Some detergent brands offer different formulas of laundry detergent based on fabric type, stain-fighting power, and environmental concerns. But how many are truly necessary? In the aftermath of the massive recall of the many varieties of The Laundress brand detergent products, Heritage Park answers this question and helps you get the best value for your laundry detergent dollar.

If you were among the millions of customers affected by The Laundress recall last year, this blog is for you. Even if you eventually got reimbursed, dumping all those bottles of pricey detergent down the drain is nobody’s idea of a good time. Your trusted brand let you down. And although we considered The Laundress a formidable industry competitor, a recall of that scale is always unfortunate.

But it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on a few important lessons. In the wake of The Laundress recall, the Heritage Park Laundry Essentials team wants to help you derive maximum value for the money you spend on detergent. And that includes explaining why you absolutely do not need multiple varieties of specialty detergent to get the job done. Read on to learn how to make your laundry life easier and get your laundry clean and fresh without wasting money.

Luxury Laundry Detergents: A Brand Extension Feeding Frenzy

By the time of The Laundress recall in December 2022, the company was producing at least seven different varieties of laundry detergent: Signature, Whites, Darks, Sport, Baby, Delicates, and Denim. Le Blanc, another of our worthy competitors, sells a collection of five different formulas: Linen Wash, Laundry Wash, Towel Wash, Silk and Lingerie Wash, and Down Wash.

From a marketing standpoint, we get it: when you have a successful product such as The Laundress or Le Blanc, it’s only natural to extend your brand. We’ve created a few new products ourselves here at Heritage Park. But you need to prioritize the consumer above all else. And for most consumers, all these different sub-categories of detergent are a waste of money, shelf space in your laundry room, and precious resources (think about all those plastic bottles!). Do you really need a special detergent for washing jeans? (Spoiler alert: NO). And is it necessary to have two separate formulas for washing bed linens and towels? (Also, NO). Not to mention the occasional celebrity collaboration that gets thrown into the mix (honestly, we love John Mayer, but unless he’s personally coming over to help us wash and fold, we’ll take a pass).

How Many Detergent Formulas Do You Really Need? (Answer: Probably Two)

At Heritage Park, we are proudly transparent regarding all aspects of our products and business. Our concentrated, pH-neutral detergents are made with a short list of natural and naturally derived ingredients (read about those here). Heritage Park All-Purpose Detergent also contains a proprietary blend of enzymes made to naturally tackle and eliminate tough stains. Every bit as important is what’s NOT in our detergent; our products are made without dyes, sulfates, phosphates, chlorine, bleach or brighteners. Our fragrance-free formulas are lab-certified hypoallergenic and dermatologist- and pediatrician-tested. Lastly, all of our detergents are Leaping Bunny approved as never being tested on animals.

Everything we do here at Heritage Park is done with the goal of making your laundry life easier and cleaning your wash more effectively. All of our detergents can be used in any temperature; to hand- or machine-wash; and in HE or regular machines. They are biodegradable, graywater and septic safe. We currently produce just three detergent formulas:

An All-Purpose Laundry Detergent with Cleaning Enzymes

As the name suggests, this formula is perfect for washing towels, clothing, bedding, and fine linen. It is made to effectively clean and remove stains from your laundry without damaging the fabric. Heritage Park All-Purpose detergent is available in Fragrance-free/Hypoallergenic, Lavender Mist, Shore Breeze and Spring Magnolia scents.

A Gentle Detergent for Washing Delicates, Silk, and Wool

You DO need a gentle detergent (without enzymes) for washing delicate items like bras, panties, lingerie, protein-based clothing, and home textiles such as silk, wool, cashmere, down, and feathers. Why? These items should not be regularly washed in enzyme detergent, as it will eventually degrade the integrity of protein-based fabrics. Heritage Park Silk and Wool detergent is available in Fragrance-free/Hypoallergenic, Lavender Mist, Shore Breeze and Spring Magnolia.

Most households require only TWO detergent formulas: Heritage Park All-Purpose for regular laundry and Heritage Park Fine Silk and Wool for delicate and protein-based fabrics. That’s it.

You Need Only Two Types of Laundry Detergent

Heritage Park: Dedicated to Our Clients (and Their Laundry!)

Just because we offer a streamlined choice of detergent doesn’t mean we are resting on our (very clean) laurels. The Heritage Park team is constantly striving to improve our detergents and product offerings to meet your needs:

• We are a family-run, small business. We produce our detergents in small batches to ensure the highest level of quality control. We constantly monitor our production and are flexible enough to make any changes needed to improve our products.
• We recently introduced refillable bottles and refill packs that use 80% less plastic (better for the planet). 

• We commit to maintaining our Leaping Bunny certification and will never test our products on animals. You can feel great that our products are totally cruelty-free.
• Our biodegradable natural wool dryer ballsare a sustainable substitute for fabric softener and dryer sheets, which are bad for your skin, clothing, and the environment.
• We produce an informative blog, The Laundry Lowdown, with tips, techniques, and strategies for washing and caring for clothing and home linen.

• Our team is here for you. You can reach out via email at any time or give us a call with any questions or concerns. We are here to help with the laundry answers you need and happy to hear your suggestions and feedback.

Simple Tips for Successfully Washing Different Types of Laundry (Without All Those Extra Detergents)

You don’t need a bunch of extra detergent formulas to do your wash, but we do recommend following some simple guidelines. Using these best practices can help set you up for laundry-day success:

1. Always read the care labels on anything you’re going to wash. Check out our guide to care labels here.
2. Sort your laundry by color AND by weight. That means towels get washed together in their own load sorted by color. Same thing for your denim and jeans (and no, you don’t need a denim detergent). Properly sorting your laundry will ensure that your load stays in balance; that items get uniformly clean; and that bulky items don’t damage the delicate ones.
3. Never overload your machine. Here is our guide to washing machine load sizes.
4. Use the right type and amount of detergent (All-Purpose or Silk and Wool) and err on the size of using less rather than more. NEVER use fabric softener, which will damage clothing and home linen.
5. Choose the proper cycle for the items you’re washing. Every machine is different, but here’s some general guidance. In general, avoid using very hot water which over time will damage even durable fabrics.
6. If you are washing delicate items, including silk, lingerie, bathing suits, embroidered home linen, or athletic apparel, zip the items in a fine mesh laundry bag. This will protect them from damage from other items in the load and from snagging on burrs inside the drum.
7. Give your laundry a little shake when taking out of the washer to release wrinkles before putting in the dryer. Use medium-heat and a set of pure wool dryer balls instead of a dryer sheet. These will naturally soften your laundry and reduce drying time without the chemicals or residue of dryer sheets.

You can find specialized guidance in our blog on such topics as washing wool, laundering down pillows and comforters, caring for silk lingerie, removing stains, and much more. Also, feel free to contact us at any time with questions about our products or laundry in general. We are here to help!

Heritage Park Laundry Essentials

At Heritage Park, caring for fine fabric is our passion. As lifelong collectors of luxury sheets, towels, and cloths, we found many commercially available "gentle detergents" either damaged our fabrics or didn't get the job done, leaving stains. We knew we could do better. So we developed a formula with the perfect balance of powerful -- yet safe -- ingredients designed to remove tough, set-in stains while remaining gentle on luxury linens. Please connect with us at (800) 977-1841 or visit our store or email us with any product feedback or cleaning questions.