The Top Laundry Detergent For Conquering Hard Water Woes While Washing

If you're struggling with hard water, you're not alone. 85% of Americans have it, and hard water can cause horrors in the home, including to your laundry. Hard water means there's a higher concentration of minerals in your water, such as calcium and magnesium. That means your laundry detergent isn't just working against good old H2O, but minerals as well, which can impact its performance. Plus, because detergent's powers are diminished, your laundry suffers: stains may be less likely to fade, and the fabric can become coated in a buildup of hard water residue, impacting the texture and smell of your laundry. Not to mention that hard water can seriously damage home appliances like your washing machine. That's why it's so important to use a high-quality detergent that doesn't lose all of its power in hard water.

After scouring the internet to find the top detergent for hard water, we noticed one name came up over and over again: Tide Free & Gentle liquid detergent. In an interview with Consumer Reports , Sammy Wang, a fabric care specialist for Procter and Gamble, which houses the Tide brand, said, " we use specialized ingredients in our detergents to bind hard water compounds and soften the water so the stain-fighters and grease-fighters can work effectively." Here's why Tide Free & Gentle is at the top of our list for combatting hard water.

Tide's Free & Gentle formula contains a ton of ingredients, but one makes it particularly effective against hard water, which is sodium citrate. Sodium citrate works as a water softener, and even has some descaling abilities. This works to make the water in the washing machine a more favorable environment, and means you don't need quite as much detergent in the load for it to work well.

As well as working against hard water, Free & Gentle doesn't have any dyes, perfumes, and is considered a hypoallergenic formula. That means it's suitable for those with sensitive skin and shouldn't cause irritation. And it's not just us who are touting it as a top detergent. Consumer Reports tested 68 different detergents in hard water conditions and reported that Tide's Free line performed very well. It also topped Wirecutter's best detergent roundup.

Tide Free and Gentle liquid detergent and pods are available on Amazon. Tide products to run on the pricier side, but remember that you don't need as much detergent per load with a solution that's formulated to soften hard water. If even this detergent can't cut through hard water, it could be a sign that your home would benefit from a water softener.