The Best Laundry Whiteners to Keep Your Clothes Bright

Best Overall

OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener + Stain Remover

4.7

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OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener is our top pick because it’s so powerful, easy to use, and safe for you and your machine. This effective cleaner doesn’t use harsh bleach or chlorine to brighten whites and tackle stains. It comes in powder, pod, and liquid form, so you can choose your favorite application method—all have the same reliable formula. You can add a scoop to your regular wash cycle to brighten your whites. To make things super easy, this whitener is color-safe so you don’t need to worry about separating your clothing if you don’t want to.

You will need to presoak your fabrics to get the best results, especially against stubborn stains. Fortunately, the OxiClean White Revive powder is safe for both HE machines and septic systems. Simply get it set up in the machine drum, let your clothing soak for up to six hours, and then run the cycle like normal. With minimal work, you’ll get sparkling whites that are stain-free. Keep in mind that this soaking method goes through the product much more quickly than adding a scoop to your regular wash.

It is unscented but our product tester noted that it still had a strong scent. The smell was pleasant enough and was not a detractor, but if you are sensitive to odors or chemicals, this may be a problem for you.

Price at time of publish: $11

_{Type: Powder︱Amount: 5 pounds︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best Budget

Clorox Splash-Less Bleach

4.7

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This affordable bleach cleaner is effective for your whites and your wallet. It is thicker than some other bleach formulas, which results in fewer spills and splashes as you pour. The cap doubles as a measuring cup so you know exactly how much to add to your laundry. Follow the steps to bleach your clothing safely to avoid damaging anything or mixing chemicals.

Keep in mind that this is bleach cleaner and shouldn’t be used with colors. It is also not safe for delicate fabrics, including wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex. To use, add it to your washing machine once you have started the cycle. (Some machines also have a specific spout for bleach.) This product can be used with standard or HE machines, and it is safe for septic systems. However, you should take care not to mix it with other household cleaning chemicals.

Price at time of publish: $7

_{Type: Liquid︱Amount: 55 fluid ounces︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: No}

Best Powder

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

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This all-purpose laundry booster can be a powerhouse around your entire home. You can add Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster to your washing machine’s normal detergent cycle to brighten whites and bring them back to life. It is made of only two ingredients—sodium carbonate and water—so it’s easy to keep track of what other products and materials it is safe to use on. Arm & Hammer recommends testing it on an inconspicuous area of your clothing first to make sure it won’t harm colors. Note that it shouldn’t be used on dry-clean-only fabrics.

On top of brightening your white clothing, you can also use this powder for other household cleaning. Just put a scoop in with your normal laundry to use this product as a stain remover. It isn’t the best option for tough stains but can work for ones that aren’t old or greasy. It also works for cleaning your appliances, getting the tarnish off silver, gold, and bronze, and cleaning greasy stains on cookware. With so many uses around the house, it is worth having on hand.

Price at time of publish: $8

_{Type: Powder︱Amount: 55 ounces︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Varies}

Best Pods

OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener & Stain Remover Power Paks

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Our best overall laundry whitener also comes in powder pods, so naturally, it’s our pick for the best whitening pods. The OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener pods are a bit more expensive per use than the larger-quantity powder jug, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of simply throwing a pod into the laundry machine and getting bright white results. Since they are stored in a container, there is also less of a chance that they will make a mess from spilling.

Keep in mind that these can’t be used for pretreating stains or presoaking. They are effective at getting dingy whites bright again but aren’t the best option for treating stains. We recommend combining these pods with another stain-fighting treatment when needed. If you use these pods with every load of whites, you’ll be happy to see that your clothes come out sparkling and bright each time.

Price at time of publish: $11

_{Type: Powder pods︱Amount: 24︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best Eco-Friendly

Molly's Suds Natural Oxygen Whitener

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If you want to avoid harsh chemicals but still want fresh-looking white clothing, consider Molly’s Suds Natural Oxygen Whitener. This formula uses plant-based cleaners that are safe for whites, colors, kids, pets, and your entire home. You can add two scoops to each load for brightening power or let your clothing soak in the solution for up to two hours for extra cleaning. It includes a measuring scoop so you can make the most of the powder. That helps, since this is a bit pricier than some other powder options.

This isn’t the most powerful cleaner for really tough stains, such as grass stains, blood, or grease. It is best on clothing that just needs an extra brightening boost during its normal wash cycle. This powder is scented with lemon essential oil and safe for HE machines, septic systems, and those with chemical sensitivities.

Price at time of publish: $26

_{Type: Powder︱Amount: 81 ounces︱Scent: Lemon︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best Non-Bleach

Grab Green Bleach Alternative Pods

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By using mineral cleaners rather than bleach, Grab Green Bleach Alternative pods brighten your laundry effectively during the normal wash cycle. They can also be used to treat some stains and get unpleasant odors out of your clothing, too.

In addition to being bleach-free, these pods are also fragrance- and dye-free. If you have chemical or odor sensitivities, these are some of the best laundry whiteners that you can get. They are a bit pricey but still a good value considering you only need to use one per wash cycle in most cases. If you are doing a large load of laundry or it needs some extra cleaning power, you can use more than one pod.

Note that these aren’t as effective as some chemical-based products, but they also don’t come with any harmful side effects. In addition to laundry use, you can use them to treat stains on upholstery and carpet, although Grab Green recommends testing in an inconspicuous area first.

Price at time of publish: $16

_{Type: Powder pods︱Amount: 60︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best for Colors

Tide Brights and Whites Rescue Laundry Pacs

4.2

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The name says it all for Tide Brights + Whites Rescue Pacs. These Tide pods are like super-charged detergent packs. If you've got clothing and linens that need a boost, these pods can bring them back to life. They do include a color-safe bleach and bleach activator, so make sure that you’re okay with these ingredients. In addition, they are safe for use on both bright colors and white linens.

Our product tester loved the convenience of these pods. Each pod can be thrown into the wash cycle without any extra steps or measuring. They aren’t used for pretreating or soaking, just alongside regular detergents. There is also a scent that our tester described as “powerful but pleasant,” so keep that in mind. Also, these pods aren’t the best at stain-fighting, but they can remove gentle stains and dirt.

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Type: Pods︱Amount: 27︱Scent: Tide scent︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best for Stains

Hate Stains Co. Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater

4.5

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The Hate Stains Co. Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater is effective and easy to take with you wherever you go. To use, spray it on the stain and let it get to work. You will need to work it into the stain and wipe the excess away after a few minutes. For optimal effectiveness, launder your items quickly to get any extra dirt, food, or debris out. This product is marketed for parents facing stains like grass, food, ketchup, and spit-up, but works on a variety of other things as well.

In addition to using it on white laundry, you can also spray it on upholstery, carpet, and in the car. It’s not best for some fabrics, such as leather, so make sure that you try it out in a small space before spraying it all over the item in question. The 4-ounce spray bottle is small enough to take in a bag, although it is a bit pricey. For something even more convenient, consider the wipes that are made with the same formula.

Price at time of publish: $15

_{Type: Spray︱Amount: 4 fluid ounces︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Not applicable︱Safe for Colors: Yes}

Best for Sensitive Skin

All OXI Laundry Booster for Sensitive Skin

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All is known for great laundry products that work for people with sensitive skin. Their powder laundry whitener uses oxi technology to brighten your clothes alongside your regular detergent without irritating sensitive skin. This product is part of their Free & Clear line that omits fragrances and dyes: The active ingredients are sodium carbonate and sodium carbonate peroxide.

This particular brightener is also free of chlorine. If you already know that All Free & Clear detergents and dryer sheets work for you, there’s a good chance that this laundry whitener will soon be a favorite in your household. It can be used in HE machines and is septic-safe. However, it may not be as effective at tackling tough stains as some other products.

Price at time of publish: $10

_{Type: Powder︱Amount: 3 pounds︱Scent: Unscented︱Safe for High-Efficiency Machines: Yes︱Safe for Colors: Yes}