I’ve tested a bunch of non-toxic laundry detergent brands over the years, so I’ve created a guide to help you find the right one (including before and after results!). The best non-toxic laundry detergent will be free from Harmful Fragrances, Dyes, Contaminants like Formaldehyde & 1,4-Dioxane, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Optical Brighteners, Synthetic Nonylphenol Ethoxylates, Petrochemicals, Phosphates, Chlorine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Phthalates, Parabens, Methylisothiazolinone and Cocamide DEA.

Ingredients to Avoid in Laundry Detergent

These are some common offenders but be sure to check individual ingredients lists:

• Bleach: Can cause irritation and harmful byproducts. It can be written as “sodium hypochlorite,” “optical brightener,” or “UV brightener.”
• Nonylphenol ethoxylate: These are hormones disruptors that are harmful to developing fetus, young children and wildlife. Now banned in most products but some “natural” detergent companies still use them.
• Harsh Surfectants:
  • Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS): Common synthetic surfactants that can cause skin irritation, rashes, and eczema. 
  • Petroleum distillate or naphtha: can increase inflammation in the lungs and can worsen asthma.
  • Phenol: can be even more harmful than petroleum distillate or naphtha
  • Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) resist biodegrading and persist in the environment. 

• Phosphates: These are known respiratory irritants, skin allergens, and developmental and reproductive toxicants.
• Formaldehyde: Can irritate the eyes, lungs, and worsen skin conditions like eczema.
• Fragrance
• Dyes

Why I Don’t Recommend Seventh Generation

I don’t recommend Seventh Generation for a couple of reasons. When you search for best non-toxic laundry detergents on the web, you’ll find plenty of articles recommending Seventh Generation. If you look closely at their ingredients, you’ll find that they do include irritants and ethoxylated ingredients. The fact that Seventh Generation is a Unilever brand doesn’t help either.

Best Natural Laundry Detergents Compared

I tried Meliora Laundry Powder Detergent

I started using the Meliora Laundry Powder Detergent and have been super impressed. I love knowing it’s truly safe (they’re Made Safe Certified!) and that it contains a simple blend of natural and organic ingredients: baking soda, washing soda, vegetable soap made with organic coconut oil and organic essential oils. I only need half a teaspoon for a standard load, and my smelly workout clothes come out fresh and clean and the colors never fade. Plus, their cans are jumbo-sized and give the most number of laundry loads I’ve seen compared to other natural detergents. They offer refills which are even more affordable at under $17!

Price: $20.99 for 128 HE or 64 standard loads

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I tried Puracy Liquid Laundry Detergent

Puracy Liquid Laundry Detergent is one of my top picks for a natural laundry detergent that actually works AND is affordable. The formula is 99.4% natural, 10x concentrated, hypoallergenic and biodegradable. It’s got 4 plant-based enzymes to safely remove stains and odors and Zinc Ricinoleate for more odor fighting power. Love that it has no sulfates, perfumes, artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, caustics, phosphates, animal by-products, dyes, chlorine, allergens, or optical brighteners. I found it to be highly concentrated and effective at getting stains off my clothes! Plus it’s versatile, since I can use the liquid to pre-treat stains. Two pumps usually always does the trick for me even when I have stubborn skincare and makeup stained onto my clothes. Puracy comes in unscented and a fresh linen scent.

Price: $22.99 for 64 loads

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I tried Blueland Laundry Detergent Tablets

Blueland is a fantastic sustainable and 100% plastic-free laundry target that comes in tablet form. I love that they include enzymes in their formula and feel like the tablets do a great job at cleaning dirty laundry loads. Simple, eco-friendly, affordable, great to take when I travel – basically zero complaints. For larger loads I make sure to use two tablets. There’s no parabens, phosphates, ammonia, VOCs, chlorine bleach, or phthalates. The only downside is that I have to use a separate product if I want to pre-treat stains.

Price: $25 for a Starter Set / $21 for refill

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I tried Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Laundry Detergent

Dirty Labs laundry detergent is one of the most advanced and luxurious products I’ve tried. They’re 100% USDA Biobased certified, Certified EPA Safer Choice, packaged in recyclable aluminum and dermatologist tested. This has got a high-tech formula (think green chemistry!) and scents that smell like fine fragrance. I was blown away by their Magnolia Bergamot Cedar and Jasmine Matcha Vetiver scents. They also have an unscented version, which would be their safest option. I used this to spot treat some coffee splatters on my white pullover and it came out of the wash completely clean. Dirty Labs is a little more expensive than the simpler laundry detergent options, but does feel more premium. It features the brand’s proprietary 5-in-1 enzyme-driven cleaning technology called Phytolase. This does all the things: actively fights stains, brightens clothes and. removes odors at their source. I love how soft and clean my dirty laundry comes out with just a small amount of this liquid.

Price: $16 for 32 loads

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Natural Laundry Detergent Alternative: Soap Berries 

I’ve tried soap berries in the past, and I can’t bring myself to trust them as much as commercial natural laundry detergent even though they seem to work fine. Soap berries are used by those who want the most eco-friendly and natural alternative to commercial laundry detergents. Soapberries are made from hand-picked wild soap nuts that grow in the mountains. They work as laundry detergent because they’re high in saponins, which are natural surfactants.

I put 4-8 berries depending on the load in a little bag or sock and throw it into the laundry. They can be used up to 4 times which makes soap nuts the most economical laundry detergent option.

Price: $34 for 340 loads

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I tried Mollys Suds Laundry Detergent Powder

I’m a big fan of Molly Suds Laundry Powder because it’s made with just five effective ingredients. Also, Mollys Suds was founded by a mom and pediatric nurse and the brand is radically transparent and committed to being safe for children and the family. I love the fresh, crisp peppermint scent – it gives my clothes an extra clean feeling!

Mollys Suds comes in a generous-sized bag and is good for 120 loads. It only contains:

• Sodium Carbonate (sourced from the Green River Basin in Wyoming)
• Sodium Bicarbonate
• Magnesium Sulfate (Heptahydrate)
• Unrefined Sea Salt
• Essential Oil(s) and/or 100% Natural Fragrance

Price: $22.99 for 120 loads

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I tried ZUM Laundry Soap

ZUM is simply an amazing brand that I’ve loved and used for many years. Even though this is technically laundry soap instead of detergent, I still find this to work well on the average load that isn’t too dirty. ZUM is made with a simple blend of essential oils, coconut oil, baking soda, and vegetable glycerin that get the job done. If you love aromatherapy, a major plus is ZUM laundry soaps come in a variety of aromatherapeutic scents. The colors of my clothes don’t fade using this and come out smelling amazing.

Price: $21 for 64 fl oz

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