Zum Powdered Laundry Soap vs Liquid and Laundry Add-Ons

Best for
Powder fans wanting a plant-based citrus scent

The Zum Powdered Laundry Soap, Sweet Orange is the centerpiece of this guide. The listing describes it as a plant-based soap made with natural ingredients and essential oils, and it names baking soda as part of the cleaning formula. It is described as cruelty-free and aimed at eco-conscious shoppers. The package is listed at about 1.79 pounds for the 32 oz size, and the manufacturer is Indigo Wild.

What the listing does not specify is just as important. It does not give a load count, a full ingredient list, or whether the powder is formulated for high-efficiency (HE) machines. It also does not say how much to use per load. Those details are typically printed on the package, so check them before buying if you run an HE front loader.

In general, a powdered soap with baking soda suits people who like to control dosing with a scoop and who wash a lot of odor-prone fabrics. Baking soda is widely used as a deodorizer in laundry, which is why soaps like this are popular for workout clothes and the hoodies you wear through a long session. Sweet Orange is a bright, clean citrus scent, a good fit if you find earthy scents too heavy. If you want to compare it with other powder laundry detergent options, we have a separate guide.

• Plant-based soap with essential oils
• Baking soda in the formula
• Sweet Orange scent
• 32 oz package, cruelty-free per the listing

Choose the liquid instead if you often wash in cold water and worry about powder dissolving, or if you simply prefer pouring over scooping.

The Zum Laundry Liquid Clean Patchouli comes in a 64 fl oz bottle. Beyond the name, size and scent, this listing provides almost nothing: the only specifications are the bottle dimensions of about 3.25 by 6.38 by 11.75 inches and a weight of 4 pounds. It does not specify ingredients, load count, HE compatibility or dosing.

Because the listing is so sparse, we cannot confirm its formula from this page alone. The Zum bundle listing further down describes Zum Laundry Soap as using saponified coconut oil, baking soda and essential oils, but that description belongs to the Frankincense and Myrrh product, and we will not assume the Patchouli bottle is identical. Check the label if the ingredient list matters to you.

What we can say is how liquid laundry soap works in general. Liquids are already dissolved, so they mix into cold water easily and are handy for pre-treating a stain by dabbing a little directly onto the fabric. Patchouli is a deep, earthy scent that some people love and others find strong, so it is worth knowing your preference before buying a large bottle. If you prefer a softer floral option, see our look at Zum laundry detergent lavender.

• 64 fl oz liquid bottle
• Clean Patchouli scent
• Ingredients and load count not specified in the listing

It suits anyone who wants a single large bottle of liquid in an earthy scent. If you want more liquid on hand or a matching surface cleaner, the bundle gives you more in one order.

Best for
Households stocking laundry and surface cleaner

The Zum by Indigo Wild Laundry and Home Cleaning Bundle, Frankincense and Myrrh includes two 64 fl oz bottles of Zum Plant-Based Liquid Laundry Soap and one 16 fl oz Zum Natural All-Purpose Cleaner Spray. This listing gives the most detail on the formula of any product here: it says the laundry soap uses plant-based ingredients including saponified coconut oil, baking soda and essential oils to lift stains, fight odors and leave laundry fragrant.

Saponified coconut oil is simply coconut oil turned into soap, which is the traditional way soap is made. Combined with baking soda for odor control and essential oils for scent, it gives a simple, plant-based formula. The listing does not specify load count per bottle, HE compatibility or the cleaner’s ingredients in detail.

Frankincense and Myrrh is a warm, resinous scent, somewhere between woody and spicy. Having both the laundry soap and a surface cleaner in the same scent means your laundry room, desk and kitchen can smell consistent, which some people really enjoy.

• Two 64 fl oz liquid laundry soaps
• One 16 fl oz all-purpose cleaner spray
• Saponified coconut oil, baking soda and essential oils
• Frankincense and Myrrh scent

It suits households who go through a lot of laundry and want to stock up. If you only want the laundry soap, the single Patchouli bottle or the Sweet Orange powder keeps things simpler.

Best for
Adding scent in the dryer, not washing

The Zum Indigo Wild Laundry Dryer Balls Kit is not a detergent. It includes three wool dryer balls and one Frankincense and Myrrh aroma blend spray. The idea is to spray a little of the essential oil blend on the balls and toss them into the dryer, adding scent without a disposable dryer sheet. The kit weighs about 8.48 ounces per the listing.

Wool dryer balls in general tumble between clothes to help separate them as they dry, and they are reusable. The listing does not specify the aroma spray’s volume, how many uses it offers or how long the wool balls last, so we cannot give you numbers there.

• Three reusable wool dryer balls
• Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil spray
• Replaces dryer sheets for scent

This kit pairs well with any of the Zum soaps above, especially the Frankincense and Myrrh bundle. On its own, it does not clean clothes, so you still need a soap.