Here is what I have learned through some prepper YouTube videos, the agitator stage in washing clothes is what really cleans the clothes mostly. Not the detergent though it helps a little. And since most of these are mostly water based anyway you can water down your detergent drastically. I have been using the same detergent for way over a year, same bottles same detergent , still have plenty to work with! I have saved a ton of money by doing this.