Many men don’t particularly enjoy floral scents because they think of them as feminine and want detergents that clean without leaving them smelling “fancy.” This article will serve as your guide to laundry detergents that fit these criteria, as rated by men.
A great laundry detergent for men is a powerful stain-buster that is able to eliminate the smell of sweat, smoke, and other pollutants that tend to stick to the clothing of athletic, adventurous, or physically active men.
For most men, a detergent like this one found on Amazon will fit their needs nicely.
For more details on my recommended detergents, please read on.
1. Hiketron Masculine Laundry Detergent
Hiketron makes the bold claim that their detergent is “made for men and loved by women”. The brand has a line of different scents, like this popular one on Amazon, that can give any man a confidence boost. Their best scents are as follows:
- Suit Up. A woody oriental aroma with a citrus blend of lemon and grapefruit with undertones of cedar and has a musk base.
- Mambo Man. A classic and sophisticated fresh scent infused with lime, lavender, bergamot with a hint of orange blossom, cinnamon, and Lily of the valley.
- Bold Man. A long-lasting fresh scent infused with citrus, a touch of rosemary, cardamom sandalwood, and cedar.
2. Distinctive Wash
The brand launched in 2012 and gave the world its first laundry detergent brand explicitly marketed to men. Their slogan is simple yet certainly makes an impact, urging consumers to “Smell like a man.” For a pricier than your average price tag, the brand claims to be the superior but still economical choice.
It is designed to work even at low temperatures and does not require a lot of water. This detergent doesn’t need a fabric conditioner or stain remover to achieve the deep clean needed to soften your apparel.
It smells even better the hotter your body gets or after direct sun exposure, as scent molecules in the detergent are heat-activated. Labeled the best fragrance in laundry by fragrance houses in Paris, Distinctive Wash, which can be found on Amazon, is sure to deliver on its promise to make you smell irresistible.
3. HEX Performance
When other brands caught on to the success of Distinctive Wash, like these packs found on Amazon, the market became saturated with masculine fragranced detergents that went a little too heavy on fragrances. The result? Detergents that seemed to assault the olfactory nerve with overpowering scents.
HEX Performance arrived on the scene to show the rest how the fragrance game is played. Its fragrance is unobtrusive but long-lasting. It also kills all kinds of odors, from sweat to tobacco smoke. It also comes in little eco-friendly globules of formula that you toss into the washing machine.
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4. Hero Clean Laundry Detergent
This is rated as one of the manliest detergents on the market. Its patented formula consists of six enzymes that remove stubborn stains, brighten colors, and protect fabric, ensuring a deep clean.
One of the best things about this detergent is it was designed specifically for sweat-wicking clothes such as sports apparel and workout gear. It penetrates the fabric to reach the sweat and oil molecules embedded deeply between the fibers of your clothing, leaving your clothes clean, fresh, and most importantly, smelling manly.
5. Fresh Wave Odor Removing Laundry Booster
Considered the hardest-working laundry detergent for men, its focus is less on the fragrance and more on stain and odor removal. This is the ideal detergent for men who are constantly on the go, whether for work or for outdoor activities that cause excessive sweating.
It uses natural plant extracts to combat stubborn stinks and stains that can be picked up at the workplace or outdoors. Since it is based on plant extracts, it is considered safe and eco-friendly.
6. Frey
A list of detergents for men cannot be considered complete if it doesn’t feature Frey. This is another luxury detergent that prides itself in being eco-friendly, using only ingredients that help it achieve its superior fragrance to other detergents on the market.
Products are ordered directly from their website, and they offer a “laundry care” package for free. The package includes a bottle of detergent, a bottle of fabric softener, and 40 dryer sheets in a pack. Before sending the full pack, they send you three sample-size packets so you can choose your scent.
7. Persil Pro Clean
This is not another luxury detergent tailored for men. In fact, it’s nothing more than good old all-purpose laundry detergent that will get the job done without leaving you smelling like a garden. It has a very clean scent that is ascribed to neither gender, so men can’t possibly have objections to using this.
Persil Pro boasts a perfect 5-star rating on Amazon, having over 2000 reviews from people who hail it as the gold standard for all detergents, luxury or non-luxury.
8. Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent
Last but not least, there’s Arm & Hammer detergent. This is yet another reliable all-purpose detergent that is tough on stains and stinks. It doesn’t have any fragrance, which isn’t all bad news for those looking to steer clear of any flowery scents.
It is hypoallergenic and ideal for sensitive skin. Like many of its hygiene and cleaning products, this is a very straightforward product that I’m sure most men will not object to.
9. Laundry Sauce
Laundry Sauce brings to you premium scents packaged in detergent pods. At around $1 per load of laundry, the brand promises that its laundry pods are “an everyday luxury that everyone can afford.” Its scents are:
- Australian Sandalwood. It is inspired by a blend of dark exotic woods
- Siberian Pine. Treats the senses to the aroma of frozen oakmoss and white mint
10. Dirty Boy Laundry Detergent for Men
Yet another laundry detergent made by men for men. Ironically the product is named Dirty Boy, but the brand promises their detergent will get your clothes and sheets clean with its stain-fighting power and three manly scents.
Their detergent is available in 3 fragrances:
- Makin’ A Mint. Because who doesn’t love mint and the freshness it brings?
- White Water. Inspired by the rapids in white water rafting, this scent brings you crispness in a bottle.
- Main Event. The most potent scent of the three, this Dirty Boy fragrance promises you’ll be the main attraction of any event when you arrive with this Dirty Boy fragrance.
The Pros and Cons of Laundry Detergents for Men
Below is a table summarizing the Pros and Cons of each masculine laundry detergent:
| Detergent | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Hiketron Masculine Laundry Detergent | Long-lasting fragrance | Higher price point |
| Distinctive Wash | Works at low temperatures Helps conserve water Eliminates the need for fabric conditioner | Above average price point |
| HEX Performance | Unobtrusive fragrance Eco-friendly | Higher price point |
| Hero Clean Laundry Detergent | Provides deep cleaning even for water-wicking material | Higher price point |
| Fresh Wave Odor Removing Laundry Booster | Actives derived from plant ingredients and eco-friendly Focused on cleaning power over fragrance | |
| Laundry Sauce | Premium scents | High price point |
| Dirty Boy Laundry Detergent for Men | Comes in 3 scents Removes stubborn stains | High price point |
| Frey | Eco-friendly Comes with free “laundry care package” The company sends sample packets to help you choose scents | Premium price |
| Persil Pro Clean | Rated “gold standard” of all detergents Clean fragrance, neither masculine nor feminine All-purpose detergentEconomical | |
| Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent | HypoallergenicTough on stains and stink | Not-fragranced (for those who prefer to have fragranced detergent) |
Laundry detergent marketed towards men used to be unheard of until the gap in the laundry market was identified, spurring a movement to make masculine-fragranced detergents. With quite a few options now available, no man ever has to seize the day smelling like a bouquet.
But does the world really need detergents for men? Won’t all-purpose detergents do the trick? After all, they don’t all smell like flowers. Many skeptics weigh in on the need for men’s detergent–many of them asserting that men don’t need their own detergent.
While the debate is nowhere near settled, detergents for men have undeniable pros and cons.
Some of the cons are higher price points and the fact that they’re always as effective as regular detergents. The main advantages of using detergents for men are that: their fragrance tends to last longer, most of them are eco-friendly, and some of them are formulated to fit the lifestyles of men.
Let’s discuss the pros and cons in greater detail.
Cons of Men’s Detergents
- Men’s Detergents Are More Expensive. The first thing a critic points out about detergents for men is the higher price points. Why do men have to pay more to buy a product for as mindless a household task as doing laundry? Nobody actually cares what your detergent smells like anyway.
- Men’s Detergents Aren’t Economical Nor Practical. Single men can get away with getting only one type of detergent, but married men who use detergent for men end up causing an additional household expense. Unless the lady of the house uses the same detergent, having a different detergent for men means you have to buy different types–the one you use and the one the rest of the household uses.
- Men’s Detergents Don’t Clean As Well. One of the criticisms detergents for men received when they first hit the market was that it was nothing more than hype. Most of the sales talk underscored the masculine fragrance. The practical uses of detergent seemed secondary to the scent.
However, some avid users of detergents for males make a strong case for detergents marketed to males. Here are the pros.
Pros of Men’s Detergents
- Men’s Detergents Are Premium Products. Brands that make detergents for men concede that this is more of a luxury product, not intended to replace regular detergent. Their claim is that it does all the things regular detergent can do with the added benefit of a fragrance for those who enjoy the sensorial experience.
- Men’s Detergents Are Actually More Economical. While they do have higher price points, many detergents targeting the male customer base claim not to need fabric softener because their formula is already fragranced and softens fabric. This makes these detergents economical because it eliminates the need for a separate fabric softener purchase.
- Men’s Detergents Are Designed To Combat Tough Stains & Odors. Detergents for men can be powerful deep cleaners despite critics’ claims. Men are generally known to be more active, so their clothes naturally have more sweat, oil, and every other imaginable stain. As such, most detergents meant for them are formulated with powerful cleaning agents.
For more, check out The Best Hunting Laundry Detergent (So Deer Don’t Smell You).
Jim James is a published author and expert on the outdoors and survivalism. Through avid research and hands-on experience, he has gained expertise on a wide variety of topics. His time spent at college taught him to become really good at figuring out answers to common problems. Often through extensive trial and error, Jim has continued to learn and increase his knowledge of a vast array of topics related to firearms, hunting, fishing, medical topics, cooking, games/gaming, and other subjects too numerous to name.
Jim has been teaching people a wide variety of survivalism topics for over five years and has a lifetime of experience fishing, camping, general survivalism, and anything in nature. In fact, while growing up, he often spent more time on the water than on land! He has degrees in History, Anthropology, and Music from the University of Southern Mississippi. He extensively studied Southern History, nutrition, geopolitics, the Cold War, and nuclear policy strategies and safety as well as numerous other topics related to the content on survivalfreedom.com.