Choosing Laundry Detergents

CHOICE's top detergents for your clothes, garden and water recycling.

By choosing the right detergent, you can get a great wash, and at the same time, make a big difference to the cost of treating water so that it can be recycled, and safely use greywater occasionally on the garden.

The good news is there are a number of laundry detergents on the market which

• give you a great wash and a clean and fresh result
• contain low salt levels, which is important for recycling water from treatment plants
• are OK for occasional garden use of the wash water.

City West Water and Choice laundry detergent study 2011 video

Download MP4 video (60.7MB)

Download WMV video (45.4MB)

Top 2 recommended powder and liquid detergents for top loaders and front loaders*

	Powder Detergents	Liquid Detergents
Top Loaders	Biozet Omo Small & Mighty 2 x concentrate	Seventh Generation  OMO Small & Mighty 3 x active power
Front Loaders	Biozet Omo Small & Mighty 2 x concentrate (at ½ dose)	Seventh Generation  OMO Small & Mighty 3 x active power

* Recommendations based on weightings of the above criteria.

Most laundry detergents contain a high concentration of salts, including phosphates, nitrates, sulphates and sodium, which must be removed from wastewater at your local treatment plant. Removing tonnes of salt from wastewater is a very energy intensive and expensive process requiring a desalination plant. Then there is the problem of how to best dispose of the salts once they are removed – particularly for inland cities and towns.

For the full results of the study, and to find out how your favourite brand performed for washing performance, stain removal, greywater suitability, wastewater recycling and cost per wash, go to savewater.com.au.