High Performance Laundry Detergent: A Repeatable Care Routine

You want a high performance laundry detergent for tough stains and odors. Maybe your regular detergent isn’t cleaning well enough, you have tough stains, or you want better results from your laundry routine. High performance laundry detergent is designed to clean better, remove more stains, and eliminate more odors than regular detergent. Here’s a guide to high performance laundry detergent and a repeatable care routine.

High performance laundry detergent is a detergent formulated with stronger surfactants, enzymes, and boosters to clean tough stains, remove odors, and brighten clothes more effectively than regular detergent. The key to using high performance detergent is using the right amount, pairing it with the right boosters (baking soda, OxiClean), and maintaining the machine regularly.

To use high performance laundry detergent, use Tide Free and Gentle with baking soda and OxiClean, pre-treat stains with OxiClean or Dawn, wash in the right water temperature, add vinegar to the rinse, add Lysol for disinfecting, and clean the machine monthly with affresh. Don’t use too much detergent, don’t use fabric softener, and don’t overload the washer.

What Makes a High Performance Laundry Detergent

Strong Surfactants

Surfactants are the cleaning agents in detergent that break down dirt, oil, and stains. High performance detergents contain stronger surfactants for better cleaning.

Enzymes

Enzymes break down specific stain types:

• Protease: Breaks down protein stains (blood, sweat, dairy)
• Lipase: Breaks down oil and grease stains
• Amylase: Breaks down starch and food stains
• Cellulase: Breaks down fuzz and pills on cotton

Boosters

High performance detergents may contain built-in boosters like baking soda or oxygen bleach for extra cleaning power.

The Repeatable Care Routine

Daily: Laundry Habits

Step 1: Sort clothes by color and fabric.

Step 2: Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle per load.

Step 3: Add half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda to the wash for extra cleaning power and deodorizing.

Step 4: Add 1 scoop of OxiClean to the wash for extra stain removal and brightening.

Step 5: Pre-treat stains:

• Most stains: OxiClean Max Force Spray
• Grease and oil: Dawn Ultra Dish Soap
• Food and grease: Shout Advanced Grease Busting Foam
• Ink: Amodex Ink and Stain Remover

Step 6: Wash in the right water temperature:

• Cold: Darks, delicates, protein stains
• Warm: Most loads, everyday clothes
• Hot: Whites, towels, bedding, heavily soiled

Step 7: Add half a cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser for the rinse.

Step 8: Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to the rinse for disinfecting.

Step 9: Remove clothes promptly and dry using the right method.

Monthly: Machine Maintenance

Step 1: Place one tablet of affresh Washing Machine Cleaner in the washer drum.

Step 2: Set to the hottest water and longest cycle.

Step 3: Run the cycle.

Step 4: Wipe the rubber seal, dispenser, and drum.

Step 5: Leave the door open to dry.

Weekly: Quick Maintenance

Step 1: Wipe the rubber seal with a dry cloth.

Step 2: Check the dispenser for buildup.

Step 3: Leave the door open between loads.

High Performance Detergent vs. Regular Detergent

Feature	High Performance	Regular
Surfactants	Stronger	Standard
Enzymes	Multiple types	Fewer types
Stain removal	Better	Good
Odor removal	Better	Good
Brightening	Better	Good
Amount per load	1 to 2 tablespoons	2 to 4 tablespoons
Best for	Tough stains, odors, heavy soil	Everyday loads

How to Boost Your Detergent

Add Baking Soda

Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash. Baking soda boosts cleaning power by raising pH, deodorizes, and softens water.

Add OxiClean

Add 1 scoop of OxiClean to the wash. OxiClean adds oxygen bleach for extra stain removal and brightening.

Pre-Treat Stains

Pre-treat stains with OxiClean spray, Dawn dish soap, or Shout foam before washing. Pre-treating gives the detergent a head start.

Add Vinegar to the Rinse

Add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse. Vinegar removes detergent residue and deodorizes.

Add Lysol for Disinfecting

Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to the rinse for killing bacteria and odors.

Use the Right Water Temperature

Use hot water for whites, towels, and heavily soiled items. Use warm water for most loads. Use cold water for darks, delicates, and protein stains.

What Not to Do

Don’t use too much detergent. Excess detergent leaves residue that feeds mold and reduces cleaning performance. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.

Don’t use fabric softener. Fabric softener leaves residue that reduces absorbency and feeds mold. Use white vinegar instead.

Don’t overload the washer. Overloading reduces cleaning performance. Load loosely.

Don’t use regular detergent in HE washers. Regular detergent causes oversudsing and residue in HE washers. Use HE detergent only.

Don’t leave wet clothes sitting. Leaving wet clothes causes mildew and odors. Remove promptly.

Don’t close the door between loads. Closing the door traps moisture and causes mold. Leave the door open.

Don’t skip monthly cleaning. Monthly cleaning with affresh prevents mold and odors.

FAQ

What is high performance laundry detergent? High performance laundry detergent is a detergent formulated with stronger surfactants, enzymes, and boosters to clean tough stains, remove odors, and brighten clothes more effectively than regular detergent.

What is the best high performance laundry detergent? Tide Free and Gentle is one of the best high performance detergents. It’s HE compatible, free of dyes and perfumes, and cleans well in all water temperatures. Boost it with baking soda and OxiClean for maximum performance.

How do you boost laundry detergent performance? Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash, add 1 scoop of OxiClean, pre-treat stains with OxiClean spray or Dawn dish soap, add vinegar to the rinse, add Lysol for disinfecting, and use the right water temperature.

How much high performance detergent should you use per load? Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load. For small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For large loads, use 2 tablespoons. Don’t use more than 2 tablespoons.

How often should you clean your washing machine? Clean your washing machine monthly with affresh Washing Machine Cleaner. Run an empty hot cycle with one tablet to prevent mold and odors.

References

1. Tide. “Detergent Guide.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “Laundry Detergent Guide.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Detergent Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. affresh. “Cleaning Guide.” affresh.com.