If you’ve ever watched the laundry master Jeeves on Instagram, you might have already seen this, but it stopped us in our tracks.
Jeeves has been testing laundry detergents from countries around the world, sent in by his international followers. And he noticed something almost immediately: the dosing cups that come with US detergents are enormous compared to everywhere else.
Is it because our formulas are fundamentally different? Is there really that much more water in American detergents? Truthfully, there's no measurable formulation difference at all. Companies are likely just taking advantage of the traditional American mindset that bigger is always better.
Most laundry experts, including Jeeves, will tell you the same thing: less is more.
Your washing machine is doing more than you think.
While we were formulating our own laundry detergent here at Market Goods, we ran some stain tests that genuinely surprised us. Our run-of-the-mill HE washing machine, with nothing but water, did phenomenally well on traditional food stains and water-based messes. No detergent at all.
Waterproof makeup and grease stains? It needed some help. But for everyday laundry, your HE machine is already doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Detergent is there to give it a hand with the tougher stuff, not to do the whole job.
So how much do you actually need?
For an average load in an HE machine, laundry experts recommend 2 tablespoons. For a smaller load or laundry that isn’t particularly grimy, 1 tablespoon is plenty. More than that and you’re quite literally throwing money down the drain and leaving residue in your clothes and machine.
What about fabric softeners and additives?
The only additive laundry experts actually agree on is an acidic rinse aid, and only if you have a machine that’s prone to mildew, like a front-loading washer. A few tablespoons of plain white vinegar or any commercial balanced rinse aid if you're seeing mildew build up will work.
Fabric softeners are a hard no. Washing machine repair technicians consistently say fabric softeners build up in machines and cause mechanical issues. Skip them entirely.
(Dishwashers have their own “less is more” story. We’ll cover that in an upcoming post!)
What about laundry sheets or pods, which are self-dosing?
We get asked this one a lot: “Will Market Goods carry laundry sheets or pods?”
The short answer is no. And we want to explain why, especially because laundry sheets are one of the most common greenwashing products that genuinely well-intentioned people fall for. They look sustainable. They come in paper packaging. They’re marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to those big plastic jugs. But here’s the reality:
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They don’t have enough cleaning power. One laundry sheet contains about 4 grams of actual detergent. Laundry experts recommend closer to 24 grams for a typical load. That’s nearly six times less than what your clothes actually need. Laundry pods get this right, they actually have enough detergent in them to clean your clothes.
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They contain plastic. Both laundry pods and sheets are held together using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a synthetic plastic polymer. Every time you use one, it releases microplastics into the water system.
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They always come packaged. Even if it's in paper packaging that's more likely to get recycled than plastic, you’re still paying for new packaging every single time you buy.
So what actually works?
Bring your containers and come refill on our liquid laundry detergent or laundry detergent powder. And yes, we said detergent, not soap. Unlike soaps, detergents contain enzymes and specifically formulated surfactants that actively break down sweat, dirt, and the other stuff your clothes collect. And unlike other brands, we’ll tell you the truth on dosing: you only need 2 tablespoons.
We also carry a full lineup of package-free laundry goods:
- Oxygen brightener for whites and stubborn stains
- Solid stain sticks for the really tough spots
- 100% wool dryer balls to cut down drying time naturally
- Enzymatic delicate detergent
- Cotton mesh laundry bags for delicates
If you’ve been using laundry sheets or pods, or pouring a tall helping of laundry detergent for every load, no judgment. But it’s time for a fresh start. 🌿
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