Last Updated on February 1, 2025 by NonToxicSwaps
Conventional laundry detergent contains chemical toxic ingredients that can harm your health. They are designed to leave behind a pleasant scent that keeps you coming back for more.
In order to do this, laundry detergents are designed to stay within the fibers of your clothing long after the wash cycle. This means your clothing, sheets, and towels are constantly exposing you to toxic chemicals around the clock.
By using a non toxic laundry detergent, you can effectively eliminate chemical toxins from remaining on your laundry.
Laundry detergents are usually made with chemical ingredients to clean clothes effectively, and brighten colors. Unfortunately, many of these ingredients are not healthy and can be toxic to the human body.
Laundry detergents often include ingredients such as sodium borate, laureth-7, sodium lauryl sulfate, methylisothiazolinone, sodium laureth sulfate, and more.
These ingredients can cause damage to the endocrine and reproductive systems, birth defects, cause allergies and asthma, and are even linked to cancer!
The reason this is of even more concern is because laundry detergent is designed to stay on our clothing long after they are removed from the washing machine – especially if they include scent boosting fragrances.
This means these ingredients are being inhaled on a regular basis AND are being absorbed by our skin, since our skin absorbs about 60% of what we put on it.
Combine these toxins with those found in all your other cleaning products and personal care products. Unless you’ve opted for non toxic products, you’re exposing yourself to a wide variety of unnecessary toxins. Make the switch and get these chemicals out of your home.
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Switch to a Non Toxic Laundry Detergent
While there are safer, non toxic laundry detergents on the market, it can be tricky to navigate which ones are truly non toxic. Labels that read “natural” or “organic” are unregulated terms. They mean nothing when shopping around for a non toxic product.
The truth lies on the ingredient label. Non toxic laundry detergent needs to have a fully clean list of ingredients. Knowing how to decipher every ingredient, as well as its safety, is no small task.
I’ve researched over 100 laundry detergents and their ingredients to formulate this list of non toxic laundry detergents. Each ingredient has been carefully combed through.
Ingredients to Avoid are in red text, Ingredients to use with Caution are in yellow text.
Details on the yellow and red ingredients are listed at the end of this post.
Use Your Discretion
If a product includes any “avoid” ingredients, it is automatically on the avoid list, regardless of the remaining ingredients. This is purely informational. You can use your discretion based on your needs. For example, if you or your family have sensitivity to allergens, allergens will be something important you’ll want to avoid.
Some of the brand categorizations on this list may shock you, however, it’s important to note that these classifications are based on the presence of certain ingredients. For example, if a carcinogenic ingredient is present in a particular laundry detergent, it’s automatically on the AVOID list, regardless of how much or little of the chemical we believe may be in the product.
Due to this, it’s important for you to use your own judgement. Decide what is best for you, your budget, and your family using this information as data.
Does the concentration of ingredients matter?
Of course! However, ingredient labels are simply a list of ingredients and do not disclose the exact amounts of each ingredient. Its impossible to measure your exact exposure, especially if these chemicals are present in other products you use in, on, or around your body.
Remember that if these ingredients exist in most or all of your household & personal care products, you have an increased exposure to them and their potential effects.
Best Non Toxic Laundry Detergent Brands
- Greenshield Organic
- Meliora
- Zuma
- Zum Liquid (Sea Salt only, others contain fragrance)
- Humble Suds
- Well
Okay (Less Toxic) Laundry Detergent Brands
- Rosey by Thrive Market – Sodium Carbonate Peroxide (sodium percarbonate)
- Better Life – Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Oleic Acid
- Nature First – Polyvinyl alcohol
- Branch Basics – Sodium percarbonate, sodium gluconate, decyl glucoside, sodium metasilicate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
- Good Natured – sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium gluconate
- Molly’s Suds (contains less than 1% phenoxyethanol)
Laundry Detergent Brands to Avoid
- Mama Suds Laundry Soap Concentrate – sodium borate
- Biokleen – C12-16 pareth-7, SLS, cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramine oxide, phenoxyethanol
- Method – Laureth-7, SLS, denatonium benzoate, propylene glycol, methylisothiazolinone, polymeric dyes
- Dapple Laundry Detergent – sodium lauroamphoacetate, tetrasodium, iminodisuccinate, Benzothiazolinone
- Mrs. Meyers – C8-18 and C18 unsaturated fatty acids, potassium hydroxide, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, methylisothiazolinone, benzothiazolinone, linalyl acetate, ethylene brassylate (contains fragrance allergens)
- Everspring – Sodium Lauryl sulfate, benzisothiazolinone methylisothiazolinone
- Healthy baby – sodium benzoate
- AspenClean – potassium hydroxide (Usually brands will note if any remains after the soapmaking process. There is no such note on this ingredient list.)
- 9 Elements – C12-16 pareth, propylene glycol, sodium c10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, fragrances (made with fragrance allergens)
- Attitude – lauryl glucoside, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, fragrance
- Babyganics – lauryl glucoside, propylene glycol, lauramine oxide, oleic acid, sodium tetraborate (aka sodium borate), sodium hydroxide, methylisothiazolinone
- Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent Sheets – sodium lauryl sulfate, polyvinyl alcohol, laureth-6, phenoxyethanol
- Seventh Generation Concentrated Laundry Detergent – laureth-6, proplylene glycol, Methylisothiazolinone, Octylisothiazolinone
- Blueland Laundry detergent tablets – microcrystalline cellulose, lauryl glucoside, fragrance, hydrated silica, cellulase
- Dirty Labs Bio Laundry Detergent – lauryl glucoside, capryloyl/caproyl methyl glucamide, potassium hydroxide, propanediol, cellulase, sodium hydroxide, propylene glycol
- Clean People Laundry Pods – polyvinyl alcohol, fragrance, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, alcohol ethoxylate
- Clean People Laundry Sheets – polyvinyl alcohol, cocamidopropyl betaine, fragrance, lauryl glucoside, potassium sorbate, sodium gluconate, glycereth-6 cocoate
- Clean People Liquid Laundry Detergent – Sodium Carbonate, Fragrance, Lauryl Glucoside
- Nellie’s – linear alcohol ethoxylates, sodium metasilicate
- Truly Free – tetrasodium salt, sodium polyacrylate, silica
- Honest – decyl glucoside, hydroxyacetophenone, potassium sorbate, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, propylene glycol, sodium formate
- Dropps Free & Clear – alcohol ethoxylates C12-16, myristamine oxide, lauramine oxide, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, polyvinyl alcohol
- Norwex – phenethyl alcohol, hexylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, polyquaternium-88, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, propanediol
- Defunkify – linear alcohol ethoxylates c12-15, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate
- MelaPower – Methylisothiazolinone, Benzothiazolinone, remaining ingredients are not fully disclosed
- Earth Breeze – sodium lauryl sulfate, polyvinyl alcohol, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, cocoamidopropyl betaine, c12-16 pareth-9, lauryl glucoside, lauramidopropylamine oxide
- Dreft – C10-16 pareth, sodium 10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium salts of c12-18 fatty acid, c10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide, propylene glycol, polethyleneimine alkoxylated, sodium cumenesulfonate, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, benzisothiazolinone
- Downy – fragrance, Formic acid, polyquat-33, diethylester dimethyl ammonium chloride
- Gain Happy – c10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, c10-16 pareth, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, c10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide, sodium cumenesulfonate, calcium formate, MEA citratate, polyethyleneimine alkoxylated, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, propylene glycol, benzisothiazolinone, fragrance
- Kirkland Heavy Duty Laundry Detergent – c12-18 sodium salts fatty acids, sodium silicate, c12-15 alcohols ethoxylated, fluroresecent brigheners
- Persil – c12-15 alcohols ethoxylated, sodium c10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, sodium laureth solfate, propylene glycol, polyethyleneimine alkoxylated, fragrances, sodium metaborate, hydrophobically modified acrylate, styrene copolymer, tetrasodium iminodisuccinate, disodium distrybiphenyl disulfonate, colorants
- Pur Home powder – sodium c14-16 sulfonate, sodium percarbonate, fragrance
- Purex – sodium c10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, laureth-12, sodium polyacrylate, fragrance, tetrasodium edta, fluorescent brightener 28, colorants, methylisothiazolinone
- Tide Free & Gentle – C10-16 pareth, sodium c10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, polyethyleneimines alkoxylated, sodium salts of c12-18 fatty acids, propylene glycol, c10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide, sodium cumenesulfonate, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, calcium formate, benzisothiazolinone
Ingredients to Avoid In Laundry Detergent
The following ingredients were present in the brands mentioned above. These ingredients may be carcinogenic, damaging to DNA, developmental/endocrine/reproductive damage.
- Benzisothiazolinone: skin irritant, skin allergies, linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity
- Cocamidopropyl betaine: known to cause cancer, skin & eye irritant
- Fragrance: linked to endocrine disruption…
- Lauramine oxide: known to cause cancer, skin & eye irritant
- Laureth-6: “polyethylene glycol ether of Lauryl Alcohol”, associated with skin allergies and irritaiton
- Laureth-7: known to cause cancer, linked to reproductive toxicity, genetic defects, respiratory, eye & skin irritant
- Linalyl acetate: skin irritant, potentially toxic to developmental and productive health
- Linear alcohol ethoxylates: concerns of contamination with ethylene oxide (linked to genetic defects, cancer, reproductive toxicity) & 1,4-dioxane (linked to cancer, respiratory irritation)
- Methylisothiazolinone: neurotoxin, linked to skin irritation, contact dermatitis and allergies
- Octylisothiazolinone: linked to “skin irritation & allergies, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects”
- Phenoxyethanol: ethoxylated substance (ethoxylation byproducts are 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, both known carcinogens), linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, 1% concentration is believed to be safe according to the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
- Polyvinyl alcohol – may contribute to the release of microplastics
- Potassium hydroxide: corrosive to skin, linked to eye & skin damage, respiratory irritant
- Propanediol: evidence of genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and skin irritation
- Propylene glycol: skin irritant, penetration enhancer, potential DNA disruptor (in e-cigarette research)
- Sodium benzoate: mutagenic and cytotoxic, causing DNA damage
- Sodium borate/sodium metaborate: “Evidence of developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects; skin irritation/allergies/damage; respiratory effects”
- Sodium hydroxide: skin, eye, and respiratory irritant
- Sodium lauroamphoacetate: asthmagen, respiratory irritation, eye damage, skin burns, skin allergies, may damage fertility and an unborn child (EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes)
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)– DNA damage, bioaccumulation
- Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate: respiratory, skin & eye irritant, probable carcinogen, genotoxic
- Sodium polyacrylate: linked to cancer, respiratory, eye & skin irritation
- Gluconolactone: potentially genotoxic, eye irritant
- Sodium formate: potentially damaging to DNA, “acute aquatic toxicity; general systemic/organ effects”
- Myristamine oxide: potentially link to cancer, DNA damage
- Hexylene glycol: linked to respiratory & nervous system effects, skin irritant
- Polyquaterniums: linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive effects, potential neurotoxin
- Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate: contaminated with nitrosamines (carcinogenic), penetration enhancer, linked to organ system toxicity, skin/lung/eye irritant, potential developmental/reproductive toxin
- Alcohol ethoxylate – irritant, contaminated with 1,4-dioxane (carcinogen)
- C10-16 pareth – linked to cancer, genetic defects, reproductive toxicity, nervous system effects, asthmagen, skin/eye/respiratory irritant
- C10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide – linked to cancer and DNA damage
- Polethyleneimine alkoxylated – Contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide which are linked to genetic defects, cancer, reproductive toxicity, skin corrosion, central nervous system impairment, liver damage, skin/eye/respiratory irritant
- Sodium cumenesulfonate – linked to cancer, DNA damage, developmental, endocrine, reproductive effects
- Diethylester dimethyl ammonium chloride – linked to respiratory, developmental, endocrine, and reproductive effects, asthmagen, increased inflammation
- Formic acid – linked to DNA damage
- C10-16 pareth, Laureth 12– linked to skin irritation/allergies/damage, digestive system issues
- C12-15 alcohols ethoxylated – may cause genetic defects, cancer, reproductive toxicity, skin corrosion, nervous system effects, asthmagen, eye/skin/respiratory irritation
- MEA Citrate – respiratory/nervous system effects, skin irritation
- Disodium distrybiphenyl disulfonate – developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, linked to vision damage
- Styrene copolymer – may be contaminated with styrene, a potential carcinogen
- Hydrophobically modified acrylate – may be contaminated with benezene (carcinogenic), acryclic acid (organ system toxicity)
- Tetrasodium EDTA – linked to vision damage, organ system effects
- Fluorescent/Optical brighteners, dyes, colorants – linked to skin irritation, carcinogens
Ingredients to Consider With Caution
The following ingredients were present in the brands mentioned above. These brands contain ingredients that may be irritating to the skin, eyes, or respiratory system. They may also agitate or cause allergic reactions. If these are concerns for you and your family, you’ll want to limit the amount of products in your home with these particular ingredients.
- Sodium metasilicate: skin burns, eye damage, and respiratory irritation
- C12-16 pareth-7/9: skin irritant linked to allergies
- C8-18 and C18 unsaturated fatty acids: eye and skin irritant
- Capryloyl/Caproyl methyl glucamide: harmful if swallowed, inhaled and linked to eye damage
- Cellulase: associated with asthma/respiratory issues and may potentially damage DNA
- Decyl glucoside: skin & eye irritant
- Denatonium benzoate: respiratory, eye & skin irritant
- Ethylene brassylate: skin irritant
- Glycereth-6 cocoate: eye, skin and respiratory irritant
- Hydrated silica: bioaccumulative penetration enhancer
- Lauryl glucoside: skin, eye, lung irritant
- Microcrystalline cellulose: allergen
- Oleic acid: potentially genotoxic, skin & eye irritant
- Potassium sorbate: allergen
- Sodium carbonate peroxide (sodium percarbonate): eye and skin irritant
- Sodium gluconate: eye irritant
- Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate: skin & eye irritant
- Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate/Tetrasodium salt: irritant
- Hydroxyacetophenone: respiratory/skin/eye irritant
- Lauramidopropylamine Oxide: skin irritant
- Phenethyl alcohol: skin/eye irritant
- Sodium 10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate & Sodium c14-16 sulfonate – skin/eye irritant
- Sodium salts of c12-18 fatty acid – Highly toxic to aquatic life, skin/eye/respiratory irritant
- Sodium silicate – skin irritant
- Sodium laureth sulfate – eye/skin irritant
Conclusion: Non Toxic Laundry Detergent
Switching to one of these non toxic laundry detergents will significantly reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals found in the average laundry detergent. Here’s a summary of the non toxic and “okay” lists:
Non Toxic Laundry Detergent Brands
- Greenshield Organic
- Meliora
- Zuma
- Zum Liquid (Sea Salt only, others contain fragrance)
- Humble Suds
- Well
Okay (Less Toxic) Laundry Detergent Brands
- Rosey by Thrive Market – Sodium Carbonate Peroxide (sodium percarbonate)
- Better Life – Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Oleic Acid
- Nature First – Polyvinyl alcohol
- Branch Basics – Sodium percarbonate, sodium gluconate, decyl glucoside, sodium metasilicate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
- Good Natured – sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium gluconate
- Molly’s Suds (contains less than 1% phenoxyethanol)
