Laundry detergent is one of the highest-exposure household products — it rinses into fabrics that sit against your skin and your children's skin all day. Conventional detergents often include optical brighteners, synthetic fragrances, and surfactants that EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning flags as concerns. This roundup covers laundry detergents that rank best in EWG's cleaning database, with priority given to brands carrying the EWG VERIFIED® mark for maximum ingredient transparency.
Want to understand how EWG rates cleaning products? See our explainer: EWG VERIFIED® vs. Conventional: What the Score Means
Why Your Laundry Detergent's EWG Rating Matters
Unlike food and drugs, household cleaning products in the U.S. are not required to disclose every ingredient on the label. Detergent manufacturers can list "surfactants" or "fragrance" without itemizing the individual chemicals. EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning (ewg.org/cleaners) evaluates household cleaning products including laundry detergents and assigns letter grades A through F based on:
- Ingredient hazard: Whether ingredients are linked to cancer, respiratory issues, reproductive harm, skin sensitization, or environmental persistence
- Ingredient disclosure: Whether the brand voluntarily discloses its full formula
- Marketing claims: Whether the product makes misleading environmental or safety claims
EWG VERIFIED® laundry detergents hold the highest bar — full ingredient disclosure (including fragrance), no EWG-Unacceptable ingredients, and a clean formulation profile.
Key ingredients EWG flags in many laundry detergents:
- Optical brighteners (fluorescent whitening agents): Persist on fabric and can cause skin sensitization
- 1,4-Dioxane: A carcinogenic contaminant found in some ethoxylated surfactants (the "PEG" compounds); not listed on labels
- Synthetic musks: Persistent fragrance compounds linked to hormone disruption
- Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats): Antimicrobial ingredients linked to asthma and potentially to antimicrobial resistance
- Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs): Surfactants that degrade to endocrine-disrupting compounds
Browse EWG-rated laundry products in our shop: laundry products
Top EWG-Rated Laundry Detergent Brands
1. ATTITUDE Baby Laundry Detergent — EWG VERIFIED®
ATTITUDE's Baby Laundry Detergent is a plant- and mineral-derived formula specifically designed for baby clothes, towels, and bedding — and it carries the EWG VERIFIED® mark. It's hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and works in both standard and high-efficiency (HE) machines. Vegan and cruelty-free. An excellent first choice for households with infants or anyone prioritizing the highest EWG standard.
EWG Status: EWG VERIFIED®
Key Free-Froms: Synthetic fragrance-free, paraben-free, phosphate-free, dye-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE
Best For: Baby laundry, fragrance-sensitive households, families wanting EWG VERIFIED® laundry
ATTITUDE Baby Laundry Detergent — Buy on Amazon ↗
2. ATTITUDE Laundry Detergent — EWG VERIFIED®
ATTITUDE's adult/household laundry detergent line extends the same EWG VERIFIED® formulation principles to general household use. Available in fragrance-free and naturally scented options (scents derived from natural sources with full disclosure). Concentrated formula reduces plastic waste per wash load.
EWG Status: EWG VERIFIED®
Key Free-Froms: Synthetic fragrance-free options, paraben-free, phosphate-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE
Best For: Whole-household laundry, families transitioning to EWG VERIFIED® cleaning
ATTITUDE Laundry Detergent — Buy on Amazon ↗
3. Branch Basics Oxygen Boost + Concentrate (Laundry)
Branch Basics' single concentrate dilutes into a highly effective laundry detergent when combined with their Oxygen Boost for stain removal. The concentrate is EWG VERIFIED®, MADE SAFE certified, Leaping Bunny certified, and fragrance-free. It's one of the few laundry solutions that achieves EWG VERIFIED® status and works across machine types and temperatures. The refillable concentrate model reduces plastic waste.
EWG Status: EWG VERIFIED® (concentrate)
Key Free-Froms: Fragrance-free, dye-free, optical brightener-free, 1,4-dioxane-free, glycol ether-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE
Best For: Whole-home cleaning system, households with allergies or chemical sensitivities, zero-waste priority
Branch Basics Starter Kit — Buy on Amazon ↗
4. HealthyBaby Laundry Detergent — EWG VERIFIED®
HealthyBaby offers an EWG VERIFIED® concentrated baby laundry refill made from plant, mineral, and water-based ingredients. Designed for sensitive infant skin and available in recyclable, non-plastic packaging. Highly concentrated for fewer bottles per year.
EWG Status: EWG VERIFIED®
Key Free-Froms: Fragrance-free, optical brightener-free, paraben-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE
Best For: Newborn and infant laundry, low-waste households, plant-based priority
HealthyBaby Laundry Detergent — Buy on Amazon ↗
5. AspenClean Natural Laundry Detergent — EWG VERIFIED®
AspenClean is a Canadian brand that produces EWG VERIFIED®, plant-based household cleaning and laundry products. Their laundry detergent is biodegradable, fragrance-free, and designed to clean effectively in cold water — reducing energy use per wash.
EWG Status: EWG VERIFIED®
Key Free-Froms: Synthetic fragrance-free, phosphate-free, chlorine-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE, cold water
Best For: Eco-conscious families, cold-water washing priority
AspenClean Natural Laundry Detergent — Buy on Amazon ↗
6. Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder
Molly's Suds produces a minimal-ingredient laundry powder with a strong eco profile. The formula uses a short list of naturally derived ingredients — sodium carbonate, magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), and a plant-derived surfactant — in a plastic-free cardboard container.
EWG Status: Check EWG Skin Deep for current rating.
Key Free-Froms: Synthetic fragrance-free, optical brightener-free, phosphate-free
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE (use less in HE machines)
Best For: Zero-waste households, simple-ingredient priority, plastic-free packaging
Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder — Buy on Amazon ↗
7. Meliora Laundry Powder
Meliora is a small Chicago-based brand producing simple, low-waste laundry and cleaning products. Their laundry powder uses three core ingredients — sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and a plant-derived surfactant — packaged in a compostable cardboard box. EWG rates Meliora products through their cleaning guide.
EWG Status: Check EWG Skin Deep for current rating.
Key Free-Froms: Fragrance-free, optical brightener-free, zero plastic
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE, cold water
Best For: Zero-waste priority, simplest possible ingredient list
Meliora Laundry Powder — Buy on Amazon ↗
8. Tru Earth Laundry Eco-Strips
Tru Earth's laundry eco-strips are cellulose pads infused with concentrated detergent — a format that eliminates heavy liquid bottles and excess plastic packaging. Each strip dissolves completely in the wash. Paraben-free and fragrance-free options available.
EWG Status: Check EWG Skin Deep for current rating.
Key Free-Froms: Phosphate-free, paraben-free, dye-free (fragrance-free option)
Machine Compatibility: Standard + HE, hot and cold water
Best For: Travel, small spaces, extreme waste-reduction households
Tru Earth Laundry Eco-Strips — Buy on Amazon ↗
How EWG Grades Laundry Detergents
EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning uses a letter-grade system (A–F) distinct from the 1–10 numerical scale of EWG Skin Deep, which covers personal care products. For laundry detergents:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Lowest ingredient concern, good transparency; EWG's top recommendation |
| B | Minor concerns in one area; still a good choice |
| C | Moderate concerns; consider alternatives if health priorities are high |
| D | Significant ingredient concerns or poor transparency |
| F | Major concerns; EWG recommends avoiding |
EWG VERIFIED® products will always receive the best grades in EWG's cleaning database and go further by requiring manufacturer submission of their full formula (including fragrance components) to EWG for review.
Important note on brand reputation vs. EWG grade: Not every brand marketed as "natural" or "green" rates well in EWG's cleaning database. Some well-known natural laundry brands receive D or F grades due to synthetic fragrance ingredients, undisclosed surfactants, or other formulation issues. Always check the specific product's current grade on ewg.org/cleaners before purchasing.
What to Look for on a Laundry Detergent Label
"Fragrance-free" vs. "unscented": Fragrance-free means no fragrance ingredients are added. "Unscented" can mean masking fragrances were used to cover chemical odors — these are still fragrance ingredients. For lowest-hazard laundry, choose fragrance-free.
"Concentrated" vs. standard: Concentrated detergents use smaller amounts per load, reducing both cost and packaging waste. EWG VERIFIED® concentrated formulas like Branch Basics and HealthyBaby are among the most efficient options.
"Hypoallergenic" label: This is a marketing term, not a standardized certification. It does not guarantee an EWG-favorable formulation. Check the actual EWG grade or VERIFIED status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why don't common laundry brands like Tide or Gain appear on this list?
Conventional laundry brands like Tide, Gain, and Arm & Hammer typically contain synthetic fragrances, optical brighteners, and surfactant blends that EWG rates as concerns in its cleaning guide. We focus on the options that score best in EWG's database — for those conventional brands, check their current grades at ewg.org/cleaners.
Q: Can EWG-rated laundry detergents clean as well as conventional brands?
Yes, for everyday household laundry. The EWG VERIFIED® brands in this list all clean effectively under normal conditions. For heavily soiled work clothes or sports gear, a pre-treatment step (like Branch Basics Oxygen Boost) may be needed in place of the heavy chemicals in conventional detergents.
Q: Are these detergents safe for septic systems?
Most plant-derived, phosphate-free detergents in this list are designed to be septic-compatible. Check the specific product's label or manufacturer website to confirm. Conventional detergents with phosphates and optical brighteners can disrupt septic systems.
For a broader look at all EWG-rated household cleaners, see our complete non-toxic cleaning products guide. Ready to tackle dish duty too? See our best non-toxic dish soap picks for EWG’s top-rated options.
