The 8 Best Organic Laundry Detergents in 2024

Ready to make the switch to a more sustainable and skin-safe laundry detergent? Your timing couldn’t be better. Join the crowd making the one simple change in the laundry room that can have a big impact on the planet.

Gone are the days when clean laundry meant pumping your clothes full of brighteners, artificial fragrances and harmful phosphates. Now options for getting your laundry truly clean are endless! Let us help you find the cruelty-free, plant-based, biodegradable detergent that’s just right for you and your family.

Our Top Picks

Here’s a closer look at the best organic laundry detergents of the year.

8 Best Organic Laundry Detergents: A Closer Look

Unfortunately traditional laundry detergents are chock full of questionable, even harmful, ingredients. Obviously no one wants to be exposed to toxic chemicals, but it’s also extremely important to keep them out of our washing machine wastewater — some of which eventually ends up in our lakes, streams and waterways.

So what to do? The good news is there are tons of effective, nontoxic, affordable choices out there, and we’re here to make the switch to natural laundry detergents even simpler. 

A quick note: while most of the detergents on our list aren’t certified organic, many are EPA Safer Choice Certified, certified BioBased, etc. None contain synthetic dyes, phosphates, artificial brighteners or other concerning ingredients so common in traditional laundry detergents.

It’s no accident that the Seventh Generation brand makes several appearances on our list. Like all our detergent picks, this all-natural liquid laundry detergent works in both standard and HE washing machines, and in all water temperatures.

Seventh Generation offers an unbeatable combination of performance, gentleness, and actually living up to its eco-credentials. It’s also easy to find, even at big box stores. 

We recommend the (100% naturally derived) lavender for its clean scent and anti-microbial properties, but you can also find this liquid detergent in geranium blossom & vanilla, citrus, or unscented.

Things we love about ECOS Plus Liquid Laundry Detergent:

-Hypoallergenic and extremely gentle on sensitive skin
-Ultra-concentrated
-Only 10 ingredients
-Built in fabric softener
-Made in carbon-neutral, water neutral, TRUE Platinum Zero Waste factories, using 100% renewable energy

Best of all? ECOS comes in at a lower price point, meaning you’re getting all of this clean green power for only pennies per wash.

Since 1989, Biokleen has been a trusted brand. Made in the U.S.A. with 100% renewable energy offsets, this detergent is known for both its no-nonsense cleaning abilities and its gentleness. This formula (also available in Free & Clear or Citrus Essence) is the way to go if you want your detergent in powder form.

Imagine a world where there are no more plastic laundry jugs, and you instead get your detergent by mail, in a small, 100% recyclable package.

If you’re looking to go as eco-friendly as possible in your laundry room, consider these Kind Laundry paper-thin, biodegradable laundry sheets. Not only are they ultra space-saving, travel-friendly, and mess-free, they help reduce carbon emissions and transportation fuel consumption up to 94%, compared to a certain big name detergent brand.

These handy “toss and go” laundry detergent pods are great for those who want a wider variety of fragrance options, including gardenia, lavender/vanilla, and vetiver (plus fragrance-free). 

Small but mighty, Seventh Generation Power Plus uses 50% less water than a traditional liquid laundry detergent, is made with 60% less plastic, and is 75% lighter than a regular detergent bottle. 

This 23 ounce powerhouse is full of 6 times the enzymes and surfactants of a typical detergent, while skipping any fillers or unnecessary water. Less water weight and a smaller footprint means that it’s also ultra-portable, and easy to fit into small spaces. Even the “EasyDose” dispenser helps you use only what you need, preventing over-soaping and maximizing the number of loads per bottle.

These ultra-gentle pods (or packs) from Seventh Generation are our choice for best unscented. Like their other products, the Free & Clear packs work wonders on dirty clothes, are free of all sorts of additives and chemicals, and are much safer for the environment.

The packs also offer an even more pared-down ingredient list than the liquid Free & Clear formula, which is great for those with skin sensitivities or an aversion to fragrances.

Noodle & Boo Ultra-Safe Laundry Detergent is a big hit with moms — plus anyone else searching for an ultra-gentle, hypoallergenic, lightly scented option. Not only is it gentle on skin, it’s also easy on clothing that requires frequent washing. 

What to Look for in the Best Organic Laundry Detergents

Our Process

For this guide on organic laundry detergent, our team spent 6 hours researching the most popular options from over 30 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about 200 user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each detergent. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 8 best organic laundry detergents on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

If you enjoyed this read, sign up for our newsletter below and get special online shopping deals delivered straight to your inbox.

---

Further Reading