clothes sanitizer vs clothes detergent
Laundry sanitizer is a different chemical than detergents and is targeted at killing microbes. Apparently pine oil is an example for a natural laundry sanitizer. Other types include phenolic, chlorine based or quaternary if you want to do some more research on the chemicals. And yes they are more effective at killing microbes than detergent. Many microbes can survive regular detergent and it is the high water temperature that can kill them though.

Laundry sanitizer is either an additive to be added to regular detergent or it is a complete product which includes the detergent. Be careful and read the instructions on your brand closely because some sanitizers cannot be mixed with regular detergent or there will be a bad chemical reaction.