’t like 👎
However, when you have tough stains to clean, Frey is not your best choice. When I ordered Frey’s laundry sheets, I was hoping for the great scent where everybody online was talking about. But hell, was I wrong! When me and my sister tested it, we barely noticed a scent or a fragrance. What we did notice, were some leftover residue marks on our clothes. Not a good look.
At 44c/sheet, this is also not really your cheapest option. For those reasons, Frey ranks last for me.
SHOP FREY LAUNDRY DETERGENT SHEETS
Why I chose Mother's Earth as my #1 ?
Greatest cleaning power
This is where Mother's Earth made the big difference according to me and my sister. Its ultra-concentrated washing strips (they are thicker) with protease managed to remove all of our most stubborn stains in just one wash. The cleaning power hidden in these strips is far superior, also thanks to the slightly larger dosage compared to other brands.
Soft feel, fresh smell
After each wash, our jury was always surprised by the soft 'wash feel' that was retained wash after wash. The fresh scent is also quite pleasant to become. In fact, each wash strip contains a microcapsule fragrance (except the fragrance-free option) that clearly does its job well: gives a subtle scent that is noticeable even after washing.
Price
Mother's Earth offers excellent value for money. At just $0.17 per wash, you get a high-quality, powerful cleaning product that simply outperforms comparable products. Although the sheets are not (yet) available in supermarkets, they are easy to order online, and the long-term savings are obvious.
Environmental impact
Mother's Earth stands out with 100% plastic-free packaging and a fully biodegradable formula. In addition, they offer carbon-neutral deliveries and investments in environmental protection. Their focus on sustainability means you not only get your laundry clean, but you also actively get to contribute to a greener planet.
100% Dissolvable in Water
Mother's Earth laundry strips dissolved completely and quickly in both cold and hot water, without leaving any residue. This makes them suitable for all types of machines, including HE, and ensures spotless results without residues.
Ease-of-use
The strips are easy to use: take a wash strip and place it directly into the washing machine. The clear instructions on the packaging make it easy, even for beginners. The 3-in-1 formula (stain remover, detergent and fabric softener) also means less hassle with multiple products, saving you time and effort during washing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
Some brands, like Mother's Earth performed much better than traditional detergents in my opinion. Thanks to the ultra-concentration of the special cleaning enzyme protease, Mother's Earth's strips remove even the toughest stains, often even in one wash.
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