Best Performing Non-Toxic Laundry Detergents You Can Trust
We’ve tested and reviewed dozens of non-toxic laundry detergents so you don’t have to – including natural laundry detergent powders, liquids and pods, as well as refillable laundry detergent for an eco-friendly laundry routine.
Anyone with a family can probably relate – Always. Doing. Laundry!! Am I right?
Yet most laundry detergents contain chemicals that are toxic both for human health and the environment.
Fortunately, there are plenty of safe and eco-friendly laundry detergents that work well to clean even the worst dirt and stains.
Over the years, we’ve tested dozens of brands and have brought the best together in this non-toxic laundry detergent review – so you can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying life with your family!
At Mindful Momma we only endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and honestly love. We may receive commissions from affiliate links in this article including Amazon Affiliates. Full Disclosure
Best Non Toxic Laundry Detergent Brands
Given all the great eco-friendly laundry detergent options available today, I just don’t see a good reason to keep using toxic, conventional laundry products at all.
But of course you want a non-toxic detergent that actually works! Rest assured that all of these laundry detergents are both effective at cleaning, stain removal and brightening laundry, and are also free from harmful ingredients like petrochemicals, formaldehyde, phosphates, 1,4 dioxane and optical brighteners.
Learn more about the worst toxins in laundry detergent here.
Best Overall: Truly Free Laundry Wash
Why I recommend Truly Free:
- Plant-based quadra-salt technology removes tough stains and odors effectively
- Love the signature scent (made with plant-based fragrance oils). An unscented version is also available.
- Formula is suitable for sensitive skin
- Refill pouches are available so you only need to buy the plastic bottle once
- EWG rating: B
- Format: Liquid
Cons of Truly Free laundry wash:
- Only available online
- Ordering process is a bit confusing
Take 30% off your first order with code MINDFULMOMMA30 at checkout.
Best Laundry Powder: Molly’s Suds
Why I recommend Molly’s Suds:
- Laundry powder is made with only 5 earth-derived ingredients
- Sodium carbonate is sustainably sourced from the Green River Basin in Wyoming
- Scented with organic peppermint oil (unscented version available)
- All Sport Laundry Wash is specially formulated for synthetic & technical fibers (I use for my kids sports jerseys!)
- Small women-owned business (I’ve met the founder – she’s awesome!)
- EWG rating: A
- Certifications: Leaping Bunny Certified
- Format: Powder, liquid and pod
Cons of Molly’s Suds:
- Not widely available, but was just introduced at Target!
- A bit more expensive than Tide or other commercial laundry detergents.
Take 10% off your first order with code MINDFULMOMMA at checkout.
Get my TOP Non-Toxic Laundry Products in Every Category
Best Laundry Pods: Dropps
Why I recommend Dropps for laundry:
- Dropps laundry pods are shipped in a compostable cardboard box that reduces plastic use, making this a great low waste laundry detergent option.
- Laundry detergent formula is plant-based, dye-free, npe-free, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, and animal cruelty-free
- Proven stain fighting powers via third party testing
- Available in Odor + Stain, Activewear, Free + Clear and Sensitive Skin formulas
- Available as a subscription or a one-time purchase.
- If you are looking for the best eco-friendly laundry detergent pods, I recommend Dropps.
- EWG rating: A (unscented), B (scented)
- Format: Pods
Cons of Dropps:
- There are concerns that the PVA used in laundry pods does not fully bio-degrade and ends up as plastic waste in waterways and in the food chain.
- Only available online
Best Laundry Tablets: Blueland
Why I recommend Blueland laundry tablets:
- A dry form tablet that has been proven to lift the toughest stains including grass, coffee, food and makeup.
- No PVA plastic film used and
- Available in Spring Bloom (smells like wildflowers and sun-ripened citrus) and Fragrance-Free
- Laundry set comes with a Forever Tin that holds 60 plastic-free laundry detergent tablets
- EWG rating: EWG VERIFIED®
- Format: Tablet
Cons of Blueland laundry tablets:
- I’ve noticed they don’t always dissolve completely, especially in cold water.
- Only available online
Best Value Brand: Rosey
Why I recommend Rosey Laundry Detergent:
- Made from 7 eco-friendly ingredients
- Formula uses natural enzymes to clean stains
- Best affordable natural laundry detergent ($0.13 per load for powder, $0.10 for liquid and even less when it’s on sale) If you are looking for the cheapest eco friendly laundry detergent, this is it!
- Available in lavender, peppermint or unscented
- Certifications: B-Corporation
- EWG rating: A
- Format: Powder, liquid or packs
Cons of Rosey laundry detergent:
- Only available to Thrive Market Members (Get 25% off + a FREE gift on your first Thrive Market order)
- Wish it came in a larger package
Best Multi-Purpose Brand: Branch Basics
Why I recommend Branch Basics for laundry:
- A plant and mineral based formula that is effective, sustainable and safe for humans
- Branch Basics Concentrate can be used for all your cleaning needs, including laundry
- Fragrance-free formula
- Laundry Kit includes concentrate, a reusable dispenser and oxygen boost powder
- EWG rating: A
- Certifications:MADE SAFE® Certified, Leaping Bunny
- Format: Liquid
Cons of Branch Basics for laundry:
- I’ve found it doesn’t work quite as well as other detergents for laundry but I will certainly use it in a pinch. FYI they just introduced a powdered laundry detergent but I have not tried it yet.
More Popular Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents
ATTITUDE Laundry Detergent
Why I recommend ATTITUDE laundry detergent:
- Biodegradable, plant-based formula with no irritating enzymes
- Formulated with advanced deodorizing properties for cold water wash
- Purchase a refillable aluminum bottle and refill from low-waste refill box
- Unscented baby laundry detergent available (safe for cloth diapers)
- Certifications: ECOLOGO Certified, PETA Certified, EWG-Verified
- EWG rating: EWG VERIFIED™
- Format: Liquid
Cons of ATTITUDE laundry detergent:
- refill package can be a bit messy to use
Get 15% off with code MINDFULMOMMA15 at checkout.
Aspen Clean
Why I recommend Aspen Clean laundry detergent:
- Made from plant and mineral-based ingredients
- Powered with oxygen bleach and enzymes
- 99.9% of the ingredients are from natural origin
- Scented with organic essential oils (unscented also available)
- Certifications: EcoCert® certified, Leaping Bunny, EWG-Verified
- EWG rating: EWG VERIFIED™
- Format: Pods
- Best EWG Verified laundry pods
Cons of Aspen Clean Laundry Pods:
- Pretty expensive at about $.055 per pod
HealthyBaby
Why I recommend HealthyBaby laundry detergent:
- A 100% plant, mineral, and water-based baby laundry concentrate
- Dermatologist & Pediatrician tested
- Comes in a glass bottle with a reusable plastic pump
- Certifications: EWG Verified, MADE SAFE® Certified
- EWG rating: EWG VERIFIED™
- Format: Liquid
- Best non toxic baby laundry detergent
Cons of Healthy Baby laundry detergent:
- Only available online
- A bit expensive (but worth it for baby!)
Looking for more non-toxic cleaning brands? I’ve got you covered!
Meliora
Why I recommend Meliora laundry detergent:
- Simple formula that is free from synthetic fragrances, dyes, preservatives, brighteners and palm oil
- Unscented or scented with essential oils only
- Shipped in metal container instead of plastic jug
- A great plastic-free laundry detergent option – especially if you skip the scoop!
- Small family owned business
- EWG rating: A
- Certifications: MadeSafe Certified
- Format: Powder
Cons of Meliora laundry wash:
- Wish it came in a larger size
Seventh Generation
Why I recommend Seventh Generation laundry detergent:
- Quadruple-enzyme formula great for stain fighting
- No synthetic fragrances used and a fragrance free (Free & Clear) option is available
- Easy to find at Target and other local stores
- Seventh Generation is a B-Corp
- EWG rating: A (free & clear powder and packs), C (liquid detergents)
- Certifications: USDA Certified Biobased Product, EPA Safer Choice Certified, B-Corp
- Format: Liquid and pods (they call them packs)
Cons of Seventh Generation laundry detergent:
- Liquid versions contains the preservative methylisothiazolinone, which is a potential endocrine disruptor and can be a skin irritant to some people – so I recommend the powder if you think you might be sensitive to methylisothiaolinone. However, Seventh Generation stands behind the safety of their liquid formulas.
Laundry Detergents I Don’t Recommend
You might notice I’ve left two very popular “eco” laundry detergent brands off of this list: – Mrs. Meyers and Method. That’s because personally, I’m not a fan of strong fragrances in my laundry detergent. They also do not rate very well on the EWG cleaning database.
I’ve also left soap nuts off this list. I have tried them, and they just weren’t a good fit for me – too messy and I didn’t think they cleaned as well as other laundry detergents.
Worried about stinky laundry? I’ve got some laundry freshening tips for you!
Laundry Detergent Types: Pros & Cons
- Laundry Detergent Powder – This is usually the cheapest type of laundry detergent and is available in large boxes that are often plastic-free.
- Liquid Laundry Detergent – Liquid detergent is great for doing hand-wash and some people just prefer liquid over powder. Note: It can be easy to overpour and use too much.
- Laundry Pods or Tablets – Laundry pods and tablets are premeasured so you don’t use more than you need, but they can be more expensive per load. (Note: pods and tabs go directly in washer not in soap dispenser)
- Laundry Strips or Laundry Sheets – As popular as laundry detergents sheets are, I have not found any that meet my criteria in terms of safe ingredients. I’ll let you know if I find something!
A note about laundry pods, strips and sheets: Laundry detergent pods that are sold in a “dissolvable” pack, and laundry strips or sheets that dissolve in the wash are made using polyvinyl alcohol (also known as PVA, PVOH and PVAI), which is a synthetic plastic polymer. Polyvinyl alcohol is marketed as sustainable because it is water soluble, but while it seems to disappear, it doesn’t actually degrade in real-life scenarios. This means that PVA ends up in waterways and soil, and eventually, in the food chain. Because of this, I personally prefer to use laundry tablets (without any packaging), laundry liquid or laundry powder.
Don’t forget the stain removers – find out how 6 eco-friendly stain removers performed in my test!
Laundry Detergent Prices
Because prices change frequently and brands offer so many choices, I am not listing prices in this post. However, for a regular sized HE load, prices typically ranged from $.10 per load to $.50 per load. Pods are generally more expensive than liquid or powder, ranging from $.30 to $.50 each – but if you don’t mind paying a bit more for convenience, they can certainly be worth it!
What is your favorite natural, non-toxic laundry detergent? Let us know in the comments!
I personally loved Country Save, especially since it was in a purely cardboard container without the plastic liner like Biokleen does. Unfortunately, they stopped selling it at Sprouts here in San Diego, the only retailer who used to stock it. Now I have to decide if buying it on Amazon makes sense or not. Sprouts also said they could order me a 4-box package (would probably last me over a year).
I’ve never heard of Country Save – hope you can find it again! And yes, I forgot about the plastic bag with Biokleen powder – I guess it’s not totally plastic-free after all!
I use Country Save also and love it. You can still get it from azurestandard.com. It is like an online co-op. You can get it in small boxes up to a large 40lb paper bag. Check to see if they have a drop off location near you. I used to get it online from natural retailers, but they all quit selling it. Here in the midwest it is not very common at all.
I’ve been using Molly’s Suds unscented for a couple of months and so far I love it. I bought it on Amazon but am looking for a local place to buy it. I recycle the bag it comes in with my grocery plastic bags. It uses 1 Tbs of the powder per load, I have a front loader and I put it in the dispenser and have not had any problems. My clothes are really clean! For scent I put a couple of drops of essential oil on my wool dryer balls and that does the trick.
Glad to hear that Molly’s Suds has been working well for you! I add essential oil to my wool dryer balls too! It leaves a nice subtle scent – I usually use lavender.
Please make sure dryer balls are from a humane family farm! Thanks for sharing your experience:)
Have you tried soap nuts/berries? Thinking about trying those.
I did try soap nuts years ago. I think they work fine but I just couldn’t get into the groove of using them regularly. One issue is that they last for a few loads but it is hard to tell when they are spent and you should start using new ones. Many people love them – so probably worth a try if you are intrigued enough!
Great article! When I saw your post I got excited. Showcasing the Laundry Room as a place to be green is important. So much waste comes from there…think about how many laundry containers we’ve tossed (aka -trash, aka recycling) in just the past 12 months – no less our lifetime!
What would have made me more excited would if my company’s product would have made your list 😛
I invented Tangie Laundry Paste, a zero-waste, plastic-free laundry soap concentrate. We are A-rated @EWG and in 100% compostable packaging.
-It comes to you as a paste.
-You drop it into a gallon of water and it dilutes to make a gallon of liquid laundry soap.
-Add to your machine as usual and use between 1/2 oz and one oz per standard load.
-Up to 264 loads per gallon.
I know many choose powder products over liquid as the least packaging option (a cardboard box is less waste than the big ole plastic jugs). I’ve taken liquid laundry soap to the next level. Refilling your own container forever means you will never toss away another laundry container. I’m happy to mail you a sample that dilutes to wash 6-12 loads… if this sounds like a product you would like to try.
Thanks for sharing easy green living with the masses! Doing more with less benefits us all, for healthy oceans and a healthy planet. gratefully, Angie.
I’m intrigued Angie! I’d love to give Tangie laundry paste a go!
I would love to try this!
I would love to try your product. I currently use Clean People. It works great but I’m always looking to try something new and maybe more affordable. I have a house full 💕
I really love the powder from Meliora Cleaning Products – they offer both cardboard canisters (with a no-scoop option to make it plastic free) and they also have paper refill bags, which are even cheaper and lower waste!
I tried Meliora years ago and it was great! I should try it again – love that they are plastic-free!
I tried Meliora and it doesn’t dissolve in tray. It clumps and clogs up soap dispenser.
Oh no – sorry to hear that! That didn’t happen for me. I would reach out to the company and explain what happened – maybe they have a tip for you.
I put the powder right on my clothes and have not had any problems
You’re not supposed to put it in the tray, that’s why it clumped. You add to the water.
I am using FIT laundry detergent right now. It is a liquid. I buy it from Amazon. Satisfied.
Pure Haven
which one would be the most cost effective per load for a standard washer?
and be able to buy in bulk?
Have you tried Nellie’s Laundry Soda? what is your opinion on that if you have?
also do you know any good all natural DIY laundry detergents?
this post was very helpful, just had a few questions!!
Hi Christina – I have not tried Nellie’s yet but I’ve heard of it. I’m pretty sure powdered laundry detergent is usually the most cost effective – the Biokleen powder is awesome! I have yet to make my own, homemade laundry detergent – maybe I’ll do some experimenting with that soon!
I am looking for a low sudsing, safe for sensitive skin and effective laundry detergent for my new he washing machine, does Seventh Generation check all those boxes?
Yes definitely! Seventh Generation Free & Clear would be a good option – it is made for HE washers.
thank you – I’ll give it a try 😊
It’s what I’ve been using for years (7th gen unscented) on my kiddos laundry. My oldest has sensitive skin and gets rashes with other brands. I’ve wanted to switch to a product with lighter packaging but so far- Mollys gave him a rash.
I personally use the Seventh Generation laundry detergent for sensitive skin: it washes the clothes very well, has low suds for the he machines, and is unscented. I would recommend it.
So glad to hear you like the Seventh Generation!
It works as you all said it would and I’ve not had to re-rinse my clothes bcz of too many suds since I started using it.
Hi there, what an outstanding article and very helpful information included. THANK YOU! There is a innovative green laundry product were not mentioned in this article – Dreambly laundry sheets. What I like about dreambly is #1 it works amazing but its everything you need for laundry is in just one sheet. I was a bit skeptical at first as I couldn’t believe you can actually do this but sure enough what they claim actually works. But best part is each sheet is 100% organic and biodegradable in just 10 days so its a true eco-friendly product which I am all about 🙂 What i do is put two sheets in the wash for the best results and drop a couple drips of my fav organic essential oil (Lavender) and then take same sheet out of wash drip oil on the sheet again and toss in the dryer. Clothes come out clean and smelling great… it is so simple…
I almost did the happy dance in the aisles yesterday. Target, even our dinky downtown City Target, now sells Biokleen detergents and they have them at a very reasonable price. Woohoo!
Just heard about that recently too! Love that Biokleen will be available to a wider audience!
Hi –
I’m really grateful for this article. Knowing what goes into my home & personal care products is important. The one thing it looks like you haven’t addressed is how well these products clean. If I missed that, somehow, please point it ut, but otherwise, can you tell me which of these products does the best job of cleaning clothes, while hopefully leaving them undamaged and soft?
Thanks!
I’ve used all of these laundry detergents and find that they work very well!
Hi,
I would love to know your opinion about dropps laundry detergent.
Thanks,
Akshara.
From what I can tell they are pretty good.
I discovered Dropps this year and I absolutely love this detergent. It’s a subscription service and they have plant-based pods. The pod itself is also plant based. They have scented and unscented. The company also has dishwasher pods although I have not tried them yet. I spend about $.19 per load. I find that to be very economical.
I use Dropps dishwasher pods and will continue using them. My dishes, even pans, are clean. As I write this, I realize my glasses and silverware don’t have a soap residue! I was using the very expensive Cascade and think my dishes are cleaner with Dropps.
Glad to hear you love Dropps! Do you use the laundry pods as well as the dishwasher pods?
Great article!! Have you looked into MyGreenFills at all?
Yes, I have used MyGreenFills and I love their refill pouch system! I need to add them to this review when I have a chance!
I’ve been using My green Fills for about a year, and I’ve got to say it is THE best product I’ve ever used. It even takes out old, set in stains. Their other laundry products are also very good.
Thank you for this we’ve been on the search for alternatives to what we currently use
What a great list! I need to switch to an all natural laundry detergent and I’m going to try Meliora. Looking it up in the EWG website, it sounds exactly what I’m looking for. I have respiratory issues, and this one doesn’t list anything in it that could irritate my lungs. Thank you so much for this article!
Hope it works well for you!
Thank you for the list. I’ve been searching for a replacement. Of the products above, which one would you say is the most effective? Especially in cleaning food and dirt/mud stains.
My favorites are the Biokleen laundry powder and Dropps laundry detergent pods. For dirt/mud stains I usually soak with some oxygen bleach before washing and/or rub in some stain remover. Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing all this useful info! I personally recently shift to TrueEarth and I truly enjoy it: it comes in carton box and it doesn’t take much space in your cabinet at all. Available with fragrance or not. Maybe a bit more expensive than other options out there, but at the end of the day I feel great at being part of the solution rather than the problem in polluting our waters. Have a great rest of the week:)
That one’s on my list to try! Thanks for sharing Alice!
I’ve tried quite a few of the above and also like them. I live in New England where the water is very harsh on clothes and the naturally high iron content in our water can keep clothing from looking white after it’s washed even with industrial detergents. My faves are Ecos and Better Life. They seem to work best with our water.
Glad you found a couple eco-friendly laundry detergents that work for you!
What about the laundry soap sheets, how do they do and what is the best?
Great question! I haven’t tried any laundry soap sheets yet, but I’m going to buy some to check out. Any particular brands you want me to try?
Thank you for this informative and helpful post!
Are all these soaps in your post suitable for HE washing machines?
Thanks!
Yes they are!
I use Seventh Generation and I also use their dishsoap. I am looking for an alternative because I do not like companies that make their bottle sizes slightly smaller and charge the same price. It is a disceptive way to raise the price. I also remember when I used them for years, I only needed a small amount of dishsoap. Now I need way more – it seems to be watered down. Again, it feels like a deceptive way to increase prices.
So between them changing the bottle size slightly smaller and yet keeping price the same or more, and watering down liquid, I am very unhappy with the company and thank you for investigating good alternatives.
What do you think of Clean People? I have been using it recently and really like it. Is it good for the environment? What about fabric softner? Is there something I can use that is OK for the environment?
I am still testing out Clean People so I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I don’t use fabric softener myself but ATTITUDE makes one that rates well on the EWG cleaning database. https://mindfulmomma.com/ATTITUDE
Have you tried any of the laundry sheets?
Yes, I have tried some laundry sheets but I do not love the ingredients so I’ve decided not to recommend at this time.
Which brands have sports formulas for odor control?
The Active Wear formula from Molly’s Suds works well! https://mollyssuds.com/discount/MINDFULMOMMA?redirect=/products/activewear-laundry-detergent-powder?aff=65
Which soap works the best for smelly clothes? I have three school age kids and need something to zap the smells!
I like the Active Wear laundry powder from Molly’s Suds: https://mollyssuds.com/discount/MINDFULMOMMA?redirect=/products/activewear-laundry-detergent-powder?aff=65
I started using Truly Free products recently and like them. I noticed on your list that they have a “B” rating on EWG as opposed to several others that hav an “A” rating. Do you know why they have a “B” and should I be concerned enough to switch?Thank you!
Hi Cindy – In my opinion, the B rating on Truly Free laundry detergent is not much to worry about. You can look at the ingredient breakdown here: https://www.ewg.org/cleaners/products/10533-TrulyFreeLaundryWashRefillUnscented/