Price the wash, not the bottle
Use the labelled dose to compare laundry products without assuming that equal bottle sizes deliver equal washes.
Home & living · 3 min read
Sources checked
AI-assisted, source-based guide. Not a hands-on review.
The short answer
Compare the product cost per suitable wash; do not reduce the recommended dose simply to improve the calculation.
Choose a useful unit
CCS’s unit-pricing guidance supports comparing quantities on a consistent basis. For detergent, price per litre can be a starting point, but different concentration and dosing instructions mean it is not always the unit that answers your buying question. Keep the label for each shortlisted product beside the calculation.
Use the dose specified for your machine, load and conditions. Do not invent a universal capful or assume every cap has the same volume. This guide compares spending; it does not test cleaning performance, recommend chemical mixtures or replace the manufacturer’s instructions.
Work through one bottle
Illustrative figures: a 1.5 litre bottle priced at S$12 gives 30 doses if the applicable dose is 50 ml. Product cost is S$0.40 per wash. A 2 litre bottle at S$14 gives 25 doses at 80 ml, or S$0.56 per wash. The cheaper litre is not the cheaper wash here.
Those calculations assume the entire contents are usable at that dose. They exclude electricity, water, stain-treatment products and any repeated wash. Neither example describes an actual brand. Check whether a claimed number of washes is based on the same load as yours before comparing it.
Buy for the household
Keep a small note of when you open and finish a bottle. A difference between expected and actual use is a reason to check measuring habits and the label, not automatically to buy more or change products. Avoid choosing a large pack before knowing that it suits your routine.
A refill may reduce packaging or cost, but compare the refill quantity and the price you actually pay. Leave performance and any fragrance preference as separate criteria. The decision is which suitable product meets your needs at a clear cost, not which bottle carries the most impressive discount.
Sources & limits
Facts were checked on the date above, not continuously. Follow the provider’s current information before spending or travelling. Suggestions are our editorial reasoning; we do not claim a product test, a site visit or a whole-market comparison.
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