A laundry sheet looks like a skinny strip of nothing. But it has to do everything a big jug does. Here's what's inside, job by job.

Quick answer: most sheets contain cleaners (surfactants), water softeners, sometimes enzymes, a film that holds it all together and extras like fragrance or fillers. Just 7 keeps only the first two plus the film.

The five jobs

1. Clean: surfactants lift dirt and oil off fabric.
2. Soften the water: builders and chelators stop minerals getting in the way.
3. Break down stains: enzymes go after protein and starch.
4. Hold it together: a film turns detergent into a dry sheet.
5. Everything else: fragrance, fillers, colors, preservatives.

Jobs one and two are essential. Job five is where labels get long.

Common ingredients

Cleaners

One end of a surfactant grabs oil. The other end loves water. Grime gets pulled off and rinsed away.

Think of it as a tiny tug-of-war, and dirt always loses.

• Sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate: strong, cheap, very common.
• Ethoxylates (-eth, pareth): good on oily soil.
• Glucosides, like decyl and lauryl glucoside: sugar-based and known for being mild.^†

Just 7 uses only glucosides.

Water softeners

Hard water carries calcium and magnesium, which tie up cleaners. That's why clothes can come out stiff or dull.

Washing soda, sodium citrate and chelators like GLDA grab those minerals. Most US laundry detergents dropped phosphates for this job years ago.^†

Enzymes

Protease handles protein stains like grass, egg and sweat. Amylase handles starch, like gravy. Most are made by fermentation.

Everyday loads often don't need them, so Just 7 skips them and Just 9 adds them.

The film

Most sheets use polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Some newer ones use films like pullulan, made by fermenting starch.

What happens to PVA after the drain is debated (read it). Just 7 uses a pullulan film made from fermented starch.^†

Fragrance and extras

Fragrance can be one word covering many compounds. Fillers help texture. None are automatically bad, but none are needed for an everyday load.

Got cats? Skipping fragrance and essential oils is an easy win.

Read any label in a minute

1. Find the full list, not the front-of-box highlights.
2. Spot the cleaners: -sulfate, -eth or -glucoside.
3. Find the film: PVA, PVOH, pullulan or starch.
4. Check for fragrance and essential oils by plant name.
5. Count. Every extra should have a reason.

FAQ

Are laundry detergent sheets safe? They use the same kinds of cleaners as liquids, just dry. Keep them away from kids and pets and use as directed.

Do sheets clean as well as liquid? For everyday loads, a good sheet does the job. For heavy stains, pick enzymes or pretreat.

Why do some sheets have so many ingredients? Extra cleaners, enzymes, fillers and fragrance each add a line.

What's the difference between our gentle sheet, 7 and 10? Our gentle sheet is the simplest. Just 7 adds lauryl glucoside and washing soda. Just 9 adds enzymes and GLDA.