The best non-toxic laundry detergent

Change is hard. Switching to a non-toxic lifestyle can be overwhelming; it certainly was for me when I started. We can’t change everything at once, so what to change first? The highest impact product swap you can make in your home is this: choosing natural and non-toxic laundry detergent.

From fragrance to toxic chemicals and additives, many ingredients in your laundry detergent add a toxic burden to your body. These substances cling to your clothes, therefore sitting on and absorbing into your skin all day and all night. However, despite having clean ingredients, some brands simply don’t cut the grime and clean your clothes. Below, you will find my favorite picks for non-toxic laundry detergent that are good for your body AND actually work.

Now, before we get into the ins and outs, here's our favorite picks for non-toxic laundry detergent at a glance:

• Best concentrate detergent: Branch Basics
• Best liquid detergent(s): 9 Elements, Attitude
• Best strip detergent: Lazy Coconuts
• Best powder detergent: Blueland

Why your laundry detergent matters

Why is clean and eco-friendly laundry detergent so important? First, think of all the time you spend in physical contact with it. Commercial detergents are designed to permeate your clothes and leave a scent, softening quality, etc. So, all the time you spend in clothes or between sheets (i.e., your entire life minus your time in the shower), you absorb the ingredients from your laundry detergent! Especially if you have sensitive skin, it is even more important for you to choose a soap with gentler ingredients.

Further, pollutants are released through your dryer’s vents during each laundry load. Have you ever walked past a house and been hit by a “laundry smell”? I’ve gotten more sensitive to that by removing toxic chemicals from my home. If your dryer vent doesn’t connect to the outdoors, then all those chemicals are polluting the air quality of your home.

Choosing a non-toxic laundry detergent with better ingredients should be automatically eco-friendly, too. And even if the toxic ingredients don’t end up in your air or clothes, they drain into waterways and damage aquatic life and water quality.

The chemicals in conventional laundry are some of the worst out there: endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, potential carcinogens, and the many toxic mysteries undisclosed behind the word “fragrance.”

What to avoid in laundry detergents and soap

Here’s a detailed list of ingredients to watch out for.

But as a simpler place to start, these are some classic warning signals:

• A strong smell: You know that intense smell that assaults your nose when you pass the laundry aisle in the store…even though ALL the bottles are sealed?! If a strong smell comes from the bottle when closed, the chances are good that it contains toxic chemicals.
• No list of ingredients: If you flip to the back of the package and can’t find a list of ingredients, just put it back. Transparency and disclosure are foundational for companies claiming to sell clean products.
• Warning labels: If the label contains something like: “caution,” “warning,” “danger,” “eye, skin, or lung irritant,” or instructions to contact poison control if ingested or to keep away from kids – it contains toxic chemicals and is not safe in your home even if used properly.

Be aware of greenwashing and clever marketing

Many brands are designed to look earth-friendly, natural, and safe, but they aren’t. This is generally referred to as “greenwashing.”

For example, many natural detergents still contain ingredients that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) rates with concern for endocrine disruption, DNA damage, allergies & skin irritation, and even damage to vision and the digestive system. Just because something may be “sustainable” doesn’t mean it’s safe for the human body.

Even brands like Safely and Thieves by Young Living only get a B+ on EWG. Be sure to do your research instead of just going off of marketing labels!

We like to stick with products that are rated A+ or EWG-certified. If you need a refresher on EWG, check out this guide.

Best non-toxic, natural, and clean laundry detergents

Branch Basics

• Type of detergent: Liquid concentrate
• Cost: Their laundry starter kit is $69+ (for around 200 loads of laundry)
• Ingredients: Purified water, decyl glucoside, organic chamomile flower extract, coco-glucoside, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium phytate

Branch Basics is completely non-toxic and human-safe (EWG Verified, MADE SAFE, and Leaping Bunny Certified), and it works. Their Concentrate has so many uses; you can use the concentrate for laundry, dilute it for cleaning your kitchen, and more. It is effective on normal loads, heavily soiled loads, and stain removal. Their concentrate, paired with Oxygen Boost, is the magic duo that has gotten me through hundreds of loads of cloth diapers in hard water and rescued my favorite garments from the most stubborn stains. I give extra points because the ingredients list is so short; sheer quantity can give you a hint about the level of chemical exposure in a product.

Blueland

• Type of detergent: Tablets
• Cost: $43+ for 120 loads
• Ingredients: sodium carbonate, citric acid, microcrystalline cellulose, subtilisin, lauryl / myristyl glucoside, sorbitan caprylate, amylase, mannanase, sodium citrate, cellulase, hydrated silica

Blueland is seriously one of the best laundry soaps I have come across yet! Their EWG-verified laundry tablets are a convenient replacement for toxic laundry pods. They also offer an Oxi Booster, which is excellent for hard water or stains. One of my favorite features is their 100% plastic-free packaging, which eases the environmental burden, saves space, and looks nice. I have found that this laundry detergent works the best for me; it gets out gnarly stains and leaves my clothes smelling fresh. They also have an entire line of cleaning products, such as toilet cleaners and bathroom surface cleaners.

9 Elements

• Type of detergent: Liquid
• Cost: $15+
• Ingredients: Water, Plant Based Cleaning Agent (Citric Acid), Cleaning Agent (C12-16 Pareth), Cleaning Agent (Sodium C10-16 Alkylbenzenesulfonate), Plant Based Solvent (Propylene Glycol), Plant Based Water Softener (Sodium Citrate), Fragrances, Vinegar, Contains Fragrance Allergens (Limonene)

9Elements is a really solid option for laundry detergent! From personal experience, it works really well. 9 Elements is named after their promise to never use more than nine ingredients. They use no artificial preservatives, dyes, thickeners, brighteners, and no synthetic fragrances. Their detergents come in a range of scents from lavender to citrus to eucalyptus, and their products rank as an A on EWG. 9 Elements also offers a range of cleaning products, such as bathroom cleaners to dish soap.

Dr. Bronner’s

• Type of detergent: Liquid concentrate
• Price: $18+
• Ingredients: Water, organic coconut oil, potassium hydroxide, organic palm kernel oil, organic olive oil, mentha arvensis, organic hemp seed oil, organic jojoba oil, mentha piperita, citric acid, tocopherol

Another budget-friendly option that is concentrate-based is Dr. Bronner's, one of my favorite cleaning brands. Their concentrate is a solid and eco-friendly laundry detergent option that can also be used as a multi-purpose cleaner. In fact, you can diluted Dr. Bronner's concentrate with water in a spray bottle to clean everything from countertops to your dog! There are no harsh chemicals, and the scent is derived from essential oils, so we both feel comfortable using it anywhere (and on anyone) in our households.

Attitude

• Type of detergent: Liquid
• Price: $13+
• Ingredients: 5-15% anionic surfactants (sodium coco-sulfate), 5-15% non-ionic surfactants (lauryl glucoside, myristyl glucoside, caprylyl glucoside). Contains also water, sodium chloride, citric acid, sodium gluconate, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, glycerin, camellia sinensis (tea) leaf extract, benzyl acetate, dimethyl heptenal, ethyl linalool, ethylene brassylate, methyldihydrojasmonate, fragrance (parfum)* *Note: It is usually best to avoid “fragrance,” but Atitude’s fragrance is naturally derived and certified by EWG. 

From lotion to laundry, this brand is one of our favorites and has the widest variety of EWG-verified products we’ve encountered. Their wildflower-scented laundry soap leaves clothes smelling fresh and clean without toxic chemicals. They also offer a very eco-friendly refill option. You can order large boxes of their liquid detergent (as well as shampoo and lotion refills) and then refill your current plastic containers whenever you want. This way, you don't have to order their plastic containers repeatedly. If you have space, this is a great choice.

AspenClean

• Type of detergent: Pods and liquid
• Price: $17+
• Ingredients: Water, decyl glucoside (sustainable coconut, palm kernel oil derived), sodium chloride (salt), potassium cocoate, sodium citrate, organic glycerine (vegetables derived), lauryl glucoside (sustainable coconut, palm kernel oil derived), sodium carbonate, sodium gluconate, coconut acid, potassium hydroxide

This laundry soap is excellent for stain removal, and their convenient laundry pods (and also liquid detergent) are entirely non toxic. They are also EWG-certified, plastic-free, and come in a few scents, including eucalyptus and lavender.

Koala Eco

• Type of detergent: Liquid
• Price: $25+
• Ingredients: Aqua (purified water), decyl glucoside (plant-based surfactant), lauramine oxide (surfactant), sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate (surfactant), linalool (from essential oils), d-gluconolactone, melaleuca ericifolia (rosalina essential oil), protease (natural enzyme), amylase (natural enzyme), lipase (natural enzyme), cellulase (natural enzyme), limonene (from essential oils), sodium benzoate (preservative food grade).

Koala Eco’s laundry wash is a powerful, non-toxic option made with essential oils. It’s tough on stains but gentle on skin, and free from synthetic fragrance, dyes, and harmful chemicals.

Seventh Generation

• Type of detergent: Pods
• Price: $12+
• Ingredients: Sodium citrate (plant-derived water softener), sodium carbonate (mineral-based cleaning agent), citric acid (plant-based water softener), sodium sulfate (mineral-based processing aid), laureth-6 (plant-derived cleaning agent), hydrated silica (mineral-based flow aid), cocos nucifera (coconut) oil (plant-derived anti-foaming agent), protease enzyme blend (plant-derived soil remover), amylase enzyme blend (plant-derived soil remover), mannanase enzyme blend (plant-derived soil remover), cellulase enzyme blend (plant-derived soil remover). Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil (plant-derived fragrance), citral (plant-derived fragrance), citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil (plant-derived fragrance), citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil (plant-derived fragrance), Lavendula angustifolia (lavender) oil (plant-derived fragrance). D-Limonene is a component of these fragrance ingredients. Film: Polyvinyl alcohol (synthetic water-soluble film), Glycerin (plant-derived processing aid)

I’ll admit that I was suspicious of greenwashing when I first saw this label in Walmart years ago. Some of Seventh Generation’s products are: so steer clear of their “baby” and “concentrated” detergent options and most of their scented products. But EWG gives their citrus detergent packs an A ranking (one step below verified!). Still, the sheer quantity of ingredients gives me pause!

Honorable mention:

NaturOil Soap Nuts

Price: $34 for 330+ loads

What!? Soap nuts? Does that mean soap grows on trees? I had never heard of these before doing research for this article. But, the research seems to support that these are chemical-free and effective. I cannot personally verify that they work, but I will try them out!

Molly's Suds

Price: $35+

Although not certified by EWG, Molly's Suds does maintain an A rating on EWG, which is quite good. Their ingredients are plant-based, eco-friendly, and free from harsh chemicals. While I haven't personally tried this brand, I have heard positive things.

Earth Breeze

Price: $12+

Earth Breeze is a pretty popular more natural and eco-friendly option. It's bit of a greenwash situation, though. They rank only a C on EWG, which indicates there's some not-so-nice ingredients in there. However, it's still a better alternative than conventional laundry soap (like Tide!). And, I do appreciate their focus on sustainability, as their packaging is all paper and the laundry sheets themselves are biodegradable sheets.

Lazy Coconuts

Price: $14+

Now, if you want an actually non-toxic detergent in the form of a strip, a great alternative to Earth Breeze, is Lazy Coconuts! This is a really solid brand, and I have personally used this brand. Especially when traveling, I like to pack these with me as they don't take up much space. Their packaging is made 100% from plants, and completely plastic-free. I also appreciate their strips are cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free, phosphate-free, biodegradable, plastic-free, phthalate-free, dye-free and bleach-free,

How to make your own non-toxic laundry detergent

There are plenty of recipes online, so play around with the ratios to suit your water, machine, and laundry needs. But generally, you’ll need these ingredients:

• Baking Soda
• Distilled White Vinegar
• Salt
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Washing Soda
• Lemon Juice

Alternatives to dryer sheets, fabric softeners, and bleach

These deserve a special mention because they are by far the most toxic household cleaning products out there. The chemicals they contain are extremely harsh and should go nowhere near your skin.

Alternative to dryer sheets

Wool dryer balls! Reusable and completely natural, these reduce static and wrinkles, shorten dryer time, and soften without chemicals. They are also cloth-diaper safe as they don’t minimize absorbency like conventional additions to the dryer.

Alternative to fabric softeners

Nothing! Just cut it. They’re unnecessary, and they “soften” by breaking down the fibers of your clothing, thereby shortening their life. Add some essential oils to your wool dryer balls if you love the scent. If you must have some softening agent, use baking soda or Epsom salt in your wash.

Alternative to bleach

The laundry detergents listed above are plenty effective at removing stains to reduce your reliance on this hazardous product. Never underestimate the power of hanging stubborn stained or stinky laundry in the sun; the sun’s rays are unparalleled in their ability to drive out toxic chemicals from fabrics.

Choose the right non-toxic laundry detergent that works for you

Choosing a clean and non toxic laundry detergent is one of the most effective ways to detoxify your home and improve your health. Kudos to you as you pursue a non-toxic lifestyle, one household product at a time.