Laundry Detergent
*Originally posted 2019, updated January 2023
The largest organ in your body is in constant contact with fabrics that are likely cleaned with toxic ingredients. These ingredients can be responsible for skin irritation, eczema, and more.
What Makes Laundry Detergent Harmful
Fragrance in Detergent
We associate the fresh smell of laundry with cleanliness. But the clean smell of the majority of laundry detergents come from synthetic fragrances, which are quite toxic. Fragrance is a blanket term for the many ingredients that make up fragrance, some of which have been found to be toxic like phthalates. Companies are not required to disclose the ingredients used to make up the fragrance, so the consumer has no idea what is inside.
Surprisingly, allergens and chemicals associated with skin irritation and eczema are commonly used in laundry detergent.
Ethoxylated Ingredients
Many detergents have ethoxylated ingredients which may contain carcinogenic contaminants. These carcinogens are 1,4-dioxane, and ethylene oxide which are associated with reproductive, developmental, and endocrine effects, and DNA damage. Detergents found to have higher levels of 1,4-dioxane in a 2018 study include the following:
Dreft (Stage 1/Newborn) - 10 parts per millions 1,4-dioxane (ppm)
Tide Original – 14 ppm
2x Ultra Ivory Snow Gentle Care – 11 ppm
Gain Original – 10 ppm
As of early 2023, several detergents in New York such as Arm & Hammer Clean Burst, Tide Original, Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear, and Gain Original + Aroma Boost because they contain more than New York’s acceptable level of 1,4-dioxane, per new legislation.
Problem with Labels
There are many trendy labels that might lead a consumer to believe a detergent is clean even when it is not like “eco-friendly,” “vegan and cruelty free,” and “phosphate free.” For example, Earth Breeze Eco Sheets laundry detergent has 5 “-free” labels yet has ingredients that are potentially harmful.
Other harmful ingredients commonly used in laundry detergent include the following:
Methylisothiazolinone – an allergenic preservative that is possibly neurotoxic based on lab studies on the brain cells of mammals. It is banned for use in cosmetics by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and limited to .0015% of rinse off products.
Benzisothiazolinone – preservative that is an allergen and associated with skin/eye/lung irritation. It found unsafe for use in cosmetics by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).
Ethanolamines - used as surfactants and to help emulsions form. They can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic, when reacting with nitrosating agents either in the formula or with airborne nitrogen oxides. They have been found to irritate eyes, skin, and the respiratory tract. Animal studies show an increased incidence of liver and kidney tumors in mice with dermal exposure to diethanolamine. Diethanolamine is not allowed in cosmetics and personal care products in the EU and Canada.
Ethoxylates– eye damage, harmful if swallowed, skin irritation. May contain impurities 1,4-dioxane, and ethylene oxide which are associated with reproductive, developmental, and endocrine effects, cancer, and DNA damage. Dreft Stage I detergent was found to contain 1,4-dioxane.
Fragrance - considered a trade secret, fragrance is actually mix of fragrance and chemicals. Ingredients have been found in fragrance that are associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress, potential effects on the reproductive system, and endocrine disruption (phthalates).
Sodium borate - also known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate or borax, it is associated with skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation. According to the European Chemicals Agency and GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, developed by the United Nations), sodium tetraborate decahydrate may be toxic to reproduction.
Greenwashed Laundry Detergents
Tide Free and Gentle contains sodium borate, methylisothiazolinone, alkoxylates, and ethanolamines.
Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent, Free and Clear contains methylsothiazolinone, and benzisothiazolinone.
Earth Breeze Eco Sheets contain ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol.
Safely contains benzisothiazolinone, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and fragrance.
My Go-To Laundry Detergent
Branch Basics laundry detergent cleans well and is gentle on skin. There is no added fragrance, and clothes smell naturally clean. For deeper cleaning or dirtier clothes, add a scoop of Branch Basics Oxygen Boost to the load.
Purchase a Branch Basics bundle for $69 which includes their full size concentrate, oxygen boost, and 5 refillable bottles for all purpose, windows, bathroom, foaming hand soap, and laundry cleaning. Save 15% on starter kits with code switchnatural.
Want to try a sample size? You can purchase Branch Basics laundry bottle ($4), plus a trial kit ($5) that includes a 2 oz concentrate and All Purpose bottle.
In Store Options
There are several nontoxic options you can find in stores. My favorite in store options are Defunkify (unscented) and Dirty Labs (unscented).
About Branch Basics
Branch Basics uses a single concentrate that you mix with water to create multiple cleaning products. Their bottles are refillable.
According to the Branch Basics website, one bottle of the concentrate makes the following:
· 3 All-Purpose bottles (24 oz.) at $2.90 each
· 3 Bathroom bottles (24 oz.) at $5.80 each
· 3 Streak-Free bottles (24 oz.) at $0.20 each
· 3 Foaming Wash bottles (10 oz.) at $2.90 each
· 64 laundry loads at $0.24 per load
References & Resources
[1https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Borax
[2] https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.129.152
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16547166#targetText=Methylisothiazolinone%2C%20a%20neurotoxic%20biocide%2C%20disrupts%20the%20association%20of%20SRC%20family,kinase%20in%20developing%20cortical%20neurons.&targetText=Methylisothiazolinone%20(MIT)%20is%20a%20biocide,with%20potential%20as%20a%20neurotoxicant.
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23340392
[5] https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i16/Preservative-leavecosmetics-banned-EU.html
[6] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1_2-Benzisothiazol-3_2H_-one#section=Safety-and-Hazards
[7] https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_099.pdf
[8] https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/ethanolamine
[9] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/nitroso-compounds
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8956558/
[11] https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/diethanolamine.pdf
[13] https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/pdf/COSING_Annex%20II_v2.pdf
[14] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/labelling/safety- ingredients.html#a4.3https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0835.pdf
[15] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/labelling/safety-ingredients.html#a4.3
[16] https://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/category-details?table=copytblagents&id=288
[17] https://www.echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.105.687
[18] https://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/151952-AlcoholethoxylatesC10128EO
[19] https://www.heraproject.com/files/34-F-09%20HERA%20AE%20Report%20Version%202%20-%203%20Sept%2009.pdf
[20] https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2010/02/3163-ingredients-hide-behind-word-fragrance
[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14572300
