Purex Laundry Detergent Review: I Scored It 14.4

By Zach Pozniak, VP of Operations at Jeeves of Belgravia New York and fourth-generation dry cleaner · @jeeves_ny

Last reviewed October 2026 · based on my lab testing through 2025, with the score as it stands on my board in September 2026 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The report card

Product tested	Purex (liquid)
Performance score	14.4
Measured against	Tide Hygienic Pods ↗ at 100, washing with water alone at 1
Year-end lists	Disappointments in 2024, worst detergents of 2025
Made by	Henkel, which also makes Persil, All and Snuggle
My guess at why	"Maybe it's too watered down"
What the score covers	Stain removal, and nothing else

Purex surprised me, and not in a good way

When I named the worst detergents I tested in 2025, Purex was on the list, and it shocked me, because it is basically the budget version of Persil. I went through the list from worst to best, and Purex came third. Only Branch Basics and Tyler's Glamorous Diva Wash did worse.

I do not know exactly why it scored so low. My guess is that it is too watered down. That is a guess, not something I measured, and I said at the time that I really want to revisit this one. The board I showed in September 2026 still has Purex liquid at 14.4.

The score belongs to the Purex liquid I tested. Purex sells other formats, and I have not published a score for any of them.

Same company as Persil, very different results

Most of the laundry aisle is owned by about five companies, and Purex sits with Henkel alongside Persil, All and Snuggle. That is what makes the result strange to me. At the 2025 award show I gave an honorable mention to most of the Persil lineup, because Henkel knows what they are doing. Purex was in the same video, in the worst products.

Here is how Purex compares with the Persil detergents on my board:

Persil Advanced Clean ↗ is one of the few liquid detergents I actually use. It scored 87.2 when I reviewed it, did really well in cold water, and cost 15 cents a load when I reviewed it, below the 20 cent average. The catch is ingredient safety, which came out at 5 out of 10 because it has quite a few skin sensitizers, so make sure it is properly rinsed. My Persil review covers the rest of the range.

How this was tested, and what 14.4 means

I run every detergent through the AISE laundry detergent testing guidelines, the industry standard method. Cotton swatches get stained with 18 stains across five stain families, washed, dried, and then read with a spectrometer that measures the color before and after, so I can see how much of each stain actually came out. The result is averaged across cold, warm and hot water. I do not judge results by eye, because eyes are unreliable. In 2025 I put about 78 detergents through this.

This is purely performance. Price, formulation, ingredient safety and packaging all belong in your decision, and none of them are in the number.

It was a disappointment in 2024 too

2025 was not the first time. When I updated my detergent rankings in November 2024, I noted disappointing results from Purex and Arm & Hammer: both come from powerhouse companies but just could not get it done. Purex was on my list of disappointments in my 2024 round-up as well. My Arm & Hammer review covers the other half of that note.

Who should skip it

What to buy instead

These are the per-load costs I worked out when I reviewed each one, against an average of about 20 cents a load.

Kirkland's liquid that I tested was the free and clear version, and both Kirkland products are Costco only; my Kirkland review has the detail. Foca ↗ needs warm to hot water to perform well and is full of perfume. Ariel 2X ↗ tops my board and is very cheap, but it is heavily perfumed, so skip it if you have sensitive skin. Everything I have scored is in my tested laundry detergent rankings, and if you want something gentle on skin, my free and clear picks are the place to start.

Frequently asked questions

Is Purex a good laundry detergent?

Not for stain removal. Purex liquid scored 14.4 in my lab testing, against Tide Hygienic Pods ↗ at 100 and washing with water alone at 1. It was on my list of the worst detergents I tested in 2025 and among my disappointments in 2024.

Is Purex the same as Persil?

No. Both are made by Henkel, and I described Purex as basically the budget version of Persil, but they scored very differently. Persil Advanced Clean ↗ scored 87.2, Persil Original ↗ liquid 62.6 and Persil pods 57.7, while Purex liquid scored 14.4.

Who makes Purex?

Henkel, the German company that also makes Persil, All and Snuggle.

Why did Purex score so low?

I do not know for sure. My guess is that it is too watered down, but that is a guess rather than something I measured. I said I want to revisit it.

Have you tested Purex pods?

No. The 14.4 is for the Purex liquid I tested, and I have not published a score for any other Purex format.

What should I use instead of Purex?

If you want to stay with Henkel, Persil Advanced Clean ↗ scored 87.2 and cost 15 cents a load when I reviewed it. Kirkland's pods and liquid scored 97.4 and 80.0 at 15 cents a load, and Foca powder ↗ scored 56.9 at 10 cents a load, though it needs warm to hot water.

Bottom line

Purex liquid scored 14.4, and it has been on my year-end disappointment lists two years running. It comes from the same company as Persil, and the Persil detergents I have tested all scored far higher. If you want a value detergent that cleans, start with Persil Advanced Clean ↗ or Kirkland.

I said at the end of 2025 that I want to revisit Purex. Until I do, 14.4 is the number.