5 best non-toxic laundry detergents

When it comes to washing clothes, the ultimate goal is to get them clean. But what if I told you your conventional laundry detergent is actually be detrimental to your clothes and your health? These detergents are full of harmful chemicals like anionic and non-ionic surfactants, ethanol, and propylene glycol. These can not only irritate your skin but also cause respiratory issues and other health problems such as allergic reactions. Those at most risk are children. A study found that 60% of liquid laundry detergent capsule exposures happen to kids, often leading to various health symptoms. When looking to switch products in your home to more healthy alternatives, laundry detergent can sometimes be overlooked because the product isn't coming into contact with your body, such as hand and dish soap or shampoo. But just because you aren't necessarily touching the detergent doesn't mean you are not being affected by it. The chemicals, dye, and perfume in conventional laundry detergent can hold onto the clothes and then rub up against your body all day.

Why switch to non-toxic?

• Gentler ingredients - Traditional laundry detergent brands often use harsh chemicals such as surfactants like SLS and SLES, optical brighteners, and synthetic fragrances, which can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, and respiratory issues. Natural, plant-based cleansers replace surfactants in non-toxic detergents that are gentler on your skin and ditch the synthetic fragrances, opting instead for fragrance-free or essential oil scent. The most important thing to avoid in my opinion is the artificial fragrance, so if you want to stick with your current laundry brand you can still make a huge difference in your health if you go with their unscented option (most brands have one). I have found that it causes my eczema to flare up, and now that we have had a fragrance-free household for over two years, I find I get headaches whenever I am around strong odors including laundry detergent/scented dryer sheets.

• Eco-friendly - While I am not necessarily an environmental activist, I do believe we need to be good stewards of this world God has given us. Regular detergents have chemicals that can be detrimental to sea life once it gets in the water such as phosphates, and non-toxic detergents usually use biodegradable ingredients. They also tend to be packaged in minimal sustainable packaging that can be recycled.

• Better indoor air quality - Besides the safer ingredients in the non-toxic detergent, the other main reason I switched to natural detergent was the smell. The ingredients in the detergent, specifically any fragrance, is released into the air during the wash cycle and even more during their time in the dryer. Vetting the ingredients can not only benefit topical exposure to chemicals but also internal exposure.

Non-toxic detergent options

There are a couple options when it comes to choosing a non-toxic laundry detergent:

1. Homemade laundry powder

2. Homemade liquid laundry detergent

3. Pre-made laundry powder

4. Pre-made laundry liquid concentrate

5. Pre-made laundry tablets

   
   

Homemade Laundry Powder (no borax or soap bar)

First, there is homemade laundry powder. This is a great option if you want to make a huge batch at a time as the ingredients are very inexpensive and easily found in any department store and because it has a long shelf life since it is dry. Below is a great recipe for a homemade laundry powder, and for those who love Molly's Suds laundry powder, this is a copycat of that! This recipe is from The Make Your Own Zone. There are several recipes that use a grated soap bar such as Fels Naptha, but consistently using a laundry powder with grated soap can cause soap buildup in clothes and towels. This can make them soil easier and less absorbant. That is why I love the below recipe as it takes out the grated soap bar and follows very closely to the Molly's Suds laundry powder with a much lower price point.

• 1½ cups Washing Soda

• 1½ cups Baking Soda

• ½ cup Epsom Salt (pure magnesium sulfate)

• 2 tablespoons unrefined Sea Salt

• 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

  
  

Use two tablespoons of this mixture per load. This makes about one quart of laundry powder, and will last about 30 washes.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe

Second is homemade liquid laundry detergent. This is my favorite liquid laundry detergent recipe as it thickens up like the store-bought concentrated detergent, giving it a more nostalgic feel if you like that consistency. This is also a great option if you want a naturally-scented detergent, as castile soap comes in so many great scents with essential oils. Recipe from Live Simply.

• 1 cup Borax

• 1 cup washing soda

• 1 cup liquid castile soap unscented or scented

• 15 cups water, divided

• 50 drops essential oil optional for scent

  
  

1. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a slight boil and then turn off the burner.

2. Add the Borax and washing soda. Stir to dissolve. Then add 9 cups of room-temperature water and 1 cup of liquid castile soap. Give the ingredients a stir to combine.

3. Allow the soap to cool for a few minutes before pouring into one large gallon-size jar or smaller containers, like quart-size jars. Make sure your jar(s) are heat-safe. If not, wait until the soap is cool, then spoon the soap into the jar(s). If you're reusing an old detergent bottle, make sure the soap is fully cool before adding to a plastic container.

4. Add an essential oil of choice (if using) to the soap (now in the jar) and stir to combine with the detergent. The essential oil will add a subtle fragrance, but shouldn't be added until the soap cools as heat will cause the essential oil to evaporate.

5. As the soap sits, the mixture may form into a gel and become chunky. There may also be liquid and gel separation, simply stir or shake. This is normal.

To use: for top loading washer machines, use 1/8-1/4 cup. For a front loader, use 1-2 tablespoons.

Pre-made laundry powder

The third option is pre-made laundry powder, which is what I am using currently. I had been using homemade liquid laundry detergent before my first daughter was born, but switched to Molly's Suds when I began cloth diapering. The main reason I did this was because I didn't have the time to make my liquid laundry detergent and wanted something easy and safe to use on baby's clothes and diapers. Also, the liquid laundry detergent uses Borax, the safety of which is still in debate, and I wanted to be on the safe side with my little one. The two-pack shown below is the best deal per ounce although it is a little more of an up-front cost. It is a little more expensive per load than homemade detergent coming in at around $0.16 per load at the time of writing this post (homemade detergent is around $0.06 depending on which brands of ingredients you use). I love Molly's suds because there are only four ingredients (Sodium Carbonate (washing soda), Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda), Magnesium Sulfate (epsom salt), and unrefined sea salt) and it is made in the USA. They also have scented options made with naturally-derived plant essences and essential oils. This is essentially the same as the homemade laundry powder listed earlier in this post, but with the convenience of being pre-made.

Pre-made laundry liquid concentrate

The fourth option for non-toxic laundry detergent is buying a liquid detergent. I have tried the Ecos brand and loved that, but there are so many more ingredients to be cautious of when looking at pre-made liquid detergents. Liquid detergents have to have preservatives in them whereas powdered ones do not. They also tend to be more expensive per load. Molly's Suds also has a liquid laundry concentrate, but it is $0.25 per load as opposed to their $0.16 per load powder detergent.

Pre-made laundry tablets

The last option for laundry detergent alternatives is a bit unconventional but I have been using this brand's dishwasher tablets since 2022 and I love them! Blueland is a plastic-free company that focuses on household cleaners and tools that are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. If you like plastic Tide pods, then this alternative is for you! Tide pods never actually fully dissolve in the washer, the plastic particles get shredded into microscopic pieces and then get stuck in your clothes and go into the water system. Blueland's laundry tablets are compressed detergent without the casing, meaning you do not need to worry about that forever plastic floating around your washer and getting in your clothes and towels. They are the only company to use this style of laundry tablet, and you even have the option to purchase a tin to store your tablets in. These are the most expensive option coming in at around $0.33 per load.

Whether you are switching over your laundry detergent for health reasons or just reading this post for fun, I hope this has opened your eyes to all the different possibilities there are for non-toxic detergents. There are so many others out there, but in my extensive research on this topic, the ones listed above are the recipes and brands I trust the most. Experiment with your water type and washer to see which one works best for you! Happy washing!