Liquid Detergent Test: Ariel Original, Carrefour Expert and Epsil Compared

Many households automatically reach for a bottle of liquid detergent, only to be frustrated by grey-looking laundry or stubborn stains. A recent practical test in France put eight widely available liquid detergents through their paces. The key question was which products can genuinely remove everyday dirt without needing to scrub items at the sink.

How the large detergent test was carried out

Eight common supermarket liquid detergents were assessed. The aim was to recreate realistic household washing conditions rather than laboratory scenarios. The focus was on familiar stains that regularly end up on tablecloths, T-shirts and children’s clothes.

• 11 typical difficult stains were applied to identical fabrics
• Each load was machine-washed in line with the manufacturer’s instructions
• No pre-soaking or brushing was carried out beforehand

The textiles were stained with, among other things:

• Liquid foundation and lipstick
• Ballpoint pen ink
• Fruit, including berries
• Chocolate dessert and coffee
• Red wine and oil
• Meat sauce and tomato purée
• Soil marks

The testers then judged how clean the fabric appeared, whether any stain residue remained and how bright white shades looked. Annual costs were also considered, based on a typical family household doing frequent washes.

Ariel Original comes out on top

In the head-to-head comparison, Ariel Original took first place. The liquid detergent removed most of the 11 test stains, including particularly challenging marks from tomato, meat sauce and berries.

Ariel Original is considered the test’s most powerful stain remover while also delivering very bright whites.

The testers praised the noticeably whiter appearance of the fabric after washing, even without extensive pre-treatment. This makes it a compelling option for heavily soiled white towels, bedding and tea towels.

However, the test winner does have two notable drawbacks:

• Price: At around €63.27 per year for the model household, Ariel Original was the most expensive product in the comparison.
• Colour care: When used very frequently, coloured fabrics can gradually appear duller.

Anyone who mainly washes whites and regularly deals with stubborn stains will be very well served by Ariel Original. For wardrobes full of favourite colourful clothes, it is better used more sparingly, such as for especially dirty loads.

Carrefour Expert and Epsil: strong results at a lower price

Carrefour Expert Optimal Clean: dependable cleaning for frequent washing

Carrefour Expert Optimal Clean claimed second place. According to the test, this detergent produced an overall very clean wash and coped well with most everyday marks.

With harder stains such as lipstick and ballpoint pen ink, some residue was occasionally still visible. Even so, its performance will be sufficient for many households, particularly those mainly washing sweaty sportswear, everyday T-shirts or bedding without extreme staining.

Anyone running the washing machine every other day benefits greatly from this own-brand product’s value for money.

Its cost is considerably lower than that of the leading product: estimated annual expenditure for Carrefour Expert is about €22.37, placing it towards the cheaper end of the test group. That is a clear advantage for families with several children or shared households where washing is a constant task.

Epsil Perfect Fraîcheur: affordable with brief pre-treatment

Epsil Perfect Fraîcheur finished in third place. It showed its strengths especially when users briefly applied a little liquid detergent to stains before the wash and gently worked it in.

With this small additional step, Epsil achieved a very good balance between effectiveness and price. Estimated annual costs are around €21.38, making it slightly cheaper than Carrefour Expert.

Those willing to dab obvious stains briefly before washing get a budget-conscious product with respectable cleaning power and a fragrance described as pleasant.

Which liquid detergent suits which household?

Rather than recommending one single “miracle product” for everybody, the testers categorised the detergents by household priorities. Three questions are particularly useful before choosing a product from the shelf:

• How often does heavily soiled white laundry go into the machine?
• How important is keeping the annual detergent budget limited?
• Am I prepared to pre-treat individual stains briefly?

Priority	Recommended product	Key feature
Maximum stain removal on whites	Ariel Original	Very powerful performance, high price
Good cleaning on a tight budget	Carrefour Expert Optimal Clean	Affordable, dependable stain removal
Savings with pre-treatment	Epsil Perfect Fraîcheur	Very good value for money with brief pre-treatment

What buyers should consider beyond cleaning power

Stain removal is only one part of the buying decision. Liquid detergents also differ in their ingredients, and some products contain preservatives that may irritate sensitive skin.

The testers paid particular attention to:

• Isothiazolinones: Preservatives that can trigger allergies even in small quantities.
• Phenoxyethanol: Another preservative with allergenic potential.

These substances occur more often in liquid products because their water content requires preservation. Powder detergent and capsules can often manage without these additives. Many consumer tests therefore consider powder to have a slight advantage for skin compatibility.

Liquid detergents are popular, easy to dose and often smell more pleasant – but people with problematic skin should check the small print.

Why powder detergent often performs better on stains

One interesting point is that traditional powders perform slightly better than liquid detergents on average for stain removal in many comparative tests. Although this current comparison looked only at liquid versions, it again points to that trend.

One reason is their formulation: powders often contain more bleach and enzymes. This is especially beneficial for white and very pale textiles. Liquid products, by contrast, score for ease of use, their lower washing-temperature requirement and a scent that is often perceived as more modern.

For households with plenty of coloured garments, a combination can make sense: powder for pale towels and bedding, and liquid detergent for everyday coloured clothing and delicates.

Practical tips: getting laundry genuinely clean with liquid detergent

Regardless of the product chosen, washing habits often have a major influence on the result. A few straightforward routines can quickly improve performance:

• Do not allow stains to dry in; wash clothes as soon as possible.
• Adjust the dosage to water hardness and the level of soiling instead of relying on guesswork.
• Wash heavily soiled items separately from lightly soiled everyday laundry.
• Apply liquid detergent briefly to particularly noticeable stains and allow it to work.
• Clean the washing machine regularly to prevent grey-looking laundry.

The final point in particular is easily overlooked in daily life: build-up inside the machine affects washing results over time and can also make odours worse. Running an empty 60°C or 90°C cycle with washing-machine cleaner or powder detergent helps loosen deposits.

A guide for the shopping basket

Anyone standing in front of the shelf feeling overwhelmed by offers, fragrance variants and product claims can use a simple rule of thumb: for stubborn stains on white items, it can be worth paying more for detergent, as Ariel Original demonstrates. For busy family homes where the machine is constantly running, lower-priced brands such as Carrefour Expert or Epsil offer convincing basic performance – especially when individual stains receive a few seconds of attention before the wash.

Checking the ingredients, understanding the correct dosage and deciding which laundry really needs to be “clinically clean” ultimately saves not just money, but also frustration when looking into the drum.