Best Organic Laundry Detergent

Conventional detergents have toxic substances that are harmful to you and the environment. Whichever laundry detergent you use, it leaves a residue on your clothes, bedsheets, and curtains. These are items that come into contact with your skin for hours every day.

Laundry detergents are never entirely rinsed out. You continue inhaling them when you wash your laundry through your nose, mouth, and some absorbs through your skin. To avoid the mess that these detergents can do to your body, opt for the best organic laundry detergent. These are made of natural and organic plant-based ingredients that are safe for your family and the environment.

Below is a complete guide on shopping for organic laundry detergent:

Index Table: 10 Top-Rated Organic Laundry Detergent Brands

What are Organic Laundry Detergents?

Organic detergents feature all organic ingredients sourced from plants. For plants to be organic, they need to grow in rich soil without using inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. The end product will contain no chemicals such as pesticides, and this makes the detergents safe. 

The United States Department of Agriculture certifies organic products. You can always check the certification of a product before buying it. However, not all organic products come with USDA certification, as some only have organic ingredients. 

To ensure that a product is organic, look at the list of ingredients. All ingredients need to be plant-based. If you do not understand a particular ingredient, you can search it online to verify its true identity. Some organic laundry detergents contain natural minerals. However, it is not easy to ascertain whether a mineral is organic, especially when the place of origin might be contaminated with chemicals. Sea salt is one of the common minerals. When sourced right, this ingredient is safe for you. 

Forms of Organic Laundry Detergents

Why Use Organic Laundry Detergents?

Organic laundry detergents are safe for everyone in your family, and they also help you conserve the environment. Below are reasons to go organic:

• No Harsh Chemicals – Chemicals such as sulfates, phthalates, and phosphates do not completely rinse out of your clothes. The chemicals stay on your clothes, and they can absorb through the skin and affect your hormones. They can cause allergies and asthma. Organic soaps are free of these chemicals. 
• Safe for the Environment – The plant-based ingredients in organic detergents are biodegradable and safe to the environment. Some organic detergent manufacturers use biodegradable packaging and avoid plastics. Others offer one bottle that you refill instead of buying a new bottled detergent. 
• Gentle on Clothes – The plant-based or natural minerals are gentle on your clothes. You can use them to clean delicate fabrics such as synthetics, wash babies’ clothes, and clean any other fabric at home. Some detergents can be used for the body and face. 
• Contains Essential Oils – Essential oils not only leave your clothes with a sweet scent, but they are also safe on your skin. When used in organic detergents, essential oils such as myrrh, lavender, and frankincense are soothing to your skin. Citrus is more exciting, while eucalyptus is relaxing. 
• Fabric Softening – Organic ingredients naturally soften your fabrics. They may contain coconut oil, which gives your clothes the softness you need. These ingredients also add a natural scent to your clothes. 
• Concentrated Formula – Most detergents come with a concentrated formula where an ounce will be enough for a load of laundry. This way, you only need a small amount, and you are good to go. 

Organic detergents might be more expensive than conventional products, but they are worth the price when you need safety.

Ingredients to Avoid In Organic Baby Laundry Detergents

There are so many harmful ingredients in conventional detergents. While these ingredients make the detergents more effective and give them a sweet scent, they are not safe for your hands. They include:

• Fragrances: Fragrances are nothing but chemicals that make a detergent smell nice. FDA does not require that companies list the ingredients used to make the fragrances. As such, the ingredients will only be listed as a fragrance and nothing more. The challenge with scents is that they cause skin irritation. For people with allergies, the fragrances might exacerbate them. 
• Bleach: Bleach is not safe for your skin or your clothes. Bleach irritates your skin, your eyes, and the lungs. Bleach doesn’t do well with delicate and colored fabrics. These bleaches make conventional detergents more effective, but they will fade the bright colors of your clothes. 
• Brighteners: Brighteners are excellent when you need your clothes to appear bright after washing. The substances make your clothes seem cleaner than they are. However, these chemicals are harsh on your skin. They do not rinse out well, and they keep absorbing into your skin and causing more harm. 
• Phosphates: They are one of the ingredients in pesticides. In laundry detergents, phosphates make hard water soft. This makes the soap to lather well with water, and cleaning becomes easier. However, the ingredients are harmful to the environment. When used, they cause algal bloom when they come into contact with water. Another dangerous substance is EDTA, which is non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment.

Features to Look for in Best Organic Laundry Detergent Brands

Organic laundry detergents are safe for you and your family. Some of the factors that make them safe include:

• Plant-Based Ingredients: Herbs and other plants are safe for human use. Except for a few obnoxious plants, it is hard to go wrong with plant-based ingredients. These ingredients are biodegradable, making them safe for the environment. 
• Biodegradable Ingredients: Not all-natural ingredients decompose. However, if you find a product that decomposes, you are sure that it will be safe for the environment. The biodegradation should extend to the packaging, which should be less plastic and more degradable.
• Essential Oils: Natural essentials oils are good for your skin. These oils not only smell nice, but they also absorb into your skin, giving you naturally soft skin. The oils are also safe for the environment so that you can use them every day without any expected damages. 
• Hypoallergenic: If you suffer from allergies and sensitivities, you need to choose a hypoallergenic product. Most organic detergents are hypoallergenic. However, if you are allergic to some plants and some oils, you need to check the ingredients to ensure you are safe when you use a certain product.
• Scented: Organic laundry detergents might come with some natural scents extracted from plants and plant products. They may be flower scents or fruit scents. The most common are citrus fruit scent and rosemary scent. These scents are not harmful to your body or your clothes as they are natural.

Types of Ingredients in Organic Detergents

Many ingredients are missing in organic detergents but are available in conventional detergents. They include builders, brighteners, polymers, preservatives, solvents, and fragrances. Instead, the detergents might contain:

• Enzymes: Not all organic detergents contain enzymes, but some have natural enzymes. These are great when you need to remove plant-based stains such as blood, eggs, milk, and food-related stains. The enzymes break down the stains, making them easy to remove. 
• Surfactants: These are the main cleaning ingredients in a detergent. Plants have natural surfactants that clean your clothes as effectively as artificial surfactants. They remove stains by enhancing the wetting ability of water, and then they loosen dirt, emulsify the dirt, and suspend it in water for easy rinsing. 
• Stabilizers: Natural stabilizers help maintain the enzymes to ensure the product stays on the shelf for a long time. Some plants are great natural stabilizers, and these are used instead of chemicals. 
• Fabric Conditioners: Most organic ingredients are natural fabric conditioners. However, some detergents contain built-in fabric conditioners that enhance the softening power of the detergents. The conditioner also removes static electricity.

Certifications and Endorsements in Organic Laundry Detergents

How do you know a cleaning detergent product is safe for you and the environment?

Which Organic Detergent is Best for You?

When it gets down to shopping, you need to know what you need from a laundry detergent. Some detergents have a formula that cleans a specific stain, say mold or oils, while others are general and can remove all types of stains. Other detergents are versatile and can do laundry dishes, wash the body and face, and still wipe surfaces. Others are only good for laundry. Other factors to consider include:

• If you have babies and wash delicate fabrics, you need to be very careful when choosing detergents. Babies need unscented or naturally scented detergents that soften clothes after cleaning. Babies’ clothes might also feature delicate and soft fabrics that may not withstand tough detergents. 
• Your washing machine also determines the detergent you pick. Although most detergents work with high efficiency and standard machines, a few might only work with one type of these machines. Check the amount of detergent that you should use for each kind of machine to ensure that you get the best value for money. 
• Ease of use should also be a consideration. Most detergents are ready-to-use, but some require you to dissolve or dilute them, such as pastes, bars, and soap berries. Check the manufacturer’s instructions and compare the different soaps. 
• Lastly, check the bottle and the means of dispensing. This may not be your first priority, but a detergent that dispenses with ease gives you value for money. 

10 Best Organic Laundry Detergents

Final Thoughts

While conventional detergents might fight stains better, and they leave your clothes with a sweet fragrance, they are harsh on your hands, your skin, and your clothes. The chemicals that give these detergents the high cleaning power also makes them powerful enough to leave your skin dry and to wash off color in some clothes. Unlike bar soaps that have less cleansing power, detergents can be harsh on delicate fabrics. 

The best organic laundry detergents are safe on delicate fabrics, baby’s clothes, and your skin. The ingredients in these detergents are plant-based and safe for you, your family, pets, and the environment. Take the safe step today, and get organic detergent.