The 7 Best Men’s Laundry Detergents

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Most guys aren’t exactly fanatical about their laundry, but those of us who care about clothes know that finding the best men’s laundry detergent really does matter.

Even with the proliferation of affordable men’s stores and brands, clothes can be costly, and putting in a little extra care can help extend the lifespan of a piece by months or even years, which can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run.

In this post I’ll round up seven of the best laundry detergents for men and explain what makes each one so effective.

Look Sharp, Smell Good:

7 of the Best Laundry Detergents for Men

Overall Best Mens Laundry Detergent ↓

Hero Clean Laundry Detergent

Hero Clean Laundry detergent

One of the highest-rated detergents on Amazon, Hero Clean is also arguably the manliest of all the men’s laundry detergents on this list.

Designed to get even the sweatiest/stinkiest of clothes looking clean and smelling fresh, it uses a patented formula that consists of six enzymes that help remove stains, brighten colors and protect fabric.

It’s designed to work especially well with sweat-wicking clothes (i.e. gym clothes and workout gear), and help bring your hardest-working clothes back to a state (and stench) of respectability.

Buy Hero Clean ➤


Frey

Frey detergent

Frey is a luxury laundry detergent brand (yep – there are luxury laundry detergent brands now) that prides itself on using better ingredients than most off-the-shelf detergents, resulting in a better scent for your clothes and a better impact on the environment.

Their prices are higher than most of the laundry detergents you’re used to, but it won’t cost you anything to try it out for yourself and decide if it’s worth it:

They offer a free “laundry care” package that includes a bottle of detergent, a bottle of fabric softener and a pack of 40 dryer sheets.

Plus, before they sent you the full pack, they’ll send you three small packets of different detergents, so you can select your favorite scent before ordering your full (and again, free) package. All you have to do is pay a buck for shipping.

Try Frey for Free ➤


Persil Pro Clean

Persil Pro Clean detergent

Sometimes you just need a good, all-purpose laundry detergent that will do what detergent should:

Reduce or remove stains, combat odors, whiten whites, and most importantly, clean your damn clothes.

Persil Pro checks all the boxes and has a perfect five-star rating on Amazon after nearly 2,000 reviews. As reliable and effective laundry detergents go, it’s pretty much the gold standard.

Buy Persil ➤


The Good Home (Pure Grass) Natural Liquid Laundry

The Good Home (Pure Grass) Natural Liquid Laundry detergent

If you’re looking for a natural laundry detergent that’s 100% safe, look no further.

Good Home’s Pure Grass is  is over 96% plant- and mineral-based, and completely free of sulfate, phthalate and silicones, meaning it won’t leave any coating on your clothes, the way some of the other (and let’s just be honest, cheaper) brands do.

Sulfate is also one of the key culprits that causes color to fade, so Pure Grass should help your clothes maintain their color longer.

Buy The Good Home ➤


HEX Performance Laundry Packs

HEX Performance Laundry Packs detergent

Another brand that’s specially formulated to help you clean up your athletic clothes, HEX is designed to not only protect against stains and odors, but also the type of damage that commonly befalls activewear, like pilling and loss of wickability.

HEX has 4.5 stars on Amazon after a healthy 268 reviews, and has been featured everywhere from Runner’s World and Men’s Health to The Washington Post and Forbes, among others.

Buy HEX ➤


Fresh Wave Odor Removing Laundry Booster

Fresh Wave Odor Removing Laundry Booster detergent

Fresh Wave is arguably the hardest-working of all the mens laundry detergents on this list.

It uses natural plant extracts to eliminating mildew and other odors, making it especially good for your dirtiest and/or hardest working clothes, and can also be used on non-clothing items like fitness mats, carpets, counters and even walls.

Buy Fresh Wave ➤


Distinctive

Distinctive detergent

A detergent that’s marketed solely toward men, Distinctive is designed to help you (and more specifically, your clothes) smell great, no cologne or body spray needed.

Distinctive is imbued with a scent that combines sandalwood and amber, two ingredients commonly found in men’s colognes (and thus associated with handsomeness).

If a scented detergent sounds like a less-than-excellent idea to you, you’re not alone. But with 98 reviews and a 4.5 star rating on Amazon, it seems like Distinctive delivers.

Here’s a five-star review from someone named Roger, which was pretty typical of the reviews I read:

I was extremely wary of this detergent, because I’m very weird about soap smells-even for a guy. But I took the plunge to get it, and absolutely am happy with this stuff! Its very non-obtrusive, esp if you don’t pour too much in your washer load, and run the wash through the dryer. Very pleasant smell, and now don’t have to be embarrassed by my weird feminine smelling detergent that would spoil my clothes.

Buy Distinctive ➤


You Know How to Clean Your Clothes

Now Learn How to Wear Rock ‘Em with Style

Taking proper care of your clothes is one of the most handsome habits a guy can have.

And with this list of the best mens laundry detergent at your disposal, you’ll be able to help your clothes look better and last longer—to say nothing of the gains you’ll make in the odor department!

But if knowing how to care for your clothes is important, knowing how to wear them is absolutely essential.

Not all clothes are created equal, and even the most well cared for pieces won’t help you look your best if you don’t know how to nail the vital details that add up to make a big impact on your overall appearance.

Fortunately, you don’t have to look far to find out which stylish specifics will help you put your best face forward.

Enter your email address below and I’ll send you a checklist outlining the Nine Details You Need to Nail in oder to look handsome, polished and put together.

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About Dave Bowden

Dave Bowden

Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden is a style blogger whose advice on how to look good and live well has been featured in some of the world’s most trusted publications, including New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider and more.

When not obsessing over style and self-improvement, he can usually be found spending time with his wonderful wife and sons, indulging in a hoppy craft beer, or sobbing over the woeful state of Toronto's sports teams.

Check out Dave's Style Story to find out how a chance encounter with his friend's step-dad taught him the value of looking good and living well. (Don't worry—it's less creepy than it sounds!)

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