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Cleaning & laundry

Every product in this category we have reviewed, and where each one stands with us. We don’t sell anything: add the ones you want to a list, then send them all to your Amazon cart or buy each one where it’s sold. In a hurry? The cheat sheet below is the short list.

Reviewed
60
On a cheat sheet
13
Brands
36
★ Start here · the cheat sheet

Non-toxic laundry detergent, on one page

A winner for each way people buy it, then what to skip. Detergent sits against skin for hours, so fragrance is the first thing to screen out, not an afterthought.

5 winners1 thing to skip7 of these products are on it

Open the cheat sheet
Cheat Sheet: Non-toxic laundry detergentthe winner for each cut
  1. Best overall: unscented powderNellie's Laundry SodaFour ingredients in the unscented version: washing soda, a surfactant, salt and sodium metasilicate. Concentrated enough that 100 loads fit in one tin; this listing is a two-pack.
  2. Best for hard waterRockin' Green Hard Water Laundry DetergentFormulated for hard water: washing soda and an oxygen booster per its safety data sheet, plus enzymes. The full formula is proprietary and the scent's source is not disclosed, so skip it if fragrance-free or full disclosure is your line.
  3. If you want a named scent, not noneMolly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent PowderOrganic peppermint oil, named by the brand, instead of an undisclosed "fragrance," with a short mineral ingredient list.
  4. Whitening booster to add to any detergentGrab Green Bleach Alternative PodsFragrance-free, non-chlorine whitener. A companion to a detergent, not a replacement for one.
  5. Swap for a borax DIY recipeNellie's Laundry SodaA disclosed, four-ingredient commercial option if you are trying to avoid borax-based homemade recipes.

Skip"Fragrance" or "parfum"

What to know about cleaning & laundry

The full guide →

One thing in this category can hurt you today rather than theoretically: never mix bleach with ammonia, and never mix bleach with acids, including vinegar and many descalers and toilet cleaners. After that, the biggest wins are owning fewer products, filtering for fragrance-free, and opening a window while you clean.

Common risks

  • Bleach anywhere near ammonia or acids — including vinegar
  • "Fragrance" or "parfum" — a legal stand-in for an undisclosed mixture
  • A separate single-purpose product for every surface
  • "Natural", "eco" and "non-toxic" as if they were certifications

What to look for

  • EPA Safer Choice or Green Seal — both are documented standards
  • Fragrance-free, not "unscented"
  • A general-purpose cleaner that covers several jobs instead of one product per surface
  • Full ingredient disclosure on the label or the brand's site

The free change

Open a window before you spray anything.

"Natural", "eco", "green" and "non-toxic" on a bottle mean nothing in particular — none is a regulated term. EPA Safer Choice and Green Seal each mean a specific documented standard was met.

More cheat sheets

One page each: the winners, then what to skip.All cheat sheets →
Guides with picks:Green cleaning products: the environmental side of the same shelfNon-toxic cleaning products: what we actually useNon-Toxic Dish Soap: What Dawn and Palmolive List, and What We'd Buy

Brands in this category

36 brands. The ones with a product on a cheat sheet come first.Every brand, A–Z →

49 reviewed safer cleaning & laundry products

Plus 11 we'd skip, each with its swap. Cheat sheet winners first
Too many to choose from? The cheat sheet is the short list.5 winners for non-toxic laundry detergent, on one page that prints.Open the cheat sheet

Cleaning & laundry: common questions

What is the single most important cleaning safety rule?

Never mix bleach with ammonia or with an acid such as vinegar. The common accident is not a deliberate mixture — it is using one product on a surface that still has another on it.

Does fragrance-free cleaning actually clean as well?

Yes. Fragrance contributes nothing to cleaning performance, and in an enclosed room it is the main thing you inhale.

Is EWG's cleaning guide worth using?

It is useful as a starting point rather than a verdict. We wrote up what we like and do not like about it — see our take on the EWG cleaning report.

More in the cleaning & laundry guide →
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