How to say "detergent" in Japanese

• 洗剤せんざいJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe default word for detergent in household senses: laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, cleaning products generally. If you simply mean the detergent you wash clothes or dishes with, this is the word you want.
  誤あやまって洗剤せんざいを飲のんでしまいました。↗

  He swallowed detergent by mistake.
• 洗浄剤せんじょうざいCommon
  nounAlso means detergent or cleaning agent, but with a technical flavor: it names the substance that does the cleaning, and appears mainly in industrial, laboratory, and product-label contexts.
• クレンザーCommon
  nounReally means a scouring cleanser — an abrasive powder for scrubbing sinks, pots, and bathtubs — not detergent in general. For laundry or dishwashing detergent, this is seldom the word you want.
  クレンザーでオーブンの汚よごれが落おちた。↗

  The cleanser removed the dirt from the oven.

Use 洗剤 for detergent in ordinary household senses such as laundry or dishwashing; 洗浄剤 is the technical cleaning-agent term for industrial or scientific contexts; 「クレンザー」 means scouring powder, not detergent generally.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 洗剤せんざいdetergent
• 洗浄剤せんじょうざいdetergent
• クレンザーcleanser
• 洗濯粉せんたくこdetergent
• 洗濯石鹸せんたくせっけんlaundry soap