TL;DR: Cold Power Advanced Clean is a capable, cheap-per-wash detergent ($0.26/wash from a 4kg pack). It also contains optical brighteners, undisclosed synthetic fragrance, and an anionic surfactant (SDBS) linked to aquatic toxicity concerns by EWG. If performance on everyday stains is your only criterion, Cold Power works. If skin sensitivity, ingredient transparency, or reducing problem chemistry in your home matters, a well-formulated natural powder like Resparkle delivers comparable everyday cleaning at $0.33/wash without those ingredients. The trade-off is real: you pay $0.07 more per wash. Whether that gap is worth it depends on your household.
Why Cold Power buyers start looking elsewhere
Cold Power is one of Australia's most recognised laundry brands. It's cheap, it's stocked at every supermarket, and for most loads it cleans well. So why do families start researching alternatives?
Three patterns come up repeatedly among new Resparkle customers who previously used Cold Power:
Skin reactions. Synthetic fragrance is the most reported source of skin irritation in laundry. "Fragrance" on a label can legally cover dozens of individual compounds without disclosing them. For households with eczema, babies, or anyone with reactive skin, undisclosed fragrance is one of the first things a GP or dermatologist tells you to eliminate. Cold Power Advanced Clean lists "Fragrance" as an ingredient without further disclosure.
Ingredient questions. Families with young children increasingly want to know what's in the products they use on clothes pressed against their kids' skin all day. Cold Power's published ingredient list includes CI fluorescent brightener (an optical brightener) that is designed to stay on fabric after washing. It also includes SDBS (sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate), an anionic surfactant flagged by EWG for aquatic toxicity concerns.
Plastic packaging. Cold Power's standard packaging is a plastic bottle (liquid) or plastic-lined cardboard box (powder). For households trying to reduce landfill, there is no plastic-free option in the Cold Power range.
If any of these matter to your household, switching makes sense. The question is whether a natural powder can match the cleaning.
What most buyers don't realise: natural powder can match the performance
The assumption behind most "eco detergent" hesitation is that you're trading cleaning performance for values. For a lot of eco products, that assumption used to be correct. It's less true now.
A well-formulated natural laundry powder uses the same molecule families that do the cleaning in any modern detergent: enzymes, oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate), mineral builders (sodium carbonate, sodium citrate), and a surfactant. The performance gap between a good natural powder and Cold Power comes from what's left out (optical brighteners, synthetic fragrance, petroleum surfactants) rather than what's missing from the core cleaning equation.
Resparkle Natural Laundry Powder has been independently lab tested to outperform CHOICE's #1-rated supermarket detergent on five common stains. That test uses the same reference point CHOICE itself uses. The result matters because it answers the performance question directly: a natural powder, formulated properly with a full enzyme blend and sodium percarbonate oxygen bleach, cleans as well as Australia's leading supermarket detergent in independent head-to-head testing.
Cold Power vs Resparkle: the real comparison
| Dimension | Cold Power Advanced Clean | Resparkle Natural Laundry Powder |
|---|---|---|
| RRP (most common pack) | $21.00 for 4kg | $18.00 for 600g |
| Washes per pack | ~80 (est. 50g/load) | 55 |
| Price per wash | $0.26 | $0.33 |
| Surfactant | Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulphonate (SDBS) | Coconut Surfactant (EWG 1) |
| Optical brighteners | Yes (CI fluorescent brightener) | No |
| Synthetic fragrance | Yes (undisclosed "Fragrance") | No (essential oil or fragrance-free) |
| EWG hazard rating (every ingredient) | Not published per ingredient | EWG 1-2 every ingredient |
| Independent lab test vs named benchmark | Not published | Yes, vs CHOICE #1 supermarket detergent on 5 stains |
| Packaging | Plastic-lined cardboard box | Industrially compostable bag, plastic-free |
| Machine compatibility | Front and top loader | Front and top loader |
| Made in Australia | Manufactured by Henkel (German company) | Made in Australia; partners with Brunswick Industries + Brite Industries |
| Awards | , | Gold + Editor's Choice, 2020 Australian Non-Toxic Awards |
Cost-per-wash: the honest side-by-side
Switching to a natural powder costs more per wash if you're comparing against Cold Power. That's important to say plainly.
Cold Power Advanced Clean 4kg: $21.00 at Coles and Woolworths, approximately 80 washes at standard dose, $0.26 per wash.
Resparkle Natural Laundry Powder: $18.00 for 600g, 55 washes, $0.33 per wash. Dose: 2 to 3 teaspoons per load.
The per-wash gap is $0.07 (26 cents vs 33 cents). Over 52 weeks at 5 washes per week, that's roughly $18.20 per year. Whether that gap matters depends on your family budget. Families on tight grocery bills should factor this in honestly.
The gap narrows on the Complete Laundry Bundle ($89 for 4 × 600g powder + 1 × 700g stain remover, 220 powder washes), which also includes free shipping and a 10% Subscribe & Save discount option.
Ingredient by ingredient: what's different and why it matters
Both products do the core cleaning jobs using the same categories of ingredients. The meaningful differences are in the categories that Cold Power includes and Resparkle doesn't.
Surfactants
Cold Power Advanced Clean uses Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulphonate (SDBS), an anionic surfactant from the alkylbenzene sulfonate family. It is effective at removing grease and general soil. EWG's Healthy Cleaning Guide rates linear alkylbenzene sulfonates with a C, partly due to high chronic toxicity to aquatic life flagged by the EU Ecolabel program.
Resparkle uses a coconut-derived surfactant, EWG rated 1. Milder on skin, better aquatic profile.
Optical brighteners
Cold Power contains "CI fluorescent brightener." Optical brighteners are synthetic compounds that absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible blue, making whites appear whiter. They are specifically designed to stay on fabric between washes, which is also why they appear on most "avoid for sensitive skin" lists. EWG flags optical brighteners for developmental and reproductive toxicity concerns and for environmental persistence. They don't biodegrade readily.
Resparkle contains no optical brighteners. Whites come out functionally clean. On a very white load, they may look 5 to 10% less bright visually compared to a brightener-heavy detergent. That's an honest trade.
Fragrance
Cold Power lists "Fragrance" without disclosing which compounds are included. Synthetic fragrance is the most commonly reported trigger for laundry-related skin reactions. The single word can legally cover dozens of individual compounds including phthalates used as fixatives.
Resparkle ships in two variants: Lemon Eucalyptus (Australian-sourced essential oil) and Fragrance-Free. If skin sensitivity or eczema is a concern, the Fragrance-Free variant eliminates virtually every common laundry allergen surface.
Enzymes and builders
Both products contain enzymes for stain removal and mineral builders to soften water. This is where most of the actual cleaning power sits on either side. Resparkle's natural enzyme blend (EWG 1) covers protein and starch stains. Its builders (sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, sodium metasilicate pentahydrate) are mineral-derived and rated EWG 1-2. Sodium percarbonate provides oxygen bleach for colour stains and sanitation.
The cleaning core is comparable. The differences in what's left out are where the household safety and environmental profiles diverge.
Full EWG ingredient comparison
| Ingredient | Cold Power | EWG | Ingredient | Resparkle | EWG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium Carbonate | ✓ | 1 | Sodium Carbonate | ✓ | 1 |
| Sodium Sulphate | ✓ | 1-2 | Sodium Percarbonate | ✓ | 1 |
| SDBS (surfactant) | ✓ | C (concern) | Coconut Surfactant | ✓ | 1 |
| Sodium Silicate | ✓ | 2 | Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose | ✓ | 1 |
| Citric Acid | ✓ | 1 | Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate | ✓ | 2 |
| Sodium Aluminosilicate | ✓ | 2 | Sodium Citrate | ✓ | 1 |
| C12-18 Lauryl Alcohol Ethoxylate | ✓ | 2-3 | Natural Enzyme Blend | ✓ | 1 |
| Enzymes | ✓ | 1 | Essential Oil Blend (Lemon Eucalyptus) | Optional | n/a |
| CI fluorescent brightener | ✓ | Concern | , | , | , |
| Fragrance | ✓ | Concern | , | , | , |
| Antifoam Agent | ✓ | 1-2 | , | , | , |
EWG ratings sourced from ewg.org Healthy Cleaning Guide and Skin Deep database. Cold Power per-ingredient EWG ratings are not published by Henkel; ratings above are sourced from EWG's own substance database for each named ingredient.
What it's like to make the switch
The most common question from new Resparkle customers who've switched from Cold Power is: "Will the clothes come out as clean?"
For everyday family laundry (school shirts, work clothes, bed linen, gym gear) the answer is yes. Resparkle's enzyme blend and sodium percarbonate oxygen bleach handle the five stain categories that make up the bulk of household washing.
For heavily soiled trade clothes, dark grease stains from mechanical work, or very set-in red wine on white fabric, any natural powder without optical brighteners will perform closer to a mass-market powder on a head-to-head load. A pre-treat with the Complete Laundry Bundle's Universal Stain Remover closes most of that gap before the main wash.
The dose adjustment is the part most switchers need to get right. Cold Power's scoop-based dosing often leads buyers to use more than they need. Resparkle doses at 2 to 3 teaspoons per load. Following the dose exactly matters: too little and results drop; the right dose and the enzyme blend performs as tested.
Where Resparkle doesn't win
Three honest gaps, named specifically:
- Price per wash. Cold Power is cheaper at $0.26/wash vs Resparkle's $0.33/wash. Over a year, for a busy family, that's real money. Families on tight budgets should factor this in.
- Supermarket convenience. Cold Power is in every Coles, Woolworths, and IGA in the country. Resparkle is direct-to-consumer (online only). If you run out on a Sunday night, you can't replace Resparkle in a quick drive to the servo.
- Brightness on whites. Without optical brighteners, whites won't have the UV-enhanced look of a brightener-heavy detergent. Clothes are functionally clean. They may appear 5-10% less bright under fluorescent light. That's the optical brightener trade, not a cleaning failure.
Frequently asked questions
Does natural laundry powder work as well as Cold Power on stains?
For everyday household stains (food, grass, sweat, coffee), a well-formulated natural powder with a complete enzyme blend and sodium percarbonate oxygen bleach performs comparably to Cold Power in independent testing. Resparkle has been independently lab tested to outperform CHOICE's #1-rated supermarket detergent on five common stains. For extreme grease or set-in stains on whites, a pre-treat helps.
Is Cold Power bad for you?
The ingredients in Cold Power are not acutely toxic at laundry doses. The concerns are narrower: synthetic fragrance can trigger skin reactions in sensitive individuals, optical brighteners stay on fabric and have been flagged by EWG for environmental persistence, and SDBS is flagged for aquatic toxicity at the category level. If nobody in your household has reactive skin and packaging isn't a concern, Cold Power does what it claims. If those things matter, a natural powder addresses them.
Does the switch affect my washing machine?
No. Resparkle is compatible with front-loaders and top-loaders. At 2 to 3 teaspoons per load, it is low-sudsing and appropriate for HE machines. The smaller dose volume compared to mainstream powders is correct, not under-dosing.
Will clothes smell as fresh without synthetic fragrance?
Yes, with a qualifier. Clothes cleaned with an effective enzyme blend don't retain odour because the odour-causing proteins (sweat, food, pet) have been broken down, not masked. The Lemon Eucalyptus variant has a light, clean scent from Australian-sourced essential oil. The Fragrance-Free variant has no added scent.
Can I use natural laundry powder in cold water?
Yes. Resparkle's enzyme blend is active from cold water temperatures, though enzymes work best at 30-40 degrees. For cold-water washes (below 20 degrees), a slightly higher dose (closer to 3 teaspoons) and a longer soak cycle helps. Sodium percarbonate also releases oxygen bleach more slowly in cold water; warm water accelerates it.
Make the switch on one week of laundry
If you're curious whether natural powder can match Cold Power on your family's actual laundry, a single 600g pack (55 washes, $18) is enough to test it properly without a large upfront commitment. Families who want to go straight to the bulk value option can start with the Complete Laundry Bundle (4 × 600g + stain remover, $89).
See the lab test results for yourself
Further reading
- Natural laundry detergent vs synthetic: what's actually different, the 101 on surfactant chemistry and EWG ratings
- Best natural laundry powder Australia 2026, full ranked guide to the powder category
- Best natural laundry detergent Australia 2026, cornerstone covering powder, liquid, and sheets
- Best natural laundry detergent for eczema Australia 2026, for sensitive skin households
- How much laundry powder per load, dose guide, including the over-dosing problem with mainstream powders
By the Resparkle team, a small family business based in Brisbane. Last updated: 2026-05-26.
Sources
- Cold Power Advanced Clean ingredient list: https://www.coldpower.com.au/products/cold-power-powder/cold-power-advanced-clean.html
- Cold Power Advanced Clean 4kg price at Coles: https://www.coles.com.au/product/cold-power-laundry-powder-advanced-clean-4kg-3774967
- EWG Healthy Cleaning Guide, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate substance entry: https://www.ewg.org/cleaners/substances/5558-SODIUMDODECYLBENZENESULFONATE/
- EWG Healthy Cleaning Guide, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates substance group: https://www.ewg.org/cleaners/substance_groups/42-LINEARALKYLBENZENESULFONATES/
- EWG Healthy Cleaning Guide, guide to optical brighteners and product concerns: https://www.ewg.org/cleaners
- ACCC, "Making environmental claims: a guide for business" (December 2023): https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/greenwashing-guidelines.pdf
- Resparkle Natural Laundry Powder product page: https://resparkle.com.au/products/natural-laundry-powder
- 2020 Australian Non-Toxic Awards, Gold + Editor's Choice (Resparkle Natural Laundry Powder)
- Environmental Working Group Healthy Cleaning ingredient database: https://www.ewg.org/cleaners
Substantiation note: every comparative claim in this article is sourced to either Cold Power's own published ingredient list, verified retailer pricing, EWG's public substance database, or Resparkle's own published material. Internal substantiation log: _research/article-33-substantiation.md.