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Best laundry detergent for HE washers (2026)
Our pick is Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive: its maker's label page says HE Safe,1 it lists no fragrance and no MI or BIT (preservatives some people react to), and Reviewed, a testing site, found it removed the most stains in a sensitive-skin test.2 Costs 24 cents a load.3 Only 13 of 44 HE labels list neither fragrance nor MI.
Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive
No fragrance or MI-family preservative listed, and the top stain result in Reviewed's sensitive-skin test.
How many HE laundry detergents list fragrance or MI-family preservatives?
We found 59 detergent listings marked HE, and could read a full ingredient list for 44. 27 of those 44 list fragrance, an essential oil or a named fragrance allergen. 15 list MI or BIT, two preservatives some people react to. The rest list neither. For a child with eczema, the American Academy of Dermatology advises: "Use only detergent that is fragrance-free and dye-free."4
Liquids and powders carry most of the HE marks. Pods and sheets are the gap: 3 of 7 HE-marked pod labels and 1 of 6 sheet labels had a full list we could read, and none of those listed neither.
| Form | HE-marked listings | Full list read | List neither fragrance nor MI | Median cost per load (HE-marked, priced) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid | 33 of 117 | 29 | 5 | $0.26 |
| Powder | 10 of 35 | 8 | 6 | $0.25 |
| Pod | 7 of 36 | 3 | 0 | $0.28 |
| Sheet | 6 of 48 | 1 | 0 | $0.23 |
| Strip or cube | 3 of 8 | 3 | 2 | $0.39 |
Counted from the detergent listings and maker pages we read in November 2026. Cost per load uses the Amazon price and the load count on the listing.
Our pick, and four more HE-marked detergentsFour more picks for other needs
Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive
Our pickHE-marked, with no fragrance or MI-family preservative listed. Pick this one for an HE washer when you want a tested cleaner and a short list of skin triggers. It lists a brightener (it makes whites look whiter) and enzymes (they break down stains). Pre-treat set-in stains.3
Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder
A powder with a short ingredient list, for HE washers per its maker. Pick this one for a few-ingredient powder that its maker says works in HE washers. Its overall cleaning score was low, so pre-treat tough stains and use warm water where the label allows.5
ATTITUDE Liquid Laundry Detergent, Mountain Fresh
Plant-based liquid, labeled EWG Verified. Pick this one for a plant-based liquid that the label says suits HE and standard washers. It lists fragrance and no MI or BIT. No tester we read has covered it, so pre-treat stains.6
Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear
Cheapest HE-marked liquid we read that lists no fragrance or MI-family preservative. Pick this one to spend the least per load. Pre-treat stains first. The list holds a brightener.7
Persil ProClean Original
Reviewed's best overall detergent (it named Persil ProClean without a scent; we read that as this Original). Pick this one when fragrance is fine for your household and you want a tested all-round liquid. It lists fragrance and no MI or BIT.8
What does HE mean on a laundry detergent?
HE means high efficiency. It marks a detergent made to make few suds, for washers that use little water. Tide, a detergent maker, says: "It is critical to use a specially-formulated, low-sudsing HE detergent like Tide HE Turbo Clean to achieve time and water savings."9
Too many suds cost you. Tide says: "When an HE machine detects excess suds after completing the first rinse cycle, it will add more rinse cycles."10 On Amazon, we counted a detergent as HE-marked only when its title, its maker claims or its dose text said HE or high efficiency.
Which HE laundry detergent cleans best in lab tests?
In Reviewed's sensitive-skin test, Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin removed the most stains; Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin removed about 67%, 7 points behind.2, 11 Each tester ran its own stains, so compare within a row, not across. Consumer Reports' 2020 result is old, and Persil may have changed the formula since.
For Molly's Suds, Consumer Reports says it "removes blood stains like a champ."12 Its overall cleaning score was low, so pre-treat tough stains. Reviewed found it removed about 57% of stains, the lowest of the 6 products with a stated score in its eco-friendly test.13
| HE-marked detergent, as the tester named it | Reviewed | Consumer Reports | Other testers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive, tested as Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin3, 14 | 2025: removed the most stains in its sensitive-skin test2 | 2020: Power-Liquid for Sensitive Skin was the best sensitive-skin detergent tested for grown-up stains15 | Not tested |
| Persil ProClean Original8 | 2025: Best Overall in its roundup. Reviewed named Persil ProClean without a scent; we read that as this Original16 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear7 | 2025: removed about 67% of the stains in its sensitive-skin test, 7 points behind the top product there11 | Not tested | BabyGearLab 2025: does a good job of getting clothes clean and avoiding stains17 |
| Molly's Suds Original powder5 | 2025: removed about 57% of stains, the lowest of the 6 products with a stated score in its eco-friendly test13 | 2026: "it removes blood stains like a champ," with a low overall cleaning score12 | Not tested |
| ATTITUDE Mountain Fresh liquid6 | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
Each cell is that tester's own result for that product line. Not tested means that tester did not test it, which says nothing about quality. Reviewed does not give a bottle size. Persil's old Free & Sensitive page redirects to its Sensitive Skin page, so we treat them as one line.
What does a load of HE laundry detergent cost?
Across the 53 HE-marked detergents we could price, the median is 25 cents a load. The cheapest that lists no fragrance and no MI-family preservative is Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin, at 9 cents.18, 19 Molly's Suds powder is 16 cents, and its maker's page says it works in HE washers.20, 21 ATTITUDE costs 42 cents, and its label says HE and standard washers.6, 22
Questions people ask
Can I use regular detergent in an HE washer?
Tide says it is critical to use a low-sudsing HE detergent, and that excess suds make the machine add more rinse cycles.10 Check that the label or listing says HE.
Is Molly's Suds okay in an HE washer?
Its maker's page says the powder can be used in standard, commercial and high-efficiency washers.21 Consumer Reports found its overall cleaning score low, so pre-treat tough stains.12
Does ATTITUDE laundry detergent work in HE washers?
The label says it suits HE and standard washers.22 No tester we read tested the Mountain Fresh liquid.
Which HE laundry detergent has no fragrance and no MI or BIT?
Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive is one.3 Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin and Molly's Suds powder are others in our data.
Sources (22)
- Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive liquid: HE claim on the maker's label page, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “HE Safe”
- Reviewed: The Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin of 2026, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin removed the most stains.”
- Persil ProClean Free & Sensitive liquid: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “water ; laureth-12 ; sodium C10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate ; sodium laureth sulfate ; propylene glycol ; tetrasodium iminodisuccinate ; polyethyleneimine…”
- American Academy of Dermatology: child-friendly products for eczema, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Use only detergent that is fragrance-free and dye-free”
- Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder, Unscented: ingredient list, read November 4, 2026. Quote: “Molly's Suds Original Laundry Powder includes only 4-5 simple yet powerful ingredients: Sodium Carbonate sourced from the Green River Basin in Wyoming…”
- ATTITUDE Liquid Laundry Detergent, Mountain Fresh, 40 loads: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Ingredients <5% anionic surfactants / agents de surface anioniques (Sodium Coco-Sulfate), <5% non-ionic surfactants / agents de surface non-ioniques (Lauryl…”
- Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear Liquid: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent - Perfume and Dye Free (42017319): Water; C10-16 alketh; Sodium laureth sulfate; Sodium carbonate”
- Persil ProClean Original liquid, 40 oz size of the same line: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Persil ProClean Liquid Laundry Detergent, Original, 40 Fluid Ounces, 25 loads ; water ; sodium laureth sulfate ; laureth-12 ; sodium C10-16…”
- Tide (a detergent maker): What is a High Efficiency Washer?, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “It is critical to use a specially-formulated, low-sudsing HE detergent like Tide HE Turbo Clean to achieve time and water savings.”
- Tide (a detergent maker): What is a High Efficiency Washer?, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “When an HE machine detects excess suds after completing the first rinse cycle, it will add more rinse cycles.”
- Reviewed: The Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin of 2026, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “It removed about 67% of all the testing stains, a full 7% behind the leader.”
- Consumer Reports: Best and Worst Laundry Detergents of 2026, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Surprisingly, it removes blood stains like a champ”
- Reviewed: The Best Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents of 2026, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Molly's Suds laundry detergent powder removed about 57% of our test stains.”
- Persil: Free & Sensitive product page (the old Free & Sensitive link redirects to this Sensitive Skin 2X Concentrated Liquid page), read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Persil® Free & Sensitive concentrated detergent for sensitive skin is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and dye-free.”
- Consumer Reports (Yahoo copy): Best and worst laundry detergents, sensitive skin, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “It is the best sensitive-skin detergent tested for grown-up stains”
- Reviewed: The Best Laundry Detergents (Persil ProClean), read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Our photospectrometer revealed that, across all our tests, Persil removed an average of 2% more stains than Tide detergents.”
- BabyGearLab: The Best Baby Detergent, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “This product does a good job of getting clothes clean and avoiding stains.”
- ARM & HAMMER Sensitive Skin Free & Clear Liquid: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent - Perfume and Dye Free (42017319): Water; C10-16 alketh; Sodium laureth sulfate; Sodium carbonate”
- ARM & HAMMER Sensitive Skin Free & Clear Liquid: HE claim on the maker's label page, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “HE Compatible”
- Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder, Unscented: ingredient list, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Molly's Suds Original Laundry Powder includes only 4-5 simple yet powerful ingredients: Sodium Carbonate sourced from the Green River Basin in Wyoming…”
- Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder, Unscented: HE claim on the maker's label page, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “Can be used in standard, commercial, and High-Efficiency (HE) washers”
- ATTITUDE Liquid Laundry Detergent, Mountain Fresh, 40 loads: HE claim on the maker's label page, read November 8, 2026. Quote: “HE & standard washers”
The paper trail
Every product on this page was looked up in the EPA Safer Choice list, CPSC recalls, California Prop 65 notices and EWG’s database. We read each maker’s full ingredient label and worked out what a load or an ounce really costs. Every fact links to where it came from. How we snoop.