Ariel Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent, Original, 129 Loads, 205 oz.

This has enzymes, which is your laundry hero! Not many detergents do anymore, and this is one of the (if not *the*) most cost-effective detergent containing enzymes in the US. The powder itself does smell strong, so your laundry room/area will definitely smell like it until you get used to it, but your clothes will smell nice and fresh, not "loud" or perfume-y. Follow the instructions on measuring, and you'll be fine. Our clothes come out so much cleaner, and we are saving money that we were spending on expensive, name-brand pods. The only downsides are that (1) the bag is not resealable and (2) there is no scoop included (though lots of brands of detergents/boosters no longer include a scoop). I use a heat sealer to reseal the bag and bought a 1-gallon glass jar at Walmart to store the detergent in a more convenient place. You could certainly use/reuse another container, and I use a measuring scoop (like an ice scoop but with measurements) to scoop it, nothing fancy. Seriously, though, just buy this detergent. Add some citric acid, about five bucks a pound, to your rinse cycle-- more if you have hard water, less if you have less-hard water-- and you'll have the cleanest, freshest, and softest laundry on the block without spending an arm and a leg. Crown yourself the laundry king or queen and think of the savings!