Not gonna lie, when I started transitioning to an organic lifestyle, laundry was one of the toughest categories for me to swap! 🧺 First of all, there weren’t many non-toxic options back in the day. And secondly, a lot of them were just straight up NOT effective. But after a few years (and a couple of duds), I’ve finally found an assortment of safe, low-tox laundry products that work well for me that I can’t wait to share with you too!
This post contains affiliate links.
Non-Toxic Laundry Detergents (That Actually Work!)
I truly think laundry is one of the most important categories to use safer, cleaner products! Think about it: our clothes cover us all day long and sit directly on our skin! Not to mention bras and undies that are snuggling with our intimate areas. And even things like bedsheets and towels that are used all over. Eeek!
Many conventional laundry products contain a TON of harmful ingredients. I mean, have you ever walked past someone’s house and you can SMELL the laundry exhaust?! Gross. These ingredients linger on fabrics even after washing and drying, too. If you suffer from eczema, rashes, or itchy skin… try using natural laundry products and see if that helps!
Other ingredients to avoid in laundry products:
- Bleach
- Ethanolamine
- Ethoxylates (alkoxylate, phenoxyethanol)
- Optical brighteners and colorants
- Propylene glycol
- Sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfates, sodium laureth sulfate)
- Synthetic fragrances
Heads up! Just because a laundry detergent brand claims to be “free and clear” or “gentle” or “sensitive-skin friendly” doesn’t mean it actually uses clean ingredients! ⚠️
Branch Basics Laundry Detergent Liquid
You’ve likely heard me mention Branch Basics elsewhere on this blog; that’s because it’s amazing and so versatile! It’s a cleaning concentrate that you dilute with water at different ratios depending on the purpose (it comes with special bottles that have measurements on them). It’s plant-based, fragrance-free, and human-safe. One bottle of the mixture makes about 64 laundry loads. This is what I primarily use for detergent!
I also love Branch Basic’s Oxygen Boost powder to whiten and brighten clothes (it can be used to remove stains as well). Just add a scoop of the powder to your washing machine with a load. If you ever want to detoxify your clothing from dirt, grime, and built-up residues, you can even use Branch Basics for laundry stripping!
You can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA at checkout for 15% off starter kits.
Charlie’s Soap Laundry Detergent Powder
This is another laundry option I love; it’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, septic-safe, and made with only four ingredients. It’s concentrated and you can choose from various bag sizes. Charlie’s removes everything from grease, grass, food, poop, and blood. I’ve heard from moms that even use it for cloth diapers!
I feel like this works equally as well as Branch Basics but is a bit more cost-effective. I use them both interchangeably. My clothes always come out fresh and soft after using this! (even my husband’s stinky running shorts)
Buy Charlie’s Laundry Powder Here
Micro Balance EC3 Laundry Mold Additive
This is an additive that I’ll occasionally use when washing bath towels, especially if they start to smell funky or mildewy. It deodorizes and eliminates mold spores from fabrics. I do feel like it helps get rid of that moldy smell!
Organic Distilled White Vinegar
Vinegar is an inexpensive addition to any laundry routine. It’s not a detergent but I’ll occasionally add about a ½ cup to a rinse cycle. Even though vinegar is stinky, it contains acetic acid and actually neutralizes odors on your clothes. It won’t leave any smells behind if you dilute it enough. It loosens the buildup on clothes and also acts as a fabric softener. Bonus: vinegar cleans your washing machine too!
Want to DIY your own detergent? My friend Kelsey has a simple homemade laundry detergent recipe!
Natural Stain Removal & Brightening White Clothes (Without Bleach!)
While many people turn to bleach to solve all of their problems, I avoid it! ❌ Bleach can be extremely harmful, especially when mixed with other cleaning products. It’s associated with health conditions such as ear/nose/throat irritation, coughing, breathing issues, burning eyes, runny nose, and chest pain. Thankfully, there are much safer ways to brighten your clothes, sans bleach!
Puracy Stain Remover Spray
This stuff is powerful, especially for oily stains! It’s 99.96% natural and contains a bunch of plant-based enzymes. I just spritz some on a stain and wait at least 15 minutes before putting it in the laundry. If it’s a more intense stain, I’ll leave it for up to 8 hours.
Meliora Stain Stick
This is a more budget-friendly option that has plastic-free packaging. It’s MADE SAFE® Certified and the ingredients are cleaner compared to Puracy. It has vegetable soap from organic coconut and sunflower oil! You simply get the stained area wet and rub the stick on it as a pre-treatment to washing. It works!
You can use code BECCA10 for a discount at EarthHero.
Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing Concentrate
Did you know that most fabrics, even cotton, are not intensely white by nature? White clothes often have blue added to them which appears white to our eyes. After time, that fades, so the white might turn dull or yellow (plus, humans are kind of gross and sweaty and such). This concentrate has been used for over 130 years to safely whiten clothing. It’s NOT a stain remover or bleach; it’s blue iron powder suspended in water 🌀
Use caution because it CAN go wrong if you don’t do it properly. I always squirt about a teaspoon into a quart of cold water, stir, and then add it to my laundry drum after filling with water. Basically, you don’t want any blue streaks or spots and it needs to be diluted before adding clothing. But it really makes white clothes bright and vibrant. Oh yeah, and it’s only $7 bucks!
Buy Liquid Bluing Concentrate Here
Related post: “16+ Simple Ways to “Greenify” Your Home & Live Naturally”
Pro tip: Lay clothes out in the sun for natural stain removal! ☀️
Have you heard of sun bleaching? Another way to lighten stains is to lay clothes flat in the sun for a few hours! It’s best done when they’re wet or damp (preferably after you’ve already used a natural stain remover for tougher stains). You could even add lemon juice for a little boost!
Other Laundry Accessories
Wool Dryer Balls
Wool dryer balls are pretty easy to come by these days and there are tons of brands that sell them! 🐑 I prefer the Molly’s Suds balls because they are undyed and source wool from 100% mulesing-free New Zealand sheep raised on registered family farms. The suppliers are certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and the farms are committed to humane shearing techniques!
Wool dryer balls are a swap for dryer sheets, which are often heavily fragranced and can even leave residues on your clothing. Wool balls are hypoallergenic, soften fabrics, minimize static, and leave no fibers behind. They also reduce drying time by about a third because they absorb moisture. They’re inherently antimicrobial and last about 1000 loads which is approximately 3 years. You can also add drops of pure, organic essential oils for a little scent boost!
Buy Molly’s Suds Wool Dryer Balls Here
Reusable Lint Brush
Most lint rollers are single-use plastic and have a lot of weird glues on them. I have not tried this lint brush myself, but have heard great reviews from people that it works well (even for pet hair)! It’s made with sustainably-harvested beechwood for the handle and sustainably-sourced rubber for the bristles.
You can use code BECCA10 for a discount at EarthHero.
Organic Cotton Mesh Delicates Bag
I like using mesh bags for delicate items like bras or things I want to keep separate to prevent snagging, tearing, ripping, etc. These garment bags come in multiple sizes and are GOTS-certified organic cotton. It has a drawstring closure and no microplastics!
Cora Microfiber Ball
Honestly, I have no clue if this *truly* does anything impactful, but I’ve used it for a few years now, and I do notice that it collects tiny particles/fibers. Basically, when you wash clothes that are made from synthetic materials like polyester or nylon, they can shed microplastics into the water stream. It’s even estimated that NYC alone has 6.8 BILLION microfibers flowing into its harbor each day, whoa! 🌊
If you only wear clothing made with biodegradable fibers like organic cotton or hemp, then this isn’t really a worry. But this ball is supposed to catch about 26% of microfibers per wash load. Another popular option is the Guppyfriend which is a bag that you place synthetic textiles in while washing and it helps catch them.
You can use code BECCA10 for a discount at EarthHero.
Related post: “9 Sustainable Fashion Brands for a Simple Wardrobe (+ All Budgets!)”
Fabric Steamer
Would you believe that I actually don’t own an iron?! If my clothes are wrinkly, I just use a steamer to smooth things out. It just needs water and that’s it ♨️ (much safer than fragranced wrinkle-release sprays, too)
Buy Conair Laundry Steamer Here
Take it from me, you can TOTALLY have clean clothes without using all the harsh conventional chemicals. Drop any questions in the comments below or share your own personal favorite brands and go-to laundry hacks!
Love Puracy stain remover and laundry detergent! Great post , thank u very much!
Thanks for reading, Genny!
Great options! Checking out a few of these items! I’m curious to know if you’ve ever tried Molly’s Suds detergent. That’s what I’m using now and would love to know how it stacks up against Buckaroo.
Hi Diana! I used the Molly’s Suds powder a few years ago and I think Buckaroo works better than that! But I know they have a liquid which is supposed to be good but I haven’t tried that one!
What’s your opinion on Downy’s unstoppables for fragrance boost?
Hi! It’s not something I would use because of the fragrances, dyes, and PEGs. I would opt for putting some essential oils on the wool dryer balls instead!