10 Best Tried and True Japanese Laundry Detergents in 2022 (Laundry Expert-Reviewed)

P&G's Ariel Bioscience Gel is a detergent that has anti-mildew properties, making it suitable for indoor drying. 

In our cleaning power tests, we noticed that it was able to remove all stains except for the coffee stains, which remained visible. For this reason, they didn't get a perfect score on the cleaning power test. 

That being said, they scored very highly on the stain prevention test, as we weren't able to detect any stain transfers. The T-shirts with unpleasant smells were also deodorized effectively. Although not every single stain was eradicated with this detergent, it still boasts impressive stain removal and deodorizing abilities. 

Lion's SUPER NANOX Deodorizing Detergent is a liquid detergent that has a unique deodorizing formula that removes body odor effectively. Since the formula is highly concentrated, a little goes a long way with this product too.

In our cleaning power test, this detergent removed basic stains such as coffee, curry, eggs, and mud well. In addition, it hardly transferred stains to cotton and polyester materials as well. In terms of deodorizing power, dirty mildew scents and pseudo-sweaty odors were removed excellently. 

P&G's Ariel Powder Science Plus 7 is a powdered detergent containing bleach and optical brightening agents. It's designed for room-drying and has strong cleaning and disinfecting properties.

In our cleaning power tests, this product removed basic stains such as coffee, curry, and mud as well as peskier protein stains such as eggs, making it one of the strongest detergents in its class. Although a little stain transfer was observed on cotton materials, there was almost no stain transfer on polyester, making its stain-preventing abilities quite strong.

Furthermore, the product was able to eliminate even the most unpleasant of smells, be it mildew or pseudo-sweat, giving it a perfect score for deodorizing power. This product has the highest cleaning power. Additionally, its bleaching and optical brightening agent makes it useful for washing clothes you want to enhance the brightness of, such as shirts and gym clothes.

P&G's Ariel's Bioscience Gel Balls are easy to use because you don't need to go through the hassle of measuring out your detergent each time. It can also be used effectively with just one rinse, making it ideal for those who want to spend less time doing laundry.

The product claims to have high cleaning power with its stain removal boosting formula; our tests confirmed this. Coffee, curry, and mud stains were removed well, and protein stains reproduced with eggs were cleaned exceptionally well compared to other products. The product also eliminated unpleasant smells such as mildew and pseudo-sweat.

In the stain transfer prevention test, cotton fabrics were left slightly stained, but polyester fabrics saw almost zero stains. For this reason, it received an average score in the stain-prevention department.

P&G's Ariel Bioscience Gel Balls 4D 12-pack mimics the high cleaning abilities of baking soda. This product also touts its ability to prevent mildew without needing supplementary laundry cleaners and also claims to have strong antibacterial properties.

Its cleaning performance was good with coffee stains fading substantially and egg stains being removed cleanly. Stain transfers were hardly noticeable. As for deodorizing power, it didn't do so good, as faint odors of pseudo-sweat remained. Though its deodorizing power wasn't as strong, if you're looking for a detergent that focuses on ease of use and convenience, give this product a try. 

P&G's Ariel Tick Repellent Plus Liquid Detergent is effective in eliminating indoor ticks and dust mites with a single rinse cycle. It's most suitable for washing bedding and stuffed animals where dust mites are a common concern.

The cleaning power of this product was good but not great, removing some stains such as coffee, curry, eggs, and mud. However, it received a perfect score for deodorizing power and was able to eliminate unpleasant scents such as mildew and pseudo-sweaty odors. That being said, the fragrance was a bit peculiar which may be something that some find unpleasant.

It did good in our stain transfer prevention test, with very few stains transferring onto cotton materials and almost no stains onto polyester. Overall, this product removes basic stains, has high deodorizing power, and has the added benefit of eliminating ticks and dust mites.

P&G's Sarasa Laundry Detergent is additive-free, without any optical brightening agents, bleach, or colorants. Not only has it been skin tested under the supervision of a dermatologist, but it also contains plant-derived care ingredients and natural enzymes great for people with sensitive skin.

Basic stains such as coffee, curry, eggs, and mud were removed well. After using the detergent, both mildew and pseudo-sweaty odors disappeared as well, confirming its high deodorizing power. 

While there was almost no stain transfer on the polyester material, some stain transfer was observed on the cotton material. Although this product may rank lower on our list, it's the optimal choice for those seeking additive-free detergent that's not only great for sensitive skin and babies but also gentle and preserves the texture of clothes.

Lion's SUPER NANOX's potent formula is made of 70% cleaning ingredients. It's also very compact in size, making it easier to store and maneuver. The detergent's cleaning abilities were good, with coffee, curry, and mud stains being mostly removed. Its deodorizing power also received a perfect score, as it was able to eliminate strong smells of mildew and pseudo-sweaty odors with no issues.

That being said, its overall score was lowered because there was some stain transferring with cotton materials. Nevertheless, it didn't do particularly bad on any of the tests, making it a reliable option for those seeking a standard, compact detergent. 

Lion's Top Platinum Clear is a powdered detergent that can be used with the speed mode on Japanese washing machines, which isn't very common for most detergents. Formulated with proteolytic enzymes, it is said to be effective in cleaning away even the most stubborn stains.

Protein stains reproduced by eggs, coffee, and curry stains were removed fairly well. It also did well in the stain transfer prevention test, as stains transferred only slightly to cotton materials, but hardly at all to polyester materials. However, it scored lower in the deodorizing power test since it left a slightly unpleasant odor after washing. 

P&G's Bold Gel Ball 3D is a convenient pod-type detergent with reliable cleaning abilities. Its cleaning power was good, with protein stains reproduced by eggs being removed well alongside curry and mud stains.

The deodorizing power was rated highly as it was able to remove both mildew scents and pseudo-sweaty odors effectively. However, compared to other detergents, this one didn't do as well in preventing stains.