Cheat Sheet: Non-toxic laundry detergent
One winner for each way people buy laundry detergent.
Laundry detergent sits directly against skin, all day, for the most sensitive people in the house. The fastest filter that actually matters is fragrance — everything else on this page follows from that.
How we scoreHow we earnChecked October 25, 2026
Our winner for each way people buy
How we scoreHow we earnChecked October 25, 2026
Best overall: unscented powder
Nellie'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.
Meets our published criteria, as of Oct 25, 2026
Best for hard water
Rockin' 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.
Meets our published criteria, as of Oct 25, 2026
$24.99ViewIf you want a named scent, not none
Molly's Suds
Original Laundry Detergent PowderOrganic peppermint oil, named by the brand, instead of an undisclosed "fragrance," with a short mineral ingredient list.
Meets our published criteria, as of Oct 25, 2026
$22.99ViewWhitening booster to add to any detergent
Grab Green
Bleach Alternative PodsFragrance-free, non-chlorine whitener. A companion to a detergent, not a replacement for one.
Meets our published criteria, as of Oct 25, 2026
Swap for a borax DIY recipe
Nellie's
Laundry SodaA disclosed, four-ingredient commercial option if you are trying to avoid borax-based homemade recipes.
Meets our published criteria, as of Oct 25, 2026
$48View
What to avoid
- Fragrance / "parfum" — can stand in for a mixture the label does not name, and it sits against skin for hours
- Optical brighteners — a cosmetic UV effect, not a cleaning function
- "Natural" or "eco" on the bottle alone — neither is a regulated term — look for a disclosed ingredient list or a named certification instead
- A homemade recipe built around borax — EPA's boron risk assessment sets its safety threshold based on developmental-toxicity findings
- Assuming any detergent works the same in hard water — hard water minerals interfere with how detergent dissolves and rinses out
What to look for
- Full ingredient disclosure — detergent is not required to list every ingredient the way food and cosmetics are
- Fragrance-free, or a named essential oil — a named oil is named on the label; "fragrance" alone is not
- Formulated for hard water — or works without a separate booster, if that is your water
- Leaping Bunny or EPA Safer Choice — third-party certification where one exists
- 1Skip: "Fragrance" or "parfum"Buy instead: Nellie's, Molly's Suds, Grab Green Why
- 2Skip: Assuming any detergent works the same in hard waterBuy instead: Rockin' Green, Molly's Suds Why
- 3Skip: Optical brighteners, and "natural" or "eco" on the bottle alone Why
- 4Skip: A homemade recipe built around boraxBuy instead: Nellie's Why
What the label card means
What to skip, and why
Fragrance / "parfum"
Can stand in for a mixture the label does not name, and it sits against skin for hours.
Know the risks: Fragrance not fully itemizedOptical brighteners
A cosmetic UV effect, not a cleaning function.
"Natural" or "eco" on the bottle alone
Neither is a regulated term — look for a disclosed ingredient list or a named certification instead.
A homemade recipe built around borax
EPA's boron risk assessment sets its safety threshold based on developmental-toxicity findings.
Assuming any detergent works the same in hard water
Hard water minerals interfere with how detergent dissolves and rinses out.
Where to buy
The full guide: how we chose
Laundry detergent is one of the few cleaning products that stays in contact with skin for hours, which makes fragrance the first thing to screen out rather than an afterthought. Beyond that: full ingredient disclosure, a formula that actually performs in your water (hard water changes this more than marketing admits), and skepticism toward any homemade recipe built around borax.
Why detergent gets a stricter filter than other cleaners
Most cleaning products touch a counter for a few minutes and get rinsed away. Laundry detergent is different: it sits against skin, in a warm, damp state, for as long as the clothes are worn. That is exactly the kind of prolonged contact that makes fragrance worth screening out first, ahead of almost anything else in this category.
"Fragrance" or "parfum" on a label can stand in for a mixture of compounds the label does not name, sometimes dozens. Some makers name the components online: Procter & Gamble's SmartLabel entries list them under "Fragrances", and Church & Dwight's disclosure forms list the ones above a threshold, while other entries we read give only the word. In a spray cleaner you inhale it briefly. In detergent, residue rides on the fabric until the next wash. That is the single highest-value thing to filter for here.
What hard water changes
If you have hard water, the detergent that works fine for someone else may leave your laundry dull, stiff, or not actually clean. Hard water minerals bind with standard surfactants before they can do their job, which is why formulas built specifically around hard water — usually with an added water-softening ingredient like sodium carbonate — perform differently from a detergent that assumes soft water and hopes for the best.
Two of our picks below are formulated with this in mind. If you are not sure whether your water is hard, most municipal water suppliers publish it, or a cheap test strip settles it in a minute.
The picks
Nellie's Laundry Soda is the top pick because it does the most with the least: unscented, a four-ingredient list (sodium carbonate, linear alcohol ethoxylate, sodium chloride, sodium metasilicate). The concentrated powder format means one tin covers 100 loads, which keeps the cost per load reasonable despite the higher sticker price.
Molly's Suds Original is close behind, and the honest reason it is not the top pick is a technical one: the peppermint version of the "Original" formula is scented with organic peppermint oil, so it is not unscented the way Nellie's is. It is disclosed, not a generic "fragrance," and Molly's Suds sells a genuinely unscented version for anyone who wants to avoid essential oils entirely. Its base is sodium carbonate (sourced from Wyoming's Green River Basin), sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulfate and unrefined sea salt, which the brand lists as a water softener.
Rockin' Green Hard Rock (Lavender Mint) earns its spot for hard water specifically — Rockin' Green describes a proprietary blend of plant-based cleaning agents, enzymes, water softeners and chelating agents, and its safety data sheet names washing soda and sodium percarbonate (an oxygen booster). It does not name the surfactant or say where the lavender mint scent comes from. We are being direct about the tradeoff: this is the scented version, and the least disclosed formula on this page. If fragrance-free is a hard requirement, this is the pick to skip; Rockin' Green does sell an unscented version if that formulation is what you are looking for.
Grab Green Bleach Alternative Pods (Fragrance Free) rounds out the list as a companion product, not a fourth detergent. It is a non-chlorine oxygen booster — sodium carbonate peroxide in a dissolving pod, fragrance-free — that brightens whites and lifts stains alongside a regular detergent and wash cycle. It does not replace one.
On the DIY route
A homemade laundry soap — grated bar soap, washing soda, water — is a genuine option for light loads, and some households have used a version of it for years. Be careful which recipe you follow, though: a lot of the versions in circulation call for borax, and EPA's own risk assessment for boron compounds — which includes borax — sets its reference dose based on decreased fetal weight in animal developmental-toxicity studies. Leave it out, and the recipe still works, just with less of a reputation boost than the borax version claims to have.
For cloth diapers, sensitive skin, or anything you want a predictable result from, a disclosed commercial detergent — like the picks above — is the more reliable choice.
A note on what this page does not show
No star ratings or review counts appear on this page. That data was not available for these products from our sourcing pipeline at time of publication, so rather than estimate it, we left it out. The picks above are based on verifiable claims — disclosed ingredients, named certifications, and manufacturer-stated formulation — not on aggregate review scores.
For the rest of the cleaning cupboard, see our non-toxic cleaning products guide, and for the one safety rule that matters more than any ingredient list, see the cleaning hub.
The swaps, in full
"Fragrance" or "parfum"
Detergent sits against skin for hours in a warm, damp state — the conditions that make fragrance the most consequential ingredient to filter, more than in a surface spray. It can stand in for a mixture the label does not name, and residue rides on the fabric until the next wash.
Hides in: The ingredient list on the packaging or the brand's own product page
Nellie's Laundry Soda, unscented — four ingredients, and concentrated enough that 100 loads fit in one tin (this listing is a two-pack).
Molly's Suds Original, Peppermint — organic peppermint oil, which the brand names, rather than an undisclosed "fragrance," with a similarly short ingredient list.
Grab Green Bleach Alternative Pods, Fragrance Free — not a detergent on its own. Use alongside any pick above as the non-chlorine whitener.
Assuming any detergent works the same in hard water
Hard water minerals bind with standard surfactants before they can reach your clothes, which is why a plain detergent can leave laundry looking dull or feeling stiff in hard water and why a few brands formulate specifically around it.
Hides in: Not usually stated on the front of the bottle — check whether the brand calls out hard-water performance at all
Rockin' Green Hard Rock (Lavender Mint) — purpose-built for hard water: washing soda, an oxygen booster and enzymes. The full formula is proprietary and the brand does not say where the scent comes from, so skip it if fragrance-free or full disclosure is your hard line.
Molly's Suds Original — a washing-soda base with unrefined sea salt, which the brand lists as a water softener.
Optical brighteners, and "natural" or "eco" on the bottle alone
Optical brighteners are common in mainstream detergents to make white fabric look whiter under UV light — they do not clean anything, they are a cosmetic effect that stays on the fabric. Neither "natural" nor "eco" is a regulated term; look for a disclosed ingredient list or a named third-party certification instead.
Hides in: The ingredient list (brighteners are rarely named on the front); marketing language on the bottle itself
No pick sourced yet for this swap.
A homemade recipe built around borax
Borax shows up in a lot of DIY laundry recipes. EPA's own risk assessment for boron compounds, which includes borax, sets its safety threshold based on decreased fetal weight in animal developmental-toxicity studies. A disclosed commercial detergent whose list shows no borax or sodium borate is the more predictable route if you are trying to avoid it.
Hides in: DIY laundry-detergent recipes circulating online
Nellie's Laundry Soda, unscented — four ingredients, and concentrated enough that 100 loads fit in one tin (this listing is a two-pack).
On your shelf: what six big-name laundry detergents list on their ingredient pages
Six well-known brands, read on the maker's own ingredient page on 2026-10-25. Most of them sell both a fragrance-free and a scented version, so each badge says "Depends on the version" and the text gives both; only Gain, which we found no fragrance-free liquid for, gets a plain answer. We quote what each lists and, where the maker gives one, the date it last updated or confirmed the list; where a maker still publishes older lists under the same name, we say which one we read. Dyes, optical brighteners and preservatives are in the text. Isothiazolinone preservatives, which our dish-soap page screens for, are named where listed. A list is not a hazard rating: we do not call any of these toxic or safe, and we did not contact the companies.
- Does Tide list a fragrance?Depends on the version
- Depends on the version. Tide is a Procter & Gamble brand (P&G's brands page lists it under Fabric Care; its SmartLabel entries read "DISTR. BY PROCTER & GAMBLE"). Tide Free & Gentle, 64 loads (SmartLabel updated 2025-08-25) lists no fragrance, chromophore or optical brightener, and lists one preservative, benzisothiazolinone; Tide's page for it says "free of dyes and perfumes" and "recognized by both the NEA & NPF" (the maker's statements). Tide Original Scent lists "Fragrances" and, under it on SmartLabel, 27 named fragrance components. The 64-load Original entry that tide.com links (updated 2026-09-08) lists two chromophore ingredients ("Polyoxyalkylene Substituted Chromophore" Blue and Violet) and benzisothiazolinone, and no optical brightener or sodium borate. Two older Original entries still on SmartLabel (92 fl oz, updated 2024-05-27; 115 fl oz, updated 2024-11-04) list two chromophores (Cyan and Violet), "Fluorescent brightener 71" and "Sodium borate", and no preservative. The list that applies is the one for your bottle's size. Source (checked )
- Does Gain list a fragrance?Lists a fragrance
- Yes, in the product we read. Gain is a Procter & Gamble brand (P&G's brands page lists it under Fabric Care). Gain Liquid Laundry Detergent, Now with Odor Defense, Original Scent, 132 fl oz, 100 loads (SmartLabel updated 2026-03-26) lists "Fragrances" and, under it, 31 named fragrance components, two chromophore ingredients (Blue and Yellow) and one preservative, benzisothiazolinone; no optical brightener is listed. We found no fragrance-free Gain liquid on ilovegain.com on 2026-10-25: its liquid-detergent page lists 13 products, each named for a scent or scent line. Source (checked )
- Does Arm & Hammer list a fragrance?Depends on the version
- Depends on the version. Arm & Hammer is a Church & Dwight brand (Church & Dwight's consumer-brands page lists it under Fabric Care). Church & Dwight's ingredient disclosure titled "Perfume and Dye Free" (dated 2024-03-27), which we match to Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear, lists no fragrance, colorant or preservative, and lists "Disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate" with the function "Optical brightener". Arm & Hammer's page for Free & Clear says it is "perfume, preservative, & dye free" and "CERTIFIED 100% BY SkinSAFE" (the maker's statements). The disclosure for Clean Burst (dated 2024-04-26) lists "Fragrances", the same optical brightener, a colorant and no preservative. Neither form gives a bottle size. Source (checked )
- Does all list a fragrance?Depends on the version
- Depends on the version. all is a Henkel brand (Henkel's North America brand page lists it; its SmartLabel entries read "Distributed by Henkel"). The ingredient list on all's page for all free clear reads: water, C12-15 alcohols ethoxylated, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium carbonate, trisodium dicarboxymethyl alaninate, fatty acids (C8-18 and C18-unsaturated) sodium salts, sodium polyacrylate and benzisothiazolinone. The 88 fl oz SmartLabel entry (confirmed 2026-10-25) lists tetrasodium iminodisuccinate and sodium cocoate in place of the alaninate and the fatty-acid salts. Neither lists a fragrance, dye or optical brightener, and each lists one preservative, benzisothiazolinone. The page says "Hypoallergenic, 100% free of perfumes and dyes" and states the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, the National Psoriasis Foundation Seal of Recognition, Safer Choice and the Good Housekeeping Seal (the maker's statements; we did not read those registers). all sensitive fresh (88 fl oz entry) lists "Fragrance" and benzisothiazolinone. Source (checked )
- Does Persil list a fragrance?Depends on the version
- Depends on the version. Persil is sold in the U.S. by Henkel (Henkel's North America brand page for Persil lists it; persillaundry.com reads "Proud member of the Henkel Family of Brands"; its SmartLabel entries read "Distributed by Henkel"). Persil Free & Sensitive (SmartLabel confirmed 2026-10-25) lists no fragrance, dye or preservative, and lists "disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate", the ingredient Arm & Hammer's disclosure above lists with the function "Optical brightener"; Persil's page calls Free & Sensitive a "whitening and brightening formula". Persil ProClean Original, 25 loads (SmartLabel confirmed 2026-10-17) lists "Fragrance", "Polyoxyalkylene Substituted Chromophore (Blue)" and the same "disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate", and no preservative. Source (checked )
- Does Seventh Generation list a fragrance?Depends on the version
- Depends on the version. Seventh Generation is sold in the U.S. by Unilever United States, per its site footer. The ingredient list on its page for Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear reads: water, laureth-6, sodium citrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium oleate, sodium sulfate, citric acid, protease, amylase and mannanase enzyme blends, benzisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone (the page labels each "synthetic preservative"). The page says "no dyes, optical brighteners or fragrances" and shows Leaping Bunny, USDA Certified Biobased and EPA Safer Choice badges (the maker's statements). Its Fresh Lavender version lists the same two preservatives and plant-derived fragrances named as orange, lavender, lavandin, spearmint, geranium and patchouli oils and linalool, and states that lavender oil, linalool, linalyl acetate, geranium oil, orange peel oil, limonene and patchouli oil are fragrance allergens. Source (checked )
What to screen for on a laundry detergent label
- "Fragrance" or "parfum" — Detergent sits against skin for hours in a warm, damp state — the conditions that make fragrance the most consequential ingredient to filter, more than in a surface spray.
- Optical brighteners — Common in mainstream detergents to make white fabric look whiter under UV light. They do not clean anything; they are a cosmetic effect that stays on the fabric.
- "Natural" or "eco" on the bottle alone — Neither is a regulated term. Look for a disclosed ingredient list or a named third-party certification instead.
- A homemade recipe built around borax — Borax shows up in a lot of DIY laundry recipes. EPA's own risk assessment for boron compounds, which includes borax, sets its safety threshold based on decreased fetal weight in animal developmental-toxicity studies. A disclosed commercial detergent whose list shows no borax or sodium borate is the more predictable route if you are trying to avoid it.
- Assuming any detergent works the same in hard water — Hard water minerals interfere with how detergent dissolves and rinses out, which is why a handful of brands formulate specifically around it rather than treating it as an afterthought.
How we choose
We start from full ingredient disclosure, since detergent is not required to list every ingredient the way food and cosmetics are. From there we favor fragrance-free formulas or ones that name the specific essential oil used instead of a generic "fragrance," and we credit a formula that is built for hard water rather than assuming one detergent performs the same everywhere. No star ratings or review counts are shown on this page — that data was not available for these products at time of publication.
- Full ingredient disclosure, not just actives
- Fragrance-free, or a named essential oil in place of undisclosed "fragrance"
- Formulated for hard water, or works without a separate booster
- Third-party certification where one exists (Leaping Bunny, EPA Safer Choice)
- No active recall on the pick
Every source we cite is checked against our criteria first — see how we check our sources.
What the research says
Fragranced products-including air fresheners, dryer sheets, and perfume-and sunscreens had the largest number of target chemicals and some of the highest concentrations.
— Robin Dodson, ScD of Silent Spring Institute explains that ...
Consumer Products Contain Potentially Harmful Chemicals Not Listed on Labels — Silent Spring Institute (2012-03-08) (how we check this source)
Farmer co-led the HOMEChem experiment, in which roughly 60 scientists from 13 universities measured indoor chemistry during typical household activities in a test house. Cooking produced the largest concentrations of potentially toxic compounds, including benzene, formaldehyde, acrolein and isocyanic acid. Farmer's team reported that most emitted compounds occur in low quantities and can be cleared through ventilation.
— Delphine Farmer, PhD of Colorado State University College of Natural Sciences explains that ...
Indoor air quality experiments show exposure risks while cooking, cleaning — Colorado State University College of Natural Sciences (2022-09-21)
This paper is a key initial step towards providing actionable and practical information on how to protect yourself and clean your home.
— Delphine Farmer, PhD of Colorado State University College of Natural Sciences explains that ...
Wildfire smoke may linger in homes long after initial blaze — Colorado State University College of Natural Sciences (2023-10-13)
Sources
- EPA Safer Choice — standard and certified product list — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (how we check this source)
- Leaping Bunny — Humane Household Products Standard — Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics
- IRIS Chemical Assessment Summary: Boron and Compounds (CASRN 7440-42-8) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Tide SmartLabel — Original Scent, 64 Loads, 80 fl oz (updated 2026-09-08) — Procter & Gamble
- Tide SmartLabel — Original Scent, 115 fl oz (updated 2024-11-04) — Procter & Gamble
- Tide SmartLabel — Original, 92 fl oz (updated 2024-05-27) — Procter & Gamble
- Tide SmartLabel — Free & Gentle, High Efficiency, 64 loads (updated 2025-08-25) — Procter & Gamble
- Tide — Original Liquid Laundry Detergent (links the 2026-09-08 SmartLabel) — Procter & Gamble
- Tide — Free and Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent — Procter & Gamble
- Gain SmartLabel — Now with Odor Defense, Original Scent, 132 fl oz, 100 Loads (updated 2026-03-26) — Procter & Gamble
- Gain — Liquid Laundry Detergent (13 products, read 2026-10-25) — Procter & Gamble
- Gain — Original Liquid Laundry Detergent — Procter & Gamble
- P&G — Brands — Procter & Gamble
- Arm & Hammer — Product Ingredient Disclosure, Liquid Laundry Detergent, Clean Burst (2024-04-26) — Church & Dwight
- Arm & Hammer — Product Ingredient Disclosure, Liquid Laundry Detergent, Perfume and Dye Free (2024-03-27) — Church & Dwight
- Arm & Hammer — Sensitive Skin Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent — Church & Dwight
- Church & Dwight — Consumer brands — Church & Dwight
- all free clear — Liquid Laundry Detergent — Henkel
- all free clear — SmartLabel, 88 fl oz (confirmed 2026-10-25) — Henkel
- all sensitive fresh — SmartLabel, 88 fl oz (confirmed 2026-10-25) — Henkel
- Henkel North America — all — Henkel
- Persil ProClean Original — SmartLabel, titled 40 fluid ounces, 25 loads (confirmed 2026-10-17) — Henkel
- Persil — Original Liquid Detergent (lists 34 fl oz for 25 loads) — Henkel
- Persil Free & Sensitive — SmartLabel (confirmed 2026-10-25) — Henkel
- Persil — Free & Sensitive Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent — Henkel
- Henkel North America — Persil — Henkel
- Seventh Generation — Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear — Seventh Generation
- Seventh Generation — Liquid Laundry Detergent, Fresh Lavender — Seventh Generation
Common questions
Every cleaning & laundryproduct we've reviewed— what we'd buy, what we'd skip, and where each one stands.