The Great Laundry Debate: Liquid vs. Tablets vs. Pods

With so many choices these days, picking the right laundry detergent can be daunting—but it doesn’t have to be. In an effort to make laundry day one less thing to worry about, we're going to take a closer look at the options—liquid, pods, and tablets—to answer, once and for all, which is the right move for you.

Liquid: The Historical Go-To

You know it, you’ve tried it, and you’re probably totally okay with the way it cleans your clothes. Simply put, liquid detergent feels easy and familiar—but it usually comes in bulky plastic jugs that weigh a ton (and pollute our environment). So while it may come with its perks, it’s ultimately a tough pick for the environmentally conscious.

The pros:

• Plenty of formulas and scents to pick from.
• Incorporates easily with water.
• Typically works in hot and cold water.

The cons:

• Bulky, heavy, and inconvenient containers.
• Often formulated with potentially harmful ingredients.
• Major plastic waste with every jug.
• Requires careful measuring.

Pods: The New Polluter on the Block

In pre-measured plastic wrap, pods make doing laundry feel like a breeze. However, their convenience isn’t without its consequences. Not so fun fact: pods are made with PVA (i.e. plastic). You might think they dissolve, but approximately 75% of intact plastic particles from laundry pods get released back into our waterways. Like microplastics, plastic from laundry pods can absorb dangerous chemicals and contaminants, antibiotics, and heavy metals at high concentrations, then work its way up the food chain into human food and water sources. Worth it? We think not.

The pros:

• Convenient, pre-measured packs.
• Easy to carry and store.

The cons:

• Pod films pollute our waterways with millions of microplastics.
• If stored improperly, pods pose a potential risk to children and pets.
• Pods don’t always dissolve properly, causing the need for multiple washes.

Tablets: The Easy (Plastic-Free) Choice

For those who want the convenience of a pod and the efficacy of liquid detergent—without any of the environmental impact—tablets offer a revolutionary solution to laundry day. Blueland’s first-of-its-kind, non-toxic and 100% plastic-free Laundry Detergent Tablets are proven to work as well as any leading detergent, so you can tackle even the toughest stains and still feel good about every load.

Pros:

• 100% plastic free and easy on the environment
• Clean ingredients that are gentle on clothes and skin.
• Easy and convenient to store and use.
• Proven as effective as other leading brands.