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Is Fairy really the best? These tried and tested picks cut through grease for sparkling plates every time

Doing the washing up is a universally hated chore, but it's made mildly more bearable by a good washing up liquid.

The best formulas will leave your pots, pans, plates, cutlery and glassware gleaming, no matter how greasy or dried-on your leftovers. They will generate enough foam to clean quickly and effectively, without bubbling up so much that they block your plughole.

Our favourite solutions smell fresh, are kind to the environment and are gentle on your hands (though we recommend using gloves, especially if your skin is sensitive).

The Good Housekeeping Institute tested 18 of the best washing up liquids on the market to find the most reliable at cleaning grease, fat and dried-on food off plates. These 10 earned a spot on our roundup:

It’s not magic, but it’s clever. Washing up liquid contains molecules with two sides – one loves water and the other hates it. The hydrophobic side grabs onto grease (i.e. the food residue on your plate) but the hydrophilic side is stronger and pulls the molecule into the water, taking all that oil and grime with it.

Most of us use more washing up liquid than we need to, which wastes money, time and water (as rinsing takes longer). The recommended dose varies between brands, but you shouldn’t need more than 5ml (1.5 teaspoons or a couple of squirts) of non-concentrated formula per five litres of water.

If you’re tackling heavily stained pots and pans, let them soak in your solution for a few minutes before scrubbing. Don’t make the mistake of adding more washing up liquid as soon as the suds disappear, as there should still be plenty of formula left in your water.

Ideally, yes. Nobody wants the lingering taste of soap in their Sunday roast, and leftover washing up liquid can leave unattractive smears on glass. But most importantly, it’s better for your health. Most mainstream formulas contain the chemical sodium laureth sulphate (SLS), which causes foam and strengthens the cleaning process. Unfortunately, it’s an irritant, so it’s best to get it all off before eating from your plates.

In short, don't do it. Only put dishwasher-safe products into your machine, else you risk not only damaging it, but also being left with a mammoth clean-up mission to tackle. Unlike dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid produces bubbles, which will quickly fill your dishwasher and seep out of the tiniest of gaps, filling your kitchen with suds. This foam can block your machine’s pipes and filters and stop it draining properly.

Too late? Stop the dishwasher. Lay down towels to soak up all those suds and thoroughly clean out the dispenser to remove any trace of washing up liquid. If the foam still isn’t disappearing, pour a mug of white vinegar inside your machine to help banish those bubbles. Run a couple of cycles until it’s fully clean and dry.

The GHI team put 18 brands of washing up liquid through two rigorous tests. Firstly, they counted how many greasy plates one manufacturer-recommended dose could bring to a clean finish.

Next, they counted how many dirtied full place settings the same suggested dose could plough through, after covering said crockery and glassware in a variety of foods, including wheat cereal, egg yolk and spinach puree.

We also sent each washing up liquid to ten panellists, who gave their feedback on everything from cleaning performance to scent, longevity and packaging.

The scores were combined to give us the 10 washing up liquids that made the lightest work of our dishes:

Our winning washing up liquid might seem pricey, but it’s concentrated, so a little really does go a long way. It’s hypoallergenic, making it a safe choice for eczema sufferers, and it left our hands feeling soft after a dip in the sink. Everybody loved the subtle grapefruit scent, which made for a calming cleaning experience.

It tackled fat and lifted dried food effectively. It left a bit of soapy residue on our cutlery and glasses, but that was nothing a quick rinse couldn’t sort. Dosage recommendations for varying water hardness would have been appreciated, but we welcome Bower’s eco-friendly ethos – the refill pouches and glass or plastic pump dispensers are sold separately to minimise plastic waste.

Key specifications Volume: 1 litre Fragrance: Grapefruit (also available in lavender and fragrance-free) Liquid colour: Clear Eco claims: Every purchase helps the Marine Conservation Society protect 1m2 of endangered sea grass, cruelty-free, made in the UK, made with natural ingredients, vegan, packaging is fully recyclable via the company, refill design

This hypoallergenic formula is designed to blitz burnt-on stains while protecting even the most sensitive skin. It wasn’t very ‘sudsy’, which affected its fat removal performance, and we had to give it some welly when scrubbing off dried food. Still, it left a four-place setting streak-free, which impressed us.

The chunky bottle can be tricky to grip and pour from, but we like that it’s made solely from recycled material. It proved easy to open and has a zingy grapefruit scent, although this didn’t linger for long. Refills are available, but only in big bottles, so you’ll need some spare cupboard space.

Key specifications Volume: 750ml (also available in 5L or 20L refills) Fragrance: Pink grapefruit (also available in lavender and fragrance-free) Liquid colour: Clear Eco claims: Bottle made from 100% recycled material, vegan, cruelty-free, biodegradable, pet friendly

This supermarket own-brand offering produces a robust foam that moved effortlessly through grease. It lasted fairly well, but it could only remove thick fat from a few plates before a top up was required.

We liked its fresh lemony scent, which helped mask stale food odours, and it cleaned dishes so effectively that there were no throwbacks from the drying up team! Eco-conscious shoppers will like that the bottle is partly made from recycled plastic and can be recycled in its entirety, including the lid.

Key specifications Volume: 600ml Fragrance: Citrus (also available in original and sensitive) Liquid colour: Yellow Hypoallergenic: No Eco claims: Bottle contains 50% recycled plastic, cruelty-free, vegan

If you’re all about practicality, this bargain washing up liquid offers excellent value for money. It foamed up a treat, producing many more bubbles than pricier brands with only a small squeeze, and sliced through grease and fat with ease. It lifted all dried-on food from our crockery and we didn’t need to soak heavily soiled oven dishes for long.

It was quick to dry and made our glassware sparkle, but our cutlery was left slightly streaky. We found the silver packaging unattractive and weren’t fans of its harsh chemical smell, but it would be a great, affordable pick for students.

Key specifications Volume: 500ml Fragrance: Original (also available in lemon and pomegranate) Liquid colour: Turquoise Eco claims: None

The cheapest washing up liquid on our list is a steal for its quality, but bear in mind that its consistency is slightly runny, meaning you’ll probably get through it faster.

It surpassed our expectations when it came to removing fat from oven dishes and it quickly lifted dried-on stains from crockery, without the need to scrub. We had to top up our sponge after washing only a handful of greasy plates, but it left our glassware shining and we liked its energising lemon scent.

Key specifications Volume: 450ml Fragrance: Lemon (also available in original and red cherry) Liquid colour: Yellow Eco claims: Cruelty-free

Fairy is many a shopper’s go-to washing up liquid brand for a good reason. This formula claims to last 50% longer than its rivals – most testers noted that a small amount of product produced a lot of suds, but there were no instructions on how much to use. The flip-top lid was easy to open and close and the gel-like consistency of the liquid allowed for quick dispensing.

It cut through fat well, but some testers complained that it struggled to lift dried food off their plates, leading them to scrub harder or apply more product to their sponge. It caused no irritation, even for those with very sensitive skin, and left our panel’s hands feeling soft. It left a streak-free finish but the unusual bergamot and ginger scent proved divisive, with some finding it too overpowering.

Key specifications Volume: 625ml Fragrance: Bergamot and ginger (also available in antibacterial eucalyptus, original, citrus grove and lemon) Eco claims: 100% recycled bottle, 100% natural scent

This wallet-friendly option claims to ‘cut through grease instantly’, and it did. It banished fat efficiently – one squirt was enough to clean a sink full of dirty dishes – and only minimal scrubbing was required when cleaning dried food from crockery.

We welcomed the dosage recommendation, albeit vague, but the solution didn’t disperse well in water and the plentiful bubbles clogged up our sink slightly. It left streaks on our cutlery but our glasses looked restaurant-worthy after drying. Just be wary if you have sensitive skin, as it left our hands feeling quite dry.

Key specifications Volume: 500ml (also available in 1L) Fragrance: Original (zesty lemon , fresh berry and antibacterial also available) Liquid colour: Green Eco claims: Recyclable packaging

Ecover claims to have a string of green credentials to its name, including a fully biodegradable formula. We found it a breeze to dispense but it disappointed in the suds stakes, producing only lacklustre foam. This caused us to use more product, which concerned us given its already expensive price tag.

Despite this, it cleaned grease well, and dried rapidly to leave a gleaming finish. The bottle’s ergonomic design made it comfortable to hold and we love that there are refills available. Those with sensitive skin will be reassured to know that it felt gentle on our hands and didn’t aggravate eczema.

Key specifications Volume: 950ml (also available as 450ml and refills) Fragrance: Lemon and aloe (also available in camomile and clementine, lily and lotus, pomegranate and fig and fragrance-free) Liquid colour: Clear Eco claims: Fast and complete biodegradability, minimal impact on aquatic life, bottle made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic (bar cap), vegan, cruelty-free, made in a certified Zero Waste factory

This mostly biodegradable washing up liquid cares about the planet as well as your plates. Its unusual yet pleasant fragrance left our hands smelling lovely, its bottle was easy to dispense from and its colourful packaging will lend your kitchen style points.

It had no trouble cleaning dried-on food from our crockery, but it struggled with fat removal on account of its unstable suds, which disappeared when we were only a few dishes in. We had to top it up regularly, making it easily our priciest option. Note also that while it’s more sustainable in some areas, it’s not made in the UK, meaning it comes with a carbon footprint.

Key specifications Volume: 500ml Fragrance: Radish and bergamot (also available in lavender and rosemary, basil and vetiver grass and orange and jasmine) Liquid colour: Clear Eco claims: Plant-based, cruelty-free, pet-safe, vegan, bottle made from 100% recycled plastic, 97% biodegradable

This washing up liquid can also be used for cleaning hard waterproof surfaces, making it a versatile under-the-sink addition. It’s wheat-free, should there be any allergies in the household, and safe to use around furry friends. It put up a decent fight against fatty residue and lifted dried-on leftovers from our plates. It produced a lot of bubbles, especially when we agitated the water, but they weren’t very stable, meaning we had to top up our sponge to get all our crockery clean.

We liked the fragrance-free scent but thought the packaging looked cheap and found the push-up lid fiddly to reopen when our hands were soapy. We would have expected this eco-conscious brand to offer refills, so hopefully these are in the pipeline.

Key specifications Volume: 500ml Fragrance: Sensitive (also available in lemon, lime, cool cucumber and apple, and orange blossom and coconut) Liquid colour: Clear Eco claims: Peta-approved, cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil free, plant-based, safe for aquatic life, pet-safe, wheat-free, made in Britain