Avoid This Liquid Laundry Detergent Brand — Consumer Reports Ranks It Lowest

Era 3X Oxibooster isn't America's top-selling laundry detergent, but it is one you'll find on store shelves alongside other budget-friendly picks at grocery stores and online. It's one of Proctor & Gamble's laundry brands, which means Era is made by the same company responsible for household favorites like Gain, Downy, and Tide. However, unlike those big brands, Era falls into the budget category, so you'll find it on store shelves sitting alongside other affordable brands like Purex (a lower-cost brand from the same manufacturer as Persil) and generic store brands such as Walmart's Great Value. Unfortunately, testing conducted by Consumer Reports on laundry detergents from both popular and lesser-known brands shows that the low price likely isn't worth paying as Era's supposedly potent formula doesn't deliver clean clothes after a run through the wash. 

Consumer Reports finds Era simply can't measure up to other products when it comes to removing stains or even just getting fabrics clean. It ranks the worst out of all of the laundry detergents tested after comparing the detergent against other liquid, powder, and pod formulations. Although Era's 3X Oxibooster formula does include oxidizing agents in its ingredients list — a detail that usually suggests a liquid laundry detergent can lift stains — Consumer Reports called its performance "dismal" and that it "disappoints when it comes to removing grass and blood stains, and it's downright lousy at getting out dirt and chocolate".

Compared to pod and powder formulations, liquid detergents tend to be the most effective at eliminating tough stains; but ultimately, a detergent's effectiveness comes down to the ingredients used and how potent (or active) they are. If you're searching for a more effective option that does tackle (and actually remove) stains, seek out ones with oxidizing agents. 

For an effective alternative to Era's 3X Oxibooster formula, you'll want to choose a liquid detergent with enzymes that specifically suit your most common laundry woes. Different enzymes target different types of stains. For example, if you're fighting chocolate and grass, you'll want protease enzymes in the ingredients list; for oil and grease, you'll need lipase. You can also consider how concentrated those enzymes are compared to how much detergent you're using per load, as in, is it a concentrated formula or not (and yes, there is a wrong amount of detergent).

You'll also want to choose a detergent that includes a variety of surfactants and enzymes in its formula, listed as active ingredients at the front of the ingredients list. This means they are the most active ingredients. Surfactants work to lift dirt and residue off fabrics, while enzymes are hardworking ingredients that give a detergent's overall cleaning power more potency and effectiveness. Not sure if your current formula is really effective? Give your clean clothes a sniff. If there's any lingering odor, like a sour smell on your laundry, you might need a more potent detergent.