<PAGE>




   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 10, 1998
                                                    Registration No.


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   ---------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                   ---------
                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         DELAWARE                                       11-2935430             
         (State or other juris-                         (I.R.S. Employer
         diction of incorporation                       Identification
         or organization)                               Number)

                               1735 JERSEY AVENUE
                       NORTH BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 08902
                                 (732) 828-1800
       (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
              code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
                             1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                   ---------
                               RICHARD D. COSLOW
               SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
                               1735 JERSEY AVENUE
                       NORTH BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 09802
                                 (732) 828-1800
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)
                                   ---------
       Copies of all communications, including all communications sent to
                   the agent for service, should be sent to:

                           SHELDON G. NUSSBAUM, ESQ.
                          FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
                                666 FIFTH AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10103
                                 (212) 318-3000
                                   ---------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
================================================================================================================
                                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM       PROPOSED MAXIMUM
TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE     AMOUNT TO BE       OFFERING PRICE PER     AGGREGATE OFFERING     AMOUNT OF
REGISTERED                    REGISTERED(1)      SHARE(2)               PRICE (3)              REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>                <C>                    <C>                    <C>
Common Stock,
$.01 par value.........       611,065 shares     $7.3125                $4,468,412.80           $1,318.18
================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1) PLUS SUCH ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF SHARES AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE 
    USA DETERGENTS, INC. 1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN (THE "PLAN") IN THE EVENT OF A 
    STOCK DIVIDEND, RECAPITALIZATION OR OTHER SIMILAR CHANGE IN THE COMMON 
    STOCK.

(2) CALCULATED BY DIVIDING THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE BY THE
    AMOUNT TO BE REGISTERED.

(3) ESTIMATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 457(h)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 
    1933, AS AMENDED, SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING THE REGISTRATION
    FEE AND IS THE PRODUCT RESULTING FROM MULTIPLYING 611,065, THE NUMBER OF
    SHARES REGISTERED BY THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT AS TO WHICH OPTIONS MAY BE
    GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN, BY $7.3125, THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGH AND LOW PRICES
    OF THE COMMON STOCK AS REPORTED ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET ON 
    SEPTEMBER 9, 1998.


<PAGE>




                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


                 The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8
(Registration No. 33-98988) of USA Detergents, Inc., as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1995 are incorporated herein
by reference.




                                      II-1

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on September 10,
1998.


                                  USA DETERGENTS, INC.


                                  By:/s/ Uri Evan
                                     ------------------------
                                       Uri Evan
                                       Chairman of the Board of Directors
                                         and Chief Executive Officer


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose
signature appears below and on the following page constitutes and appoints each
of Uri Evan and Richard D. Coslow as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign
any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, including post-effective
amendments, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, and hereby ratifies and confirms all that any said
attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, or his substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.



<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Signature                                   Title                                    Date
---------                                   -----                                    ----
<S>                               <C>                                         <C>
/s/ Uri Evan                       Chairman of the Board                       September 10, 1998
--------------------------           of Directors, Chief    
Uri Evan                             Executive Officer               
                                     and Director (principal         
                                     executive officer)              
                                              


/s/ Richard D. Coslow              Senior Vice President,                      September 10, 1998
-------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer                              
Richard D. Coslow                    and Treasurer                    
                                     (principal financial and         
                                     accounting officer)             
                                              



/s/ Daniel Bergman                 Vice President, Secretary                   September 10, 1998
-------------------------------       and Director
Daniel Bergman                                              



/s/ Richard A. Mandell             Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Richard A. Mandell



/s/ Christopher D. Illick          Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Christopher D. Illick



/s/ Frederick R. Adler             Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Frederick R. Adler

</TABLE>



<PAGE>



                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS


  Exhibit
    No.                    Description
    ---                    -----------

   4(a)*          --       USA Detergents, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan

   4(b)           --       Form of Stock Option Agreement

   4(c)           --       Amendment to USA Detergents, Inc. 1995 Stock 
                           Option Plan

   5              --       Opinion of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

   23.1           --       Consent of Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.

   23.2           --       Consent of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
                           (included in Exhibit 5)

   24             --       Power of Attorney (included in signature page)


--------
*  Incorporated by reference from the Registration Statement on Form S-8 
   (No. 33-98988) of USA Detergents, Inc., previously filed with the Securities
   and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1995.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9486}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "USA DETERGENTS INC", "cik": "0000946816", "assigned-sic": "2840", "irs-number": "112935430", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-63177", "film-number": "98707293"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1735 JERSEY AVE", "city": "NORTH BRUNSWICK", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08902", "phone": "9088281800"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1735 JERSEY AVE", "city": "NORTH BRUNSWICK", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08902"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 10, 1998
                                                    Registration No.

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   ---------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                   ---------
                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         DELAWARE                                       11-2935430             
         (State or other juris-                         (I.R.S. Employer
         diction of incorporation                       Identification
         or organization)                               Number)

                               1735 JERSEY AVENUE
                       NORTH BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 08902
                                 (732) 828-1800
       (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
              code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
                             1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                   ---------
                               RICHARD D. COSLOW
               SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                              USA DETERGENTS, INC.
                               1735 JERSEY AVENUE
                       NORTH BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 09802
                                 (732) 828-1800
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)
                                   ---------
       Copies of all communications, including all communications sent to
                   the agent for service, should be sent to:

                           SHELDON G. NUSSBAUM, ESQ.
                          FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
                                666 FIFTH AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10103
                                 (212) 318-3000
                                   ---------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================================
                                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM       PROPOSED MAXIMUM
TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE     AMOUNT TO BE       OFFERING PRICE PER     AGGREGATE OFFERING     AMOUNT OF
REGISTERED                    REGISTERED(1)      SHARE(2)               PRICE (3)              REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
$.01 par value.........       611,065 shares     $7.3125                $4,468,412.80           $1,318.18
================================================================================================================
(1) PLUS SUCH ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF SHARES AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE 
    USA DETERGENTS, INC. 1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN (THE "PLAN") IN THE EVENT OF A 
    STOCK DIVIDEND, RECAPITALIZATION OR OTHER SIMILAR CHANGE IN THE COMMON 
    STOCK.

(2) CALCULATED BY DIVIDING THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE BY THE
    AMOUNT TO BE REGISTERED.

(3) ESTIMATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 457(h)(1) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 
    1933, AS AMENDED, SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING THE REGISTRATION
    FEE AND IS THE PRODUCT RESULTING FROM MULTIPLYING 611,065, THE NUMBER OF
    SHARES REGISTERED BY THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT AS TO WHICH OPTIONS MAY BE
    GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN, BY $7.3125, THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGH AND LOW PRICES
    OF THE COMMON STOCK AS REPORTED ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET ON 
    SEPTEMBER 9, 1998.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                 The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8
(Registration No. 33-98988) of USA Detergents, Inc., as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1995 are incorporated herein
by reference.

                                      II-1
SIGNATURES

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on September 10,
1998.

                                  USA DETERGENTS, INC.

                                  By:/s/ Uri Evan
                                     ------------------------
                                       Uri Evan
                                       Chairman of the Board of Directors
                                         and Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose
signature appears below and on the following page constitutes and appoints each
of Uri Evan and Richard D. Coslow as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign
any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, including post-effective
amendments, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, and hereby ratifies and confirms all that any said
attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, or his substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                   Title                                    Date
---------                                   -----                                    ----
/s/ Uri Evan                       Chairman of the Board                       September 10, 1998
--------------------------           of Directors, Chief    
Uri Evan                             Executive Officer               
                                     and Director (principal         
                                     executive officer)              
                                              

/s/ Richard D. Coslow              Senior Vice President,                      September 10, 1998
-------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer                              
Richard D. Coslow                    and Treasurer                    
                                     (principal financial and         
                                     accounting officer)             
                                              

/s/ Daniel Bergman                 Vice President, Secretary                   September 10, 1998
-------------------------------       and Director
Daniel Bergman                                              

/s/ Richard A. Mandell             Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Richard A. Mandell

/s/ Christopher D. Illick          Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Christopher D. Illick

/s/ Frederick R. Adler             Director                                    September 10, 1998
-------------------------------
Frederick R. Adler
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

  Exhibit
    No.                    Description
    ---                    -----------

   4(a)*          --       USA Detergents, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan

   4(b)           --       Form of Stock Option Agreement

   4(c)           --       Amendment to USA Detergents, Inc. 1995 Stock 
                           Option Plan

   5              --       Opinion of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

   23.1           --       Consent of Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.

   23.2           --       Consent of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
                           (included in Exhibit 5)

   24             --       Power of Attorney (included in signature page)

--------
*  Incorporated by reference from the Registration Statement on Form S-8 
   (No. 33-98988) of USA Detergents, Inc., previously filed with the Securities
   and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1995.