Get the 'dirt' out of your laundry with these nontoxic detergents

Who doesn't love the smell of clean laundry? Well, for one, the experts who study the chemicals often used to create those "fresh clean scents." Yes, there can be potentially harmful ingredients lurking in your linens — particularly when it comes to fragrance. "Fragrances in laundry products can contain hidden chemicals — phthalates, parabens, among other compounds — and those hidden chemicals can impact human health, from [triggering] allergies to [causing] endocrine disruption,” says Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America.

Quick Overview

ECOS Oxo-Brite Color Safe Whitener and Brightener

$24 at ECOS

Château Spill Red Wine Stain Remover Wipes

$17 at Chateau Spill

Attitude Liquid Laundry Detergent, Lavender

$17 at ATTITUDE

Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent Packs, Fresh Citrus Scent

$13 at Seventh Generation

Stoneworks Laundry Detergent Pods

$17 at Grab Green

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That's because "laundry products are subject to a patchwork of federal and state regulations,” says Griffin. "There is no mandatory pre-market approval for products." Which means that you can be exposed to potentially harmful ingredients, including:

• Boron compounds, including boric acid, sodium borate and disodium tetraborate. Used to balance pH and stabilize the enzymes that break up stains, these chemical compounds "are linked to reproductive and developmental toxicity," says Griffin. However, these links are typically only found at high levels of exposure and are generally considered safe for use in cleaning products.

• Optical brighteners — used to make your clothes "sparkling white" — are really just fluorescent chemicals added to detergents to give the appearance of a brighter white. Some research connects them to skin sensitization and reproductive health concerns, but the main issue is that "they get into the water supply and are toxic to aquatic life," says Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit that certifies and rates cleaning and other products based on the risk they pose to human health and the environment.

• Fabric softeners almost always contain chemicals called quaternary ammonia compounds — frequently referred to as "quats" or QACs — which have been linked to birth defects in laboratory animals and may cause asthma, although long-term effects on wider human toxicity are unknown.

How to find healthier laundry products

It's not easy to read through and decipher the, um, laundry list of ingredients in laundry products. And potentially hazardous ingredients can be listed under many different (and long) names. The good news is that independent organizations and agencies, including EWG and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created reliable databases of products that meet certain standards for human and environmental safety.

Choose fragrance-free when possible

"To choose laundry products that are less likely to be toxic or irritating, first, consumers can look for fragrance-free options that will eliminate some of the potentially hazardous chemicals," says Griffin. "It's important to note that 'Unscented' is not the same as fragrance-free, because those products can still contain masking fragrance. Second, they can look for labels that signify stricter safety standards, like EPA Safer Choice or EWG Verified."

If you're really attached to the lavender-scented towels, the Safer Choice label will help you find products with healthier ingredients. "Consumers grow really attached to fragrance," says Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This? "But there are ways to achieve fragrance without potentially harmful chemicals." Safer Choice maintains a "safer chemical ingredient list" that includes a safer fragrance palette for manufacturers to use.

EPA Safer Choice

"Before a product can carry the Safer Choice label, EPA scientists review all chemical ingredients, regardless of their percentage in the product," says Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the EPA. "Every ingredient must meet safety criteria for both human health and the environment, including carcinogenicity [whether it's been associated with cancer risk], reproductive/developmental toxicity, toxicity to aquatic life, and persistence in the environment." The Safer Choice label guarantees that a product:

• Does not contain chemicals that are linked to cancer, fertility problems or other human health problems, especially from frequent use.

• Is better for indoor air quality and associated respiratory concerns.

• Meets pH standards that minimize the potential for skin and eye injury.

• Meets low environmental toxicity limits and/or biodegrades quickly.

EWG Verified

EWG has some of the strictest health and safety standards of all certification programs, requiring that any product it certifies as "EWG Verified" not contain any "unacceptable ingredients, which include ingredients with health, ecotoxicity and/or contamination concern," says Geller. For that reason, there are fewer products that pass their muster, but they also rank other products by level of concern, with "A" being "low-concern" to "F" signifying "worst."

Here's a guide to widely available products that are either certified Safer Choice or EWG Verified or carry the EWG low-concern rank of "A."

Brighteners and Stain Removers

ECOS Oxo-Brite Color Safe Whitener and Brightener

$24

This brightener, endorsed with the Safer Choice label, comes one rank lower than EWG-Verified, scoring an A for "low concern." The active ingredient, sodium percarbonate, "is a really great bleach alternative," says Geller. For added whiteness, she recommends soaking whites before washing them and hanging them to dry in the sun.

$24 at ECOS

Château Spill Red Wine Stain Remover Wipes

$17

Both EPA and EWG give these travel-friendly stain removers their seal of approval. Not a drinker? Don't worry, these wipes are effective for all kinds of tough, dark stains, including blood.

$17 at Chateau Spill

Attitude Liquid Laundry Detergent, Lavender

$17

This liquid detergent is EWG-Verified, meaning it contains none of the chemicals that EWG considers a threat to human health or the environment. It also gets high marks from consumers, who find it to be one of the most effective, pleasant-smelling environmentally friendly and nontoxic options. You can order refills in an eco-conscious cardboard box.

$17 at ATTITUDE

Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent Packs, Fresh Citrus Scent

$13

These pods come with high marks from several sources. They are Safer Choice Certified and rank low on the EWG concern scale, at "A." The U.S. Department of Agriculture certifies that they are 94% "biobased," which means the majority of the product is derived from plant sources, as opposed to sources like petroleum. The detergent contains no synthetic fragrances and gets high marks for performance.

$13 at Seventh Generation

Stoneworks Laundry Detergent Pods

$17

The fragrance-free version of this Safer Choice pick is designated low-concern by EWG. The pods are covered in an extremely bitter-tasting chemical used to discourage accidental ingestion by children or others. The best way to keep your family safe from cleaning products, however, is to keep them inaccessible to children and pets.

$17 at Grab Green

Attitude Baby Laundry Detergent Liquid

$26

Attitude's laundry detergent for babies is also EWG Verified so you can rest easy knowing your little one's clothing and bedding are being safely washed. We like the unscented version, but you can also choose a chamomile-scented option. 

$26 at ATTITUDE

Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls

$13

Reusable dryer balls are one of the safest ways to help soften your laundry, while reducing drying time. 

$13 at Handy Laundry

Seventh Generation Laundry Fabric Softener Liquid Free & Clear

$8

Seventh Generation proves that it is at the top of its game again, with this EPA Safer Choice-certified fabric softener. 

$8 at Seventh Generation

Dropps Laundry Fabric Softener Pods

$22

Earning the EWG's "A" rating, these easy-to-use fabric softener pods come in a range of scents developed with safer-for-you fragrance additives like lavender oil and eucalyptus leaf oil. 

$22 at dropps

Laundry Detergent

Fabric Softener

It is tough to find a safe alternative to fabric softeners, so Geller recommends "skipping fabric softener if you can" until companies are able to come up with a less potentially harmful alternative. Dryer balls are a safe option that can soften clothes and decrease drying time.

If you just can’t skip the softening step, check out these less harmful options:

Meet the experts

• Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America

• Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group

• Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This?

• Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the Environmental Protection Agency

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.