Top detergents: honey, they shrunk the laundry liquid (and the packaging, too).(Trends)(Product/service evaluation)

Many of the 34 detergents we just tested are "2X" or "3X." That laundry lingo does not mean they're supersized. It means they've been reduced to a half or a third of their former volume yet do the same number of loads per package, usually 20 to 30. The Ratings show the best of the bunch, the 19 scoring very good or excellent.

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Why the shrinkage? Detergent makers moved to concentrated formulas for economic and environmental reasons. Procter & Gamble (the largest manufacturer) and Wal- Mart wanted to cut costs for packaging and shipping, and appeal to environmentally aware consumers. The changes required finding new affordable ingredients for the concentrated formulations.

How we tested. To measure detergent performance, we used 306 8x16-inch cotton flags, each with eight swatches. One swatch on each flag was left unstained; the others had blood, red wine, ring-around-the- collar stuff, dirt, chocolate, grass, and tea. Then we machine-washed the flags in hard water with each detergent in 6-pound loads.

Using a ...