As a dermatologist, I’m regularly recommending my patients change their laundry detergent.
In fact, most laundry detergent contains chemicals that I try to avoid – and that I recommend my patients avoid as well.
The “ingredients to avoid” includes 1,4 dioxane (the EPA links 1,4 dioxane to liver toxicity & cancer¹), ethoxylated alcohols (which damage the gut barrier²), synthetic dyes, SLS/SLES (which can irritate the skin), optical brighteners, parabens, phosphates, sulfates & more.
Your skin, the body’s largest organ, is constantly in contact with your laundry detergent, making it essential to know what ingredients you’re exposing yourself to. When patients come in with skin irritations, the first thing we discuss is their laundry detergent.
I recommend several different laundry detergent brands depending on my patient’s needs. Here are the 5 Best.
TLDR: CLEAN PEOPLE Laundry Detergent ranked #1 because it has a powerful clean, has no 1,4 dioxane, SLS/SLES, parabens, phosphates, sulfates, synthetic dyes, and no optical brighteners, and as a bonus is plastic free packaging! I use Clean People in my home and love it.
1. CLEAN PEOPLE Laundry Detergent
Clean People Laundry Detergent consistently impresses me and is my favorite laundry detergent by far, earning 5 stars ★★★★★. It effectively cleans and eliminates odors while being gentle on my patients’ sensitive skin. All clothes came out fresh and clean. In other words, it works!
Clean People uses clean, simple, effective ingredients, and doesn’t contain harsh chemicals like 1,4 dioxane, optical brighteners, sulfates, phosphates, parabens, chlorine, or synthetic dyes (that’s why it’s hypoallergenic and recommended by me — a dermatologist!).
I love that it’s 100% Plastic Free Packaging. That means it’s better for the environment than using plastic jugs.
Finally, I appreciate the outstanding reviews Clean People has received—including from me and my patients who have switched!
Clean People comes in Fragrance Free and Fresh & Clean Scent. For my most sensitive patients, I recommend the Fragrance-Free option but I use Fresh & Clean!
This is what I recommend and use at home and thus earned the #1 spot.
UPDATE: Clean People has a Buy 1 Get 1 FREE BOGO Sale still live right now, use coupon code BOGO. This special BOGO deal is only available on their official website. It’s not available on Amazon or anywhere else.
2. Thieves
Thieves earned my #2 spot. Like #1 Clean People, Thieves is made from simple, effective ingredients. While Clean People is a laundry sheet, Thieves is liquid laundry. I love that it is easy to pour. Thieves offers strong cleaning power with clean ingredients and performed well on all my laundry. Thieves comes in an amazing spicy aroma
The combination of cleaning power, ingredients, and little plastic earned Thieves my #2 spot.
3. Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation came in 3rd place. Free & Clear is a fragrance free formula. Seventh Generation did well at cleaning and removing odors. Seventh Generation uses simple, effective ingredients and is hypoallergenic. However, some of Seventh Generation’s ingredients raise concerns for me as a dermatologist. First off, Free & Clear includes SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) which can cause rashes and harm your skin. Additionally, the detergent includes preservatives (methylisothiazolinone and benzisothiazolinone) that are known to cause extreme allergic reactions in some people.
While the bottles are made mostly from recycled plastic, they often still end up in landfills.
I loved the cleanliness and that you can find this product everywhere in a pinch. But the 1,4 dioxane & plastic bottle dropped Seventh Generation to my #3 spot.
4. Mrs. Myers
An easy-to-find product with plant-derived ingredients and a fantastic scent! It contains MIT and BIT preservatives, which are generally safe for most people but can cause skin irritation in some. This is why I prefer the ingredients in my higher-ranked options. However, if you’re looking for specific aromas, Mrs. Meyer’s offers a wide variety of great-smelling choices.
5. Dirty Labs
Great product! And I love their aluminum containers (aluminum is infinitely recyclable which makes it an environmentally friendly option) but it is too expensive to make it make sense.
Buy it here.
My Recommendation Is…
I recommend CLEAN PEOPLE. Simple, effective ingredients, no gross ingredients, plastic free packaging, powerful at cleaning and stain removal, and you can get a 🚀 Limited-Time Deal: Buy 1, Get 1 FREE
#1 CLEAN PEOPLE Fresh & Clean: Buy It Here
#2 Thieves: Buy It Here
#3 Seventh Generation: Buy it Here
#4 Mrs. Myers: Buy it Here
#5 Dirty Labs: Buy it Here
¹ https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/final-risk-evaluation-14-dioxane
² https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36464527/
I love Clean People! I was originally skeptical about the laundry sheet format, but after using them for a year I can say I’m NEVER going back to those heavy liquid jugs!
Big plastic detergent jugs are a thing of the past! So glad you love Clean People sheets as much as I do.
Where can I buy Clean People? Do you have a discount code?
You can get Clean People here: https://www.getcleanpeople.com/product/fresh-clean-laundry-detergent/
Right now they’re offering a BOGO deal for new customers! Buy a 96-Pack, get a 32-Pack FREE.
My detergent says “Free and Clear”, should I be worried? I assumed it meant it was made with no toxic ingredients.
Ah, this is a common mistake! I thought the same thing you did, but after doing research I found out that a lot of toxic chemicals (like 1,4-Dioxane, a human carcinogen) don’t have to be listed on labels. So a lot of “Free + Clear” formulas aren’t actually as clean as we’d like them to be. That’s why I love how transparent Clean People is about their ingredients!
I have sensitive skin and most laundry detergents make me break out or even cause a rash. Any tips?
Totally get it! My #1 suggestion is to switch to a detergent that is free from toxic irritants and harsh fragrances. I recommend Clean People! They don’t use any SLS, Parabens, or harsh fragrances. They even use essential oils in some of their scents, plus they have a fragrance free option!
Will Clean People actually get my clothes clean? I get skeptical about non-toxic detergents.
Understandable concern, I used to be the same way! I’ve used Clean People laundry sheets for a year now, and they’ve removed even the toughest stains. I love how clean my clothes get without having to worry about cancer causing chemicals!