If you’re looking for new ways to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing your reliance on single-use plastics, consider transitioning to laundry detergent sheets. Having had the opportunity to test out several different detergent sheets in recent years, I’ve put together this list of the best laundry detergent sheets that have stood out to me in terms of efficacy, cost, and environmental impact.
The best laundry detergent sheets of 2024:
- Best OverallCarbona Laundry Detergent Sheets (25 Count)Read more
- Best ValueSheets Laundry Club Laundry Sheets (50 Count)Read more
- Best for Tough StainsArm & Hammer Power Sheets (50 Count)Read more
What are laundry detergent sheets? Instead of traditional liquid or powder detergents, these are paper-like sheets that contain pre-measured amounts of concentrated detergent. They’re designed to dissolve completely in your washing machine, releasing the detergent to clean your clothes effectively. Lightweight and compact, they can also make it a breeze to keep your laundry room looking clean and organized (no more bulky plastic jugs!). Some brands of laundry detergent sheets are also marketed as being more sustainable than traditional detergents, as they often come in recyclable packaging and may contain fewer harsh chemicals.
As a busy mother of three, laundry isn’t my favorite task but it does take up a big chunk of my weekly cleaning to-do list. Which means that when it comes to laundry detergent, I’ve spent more time than I care to admit examining ingredient lists, comparing costs, and weighing my options over the years. In my evaluations, I’ve considered everything from a product’s ability to tackle odors to its stain-fighting capabilities (did I mention I have a large breed dog with muddy paws who likes to track dirt throughout the house?), and I’m confident that these are the best sheets you can buy.
But with prices this low (one of my top picks only costs 15 cents per load on average!), you don’t have to take my word for it; go ahead and try a few out and decide what you think for yourself.
1
Best Overall
Carbona Laundry Detergent Sheets (25 Count)
Pros
- Can be used in any temperature or cycle
- Works well in all washers, including top- and front-load machines as well as HE models
- Safe to use when handwashing thanks to gentle ingredients
Cons
- Hard water users will only get roughly 12 washes to a pack
Carbona’s lightweight laundry sheets are easy to get from the grocery store to my laundry room and offer solid variety (there’s a free-and-clear formula as well as a scented option), but the thing I like most about them is how well they work in homes with hard water.
In the instructions, the brand addresses the unique needs of customers with heavy mineral content in their water, advising them to double up on sheets in each load. At first I was annoyed by this recommendation because I thought it was just a marketing trick to make me purchase more product, but after a few weeks of doubling up, there was a noticeable difference in how clean my clothes felt.
| Cost per load | .60 |
|---|---|
| Made in | USA |
2
Best Value
Sheets Laundry Club Laundry Sheets (50 Count)
Now 11% Off
Pros
- Safe to use on a variety of fabric types, including cotton, linen, blends, and synthetics
- Popular on Amazon
Cons
- Some customers have said that they need more sheets than expected to get clothes clean
These are the only detergent sheets on this list that I haven’t tried first-hand yet, but they’re on my “wish list” after coming highly recommended to me by a friend.
Online shoppers have given them rave reviews as well: On Amazon, they have over 18,000 5-star ratings. “Convenient… no heavy scent… and as a full time RV-er… the box takes up less room and no weight,” one happy Amazon customer wrote.
The liquid-free detergent sheets promise to do everything from reduce wrinkles to “eliminate stink,” two very important factors for my family of five. The dye- and plastic-free formula also claims to get laundry clean without the use of any harsh ingredients, relying on naturally derived surfactants to do the heavy lifting. On top of all that, it’s also a US veteran-owned company.
| Cost per load | .15 |
|---|---|
| Made in | China |
3
Best for Tough Stains
Arm & Hammer Power Sheets (50 Count)
Pros
- Recyclable packaging helps lower your carbon footprint even further
- Comes in large-count packages so you won’t run out as quickly
- Good for HE machines on any temperature, including speed wash settings
Cons
- Not many scent options
- Estimated number of loads per package is based on only doing small loads
Arm & Hammer has made a name for itself over the years as the leading authority on cracking tough stains and bad odors — and the brand’s laundry detergent sheets are no exception. I’ve used both the regular and free-and-clear options and have seen great results with each.
I was already a fan of Arm & Hammer’s liquid detergent, so I felt confident going into my wash day knowing just how well the brand’s other formulas work, and I was not disappointed. The segmented sheets make measuring out my loads easier, since you only need half a sheet for a small load, a full sheet for a medium load, and two sheets for more heavily soiled garments and larger loads.
| Cost per load | .30 |
|---|---|
| Made in | USA |
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4
Best Scent
Grove Co. Laundry Detergent Sheets (64 Count)
Pros
- Good for standard-size loads with no heavy soiling
- Made with plant-based materials
- Grove Co. plans to be a plastic-free company by 2025
Cons
- Hard to find in stores
- Some customers have complained that they don’t get clothes clean enough
I’m a sucker for a nicely scented cleaning product, which is why buying Grove Co.’s products have long been one of my favorite ways to splurge (its Christmas soaps are *chef’s kiss*). So I was really excited when I got a chance to try these laundry sheets.
The sheets themselves had a nice smell when I ran them through the wash, but it wasn’t so overpowering that I grew tired of it when it came time to get dressed. I never had a problem with these sheets not fully dissolving in my wash (something I’ve dealt with in the past with brands not included on this list) and they even worked on the speed wash cycle, something that is very important to me as a busy mom of three.
Like other products on this list, Grove Co.’s laundry sheets are Climate Pledge-friendly, and come in recyclable packaging.
| Cost per load | .47 |
|---|---|
| Made in | China |
5
Best for Travel
Tru Earth Dry Laundry Detergent Sheets (64 Count)
Pros
- Multiple options, including size, fragrance, and formula
- Climate Pledge-friendly
- Segmented sheets allow you to adjust for different load sizes
Cons
- Hard to find in stores
- Customers have complained about needing more strips to get laundry clean
If you have specific needs, check out Tru Earth, which offers a wide variety of laundry sheet options including scented and fragrance-free options, as well as ones specifically designed for baby.
The thing I especially liked about these sheets is that they not only traveled well (I brought them on a family vacation where my mother instantly fell in love with them) but I wasn’t worried about using them in an unfamiliar machine. The directions are simple enough and I knew I could just throw one sheet in without having to worry about temperature settings or finding the machine’s detergent basket.
And as an added bonus, they were strong enough to get sunscreen out of our vacation clothes without damaging any of the swimsuits that we threw into the wash again and again and again and again.
| Cost per load | .16 |
|---|---|
| Made in | Canada |
What to consider when shopping for laundry detergent sheets
✔️ Ingredients: Each manufacturer uses different ingredients to create its laundry detergent sheets, but there are a few common ones you can expect to see used by most brands:
- PVA
- Trisodium citrate
- Decyl glucoside
- Glycerol
- Water
- Fatty alcohol polyglycol ether
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate
- Cocamidopropyl betaine
- Fragrance
- Tea seed oil
✔️ Scent: Just like with liquid, powdered, and pod varieties, laundry sheets can come in a variety of scents (or with no fragrance at all).
If you have a favorite scent from a certain laundry detergent brand, you may want to stick with that company’s detergent sheets, but don’t count out newer brands. Some use essential oils or natural additives to help keep your laundry smelling fresh without the chemicals that can sometimes irritate sensitive noses or skin.
✔️ Price: Some shoppers may notice that they can get a bit more bang for their buck when they shop for laundry sheets, because companies spend less money on packaging and shipping costs, which makes it seem like you’re spending less money per load.
But don’t let the number on your receipt fool you. If you’re someone who has hard water, or who feels like you need to toss a few more sheets into the wash to get your clothes feeling super-clean, you may be using more laundry detergent sheets than the manufacture uses in their per load calculation.
To figure out how much laundry detergent sheets are costing you, you can do your own per load calculation by taking the amount you spend on the pack of laundry sheets and then divide it by how many loads you actually get done with each package. This should give you a more realistic idea of your spending and your savings.
✔️ Environmental Impact: Generally speaking, laundry sheets can use less packaging than liquid varieties, which means less plastics and microplastics being put back into the soil and waterways; they can also help lower a company’s carbon footprint because they are easier to transport, cutting down on emissions.
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FAQs
•What are the benefits of laundry detergent sheets?
Using laundry detergent sheets can come with a range of benefits. You may benefit from using laundry detergent sheets if you:
- Want to reduce the amount of waste your household produces
- Want to lower your family’s carbon emissions
- Need a lightweight option because traditional laundry detergents are too heavy for you to carry indoors
- Bring your laundry detergent with you to a laundromat and you want a more lightweight option
- Are traveling somewhere with a washing machine and you want to pack light
•Do laundry sheets work as well as detergent?
Yes, generally speaking laundry sheets are comparable to traditional laundry detergent.
•How do you use laundry sheets?
Add your laundry detergent sheet(s) to the drum of your washing machine. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to see when they suggest adding the sheet(s) and how many you’ll need, depending on the size of your wash load and factors like water type and temperature.
