id="article-body" class="row" section="article-body"> Enlarge ImageWe gathered a group of top-selling laundry detergent brands, then tested them to see which one cleans the best.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET Laundry detergents are not all the same. It turns out that some brands pack more of a cleaning punch than others. That means some are better than others at lifting stains and purging fabric soiled by food, wine, grease and other common contaminants. And even the form of the detergent, liquid or pod, can affect how clean your laundry will get.

After comparing the options from various retail outlets including Amazon, Walmart and Costco, we settled on nine detergent brands. We chose them since they're top sellers at those sites, and because they're all-purpose detergents meant for mainstream wash-day use. We intentionally did not include specialty products designed to primarily tackle baby clothes or delicate items. 

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