All my life, I have struggled with laundry detergents. As a kid and adult, most options on the store shelves led to allergic reactions. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I saw an allergist who diagnosed me with a formaldehyde allergy. Upon the diagnosis, I was given a fact sheet on where my allergen was found, and low and behold, laundry detergent was one of the many on the list.

Fast forward to my first time shopping with a confirmed formaldehyde allergy. I went to the store to check the laundry detergent ingredients to find one I wasn’t allergic to. However, I quickly learned that ingredients aren’t on the label of laundry products. I wasn’t concerned about toxins back then, as I didn’t even really understand their extent. So, I stuck to the one brand I wasn’t allergic to, Xtra.

It wasn’t until my natural health journey in 2019 that I learned about toxins and that laundry detergent companies are not required to list the ingredients on their product. Even worse, I discovered many companies didn’t even list them on the brand’s website. I soon discovered a separate webpage (Smart Label) dedicated to these ingredient lists. When I finally found the ingredient lists, it became very clear why companies don’t disclose what is in their products. Just to paint a picture, the brand I previously used contains:

Water, sodium carbonate, sodium laureth sulfate, C12-13 pareth-2, C10-16 pareth or C12-15 alcohols ethoxylated, sodium C10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate, acrylic acid homopolymer, disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, pentasodium DPTA, colorants, and fragrances (1).

Seriously? I can’t pronounce 90% of the ingredient list, can you? And this ingredient list is just one of many. Although I can’t pronounce the ingredients, I can research their risks, so let’s get to it!

Concerning Ingredients in Laundry Detergent

Awareness of not-so-good ingredients is important so you can be informed and know what to look for. However, this is only a partial list of ingredients to watch out for. Remember, if you are unfamiliar with an ingredient, do a quick Google search, but don’t just believe what the first result says; scroll down and read a little to make a truly informed decision. I also have a guide dedicated to concerning ingredients in our judgment-free Facebook group, The Holistic Hipppie Community, which is expanded weekly.

Artificial Colorant

When buying liquid laundry detergent, the color is usually blue or yellow. Many companies, such as Arm & Hammer, use Liquitint™ blue dye (2). Other companies, like Tide, use pigment blue 15, a copper compound listed as “may be harmful in contact with skin” in its safety data sheet (3,4). Unfortunately, there isn’t as much data about these dyes as food coloring, so understanding their risks is difficult. Nonetheless, liquidtint is a polymeric colorant also used to wash cars (5).

Polymers are natural or synthetic substances composed of large molecules made by chemically bonding simpler chemical units called monomers (6). Although polymers can be natural, most are man-made (7). Nonetheless, according to Australia’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme’s (NICNAS) full public report, the polymer in Liquitant Red ST was found to be clastogenic, meaning there was evidence it broke chromosomes, leading to sections of the chromosome being deleted, added, or rearranged (8). The public report also noted that the polymer may break down into an amine, which has demonstrated mutagenic properties in vitro (9). Although I couldn’t find the safety sheet for the specific dyes mentioned above, chances are, like artificial food coloring, all synthetic dyes in laundry detergents are equally harmful.

Brighteners

Brighteners, sometimes referred to as UV or optical brighteners, are what mainstream laundry detergent companies use to treat stains. However, they do not work very well. Instead of removing stains, this ingredient reflects visible light, so you can’t see the stain, making it more of a bandaid for the problem than an actual solution (10). This ingredient has been linked as a potent toxin for aquatic life and causes eye, skin, and lung irritation (11). Additionally, one study noted the difficulty of removing optical brighteners from the environment, which can harm biological treatment systems in domestic and industrial wastewater (12).

Formaldehyde

If you read my post, The Truth About Formaldehyde, you know there are two types of formaldehyde – naturally occurring and synthetically made, and the two couldn’t be more different. Naturally occurring formaldehyde is a carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen substance found in every living organism, from humans to animals and plants, as part of the metabolic process (13). Contrarily, synthetically made formaldehyde combines methyl alcohol vapors, and the air is passed over a platinized asbestos, copper, or silver catalyst (14). Synthetic formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable chemical used to embalm dead bodies. However, it is also used in household cleaners, glues, fungicides, germicides, disinfectants, and preservatives but is not allowed to be added to our food as a preservative. Short-term, formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensation in the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, wheezing, skin irritation, and nausea. Long-term, they aren’t too sure but believe it may cause an increased risk of cancer (15).

Fragrances

The word “fragrance” is a blanket term for the 3,100 stock chemical ingredients the fragrance industry uses (16). If you read my post, The Truth About Fragrance, you know that about 95 percent of fragrances are derived from petrochemicals like benzene derivatives, aldehydes, phthalates, and many other known toxins. Fragrance ingredients can cause cancer, congenital disabilities, nervous system disorders, and allergies (17).

Phosphates

Phosphates refer to a wide variety of chemical compounds, including but not limited to orthophosphates, pyrophosphates, polyphosphates, sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), tetrapotassoim pyrophosphate (TKPP), trisodium phosphates (TSP), tetra-sodium pyrophosphates, potassium pyrophosphates, and sodium-potassium pyrophosphate (8). Exposure to phosphates has been linked to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and even death (9). Additionally, studies have found a connection between phosphates and hormone (endocrine) disruption (20).

Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a biocompatible, synthetic, hydrophilic polyether compound used as a binding and dispersing agent; it can improve the separation of particles while preventing clumping (21). PEG is the active ingredient in laxatives like MiraLAX, with a long list of side effects like severe or bloody diarrhea, rectal bleeding, blood in your stool, painful or worsening stomach pains, and more (22). Side effects aside, some sources state the process of ethoxylation (adding ethylene oxide molecules to a compound) can cause ethylene oxide contamination, which can cause cancer (23).

Sodium Borate

Sodium borate, or borax, is a naturally occurring compound composed of boron, oxygen, hydrogen, and sodium (24). Medline considers borax a dangerous chemical that can lead to acute or chronic poisoning.

“Acute boric acid poisoning usually occurs when someone swallows powdered roach-killing products that contain the chemical. Boric acid is a caustic chemical. If it contacts tissues, it can cause injury.

Chronic poisoning occurs in those who are repeatedly exposed to boric acid. For example, in the past, boric acid was used to disinfect and treat wounds. People who repeatedly received such treatment got sick, and some died (25).”

Borax is often recommended in the natural community as a natural alternative to laundry detergent. Although it is natural, I do not consider it a safe alternative. Some known side effects of borax include skin rash, indigestion, anorexia, exfoliative dermatitis, and alopecia (26). Additionally, borax has been associated with hormone disruption, respiratory problems, damage to stomach cell walls, and organ damage (27,28,29,30).

Sulfates

Sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, sodium lauroyl isethionate, sodium lauroyl taurate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate are aggressive detergents or surfactants made of sulfur-containing mineral salts. Sulfates are found both naturally and synthetically (31). They’re linked to internal organ damage, acute skin and eye irritation, and skin, eye, and lung inflammation (32,33,34). Some sources even mention sulfates irritate the skin, drying the skin and leading to acne breakouts (35). Additionally, the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database considers SLS a “moderate hazard” that has been linked to endocrine disruption (36).

Natural Laundry Recommendations

When I first switched to a more natural laundry option, I started with these washing berries. For those who may not know, washing berries are dried shells (or husks) from the soapberry nut. Soapberries come from the Sapindus Mukorossi tree, a unique species found in both the eastern and western hemispheres but native to the tropical and subtropical conditions of Asia, the Americas, and islands of the Pacific (37). Although they’re often called nuts, they’re dried berries, making them 100% safe for those with a nut allergy.

Although the soapberry is poisonous, it contains a natural soap called saponin (38). When the nutshell absorbs water, saponin is released, creating a soaping effect (39). Saponin is 100% natural and biodegradable, making it hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly. Plus, it’s excellent for sensitive skin, eczema, and even psoriases (40). This has made washing berries a popular alternative in many households, and they are safe to use on:

• Laundry
• Baby clothes
• Whites
• Colors
• Camping stuff
• Wool
• Silk
• Wetsuits/swimsuits

Simply take 4-6 berries, put them in a washing (muslin) bag, and reuse the same berries several times. You’ll know it’s time to change your berries when they become soft and grey. After washing, leave the berries hanging in the bag to air dry instead of putting them in the dryer.

Warning: I do not suggest washing berries for cloth diapers or pads. They are not detergents and will not correctly clean bodily fluids. Instead, I recommend one of the following brands for soiled laundry items:

• Molly’s Suds Laundry Pods are the same clean, simple, effective formula used in their laundry powder but packaged in convenient, easy-to-use laundry pods. One laundry pod per one load of clothes. Gentle for sensitive skin, the environment, and most fabrics, excluding silk and leather.
• Molly’s Suds Laundry Powder has the power of 5 stain-fighting natural ingredients that are safer for your family and the planet. A single tablespoon-sized scoop of powder deep cleans and gently deodorizes one load of clothes. Gentle for sensitive skin, the environment, and most fabrics, excluding silk and leather.

Product Disclaimer

Product recommendations are affiliate links. I do not own or make these products. Recommendations are selected according to ingredients at the time article was written and can change at any time. I encourage you to double-check ingredients and research each company to ensure they’re suitable for your journey.

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