I Tested Eight Natural Laundry Detergent Brands, and one brand stood out.

2 days ago

11 min read

Written by Rosalie Roberts (Sep 2026)

If you're trying to clean your clothes without harming your health OR THE PLANET, you've probably gotten lost in the same place I did: shelves full of "natural," "eco-friendly," and "plant-based" laundry detergents, all making big promises. So I decided to run a structured experiment testing eight of the most popular natural laundry detergent brands across multiple temperatures, two different fabrics, and eight consistent stains. 24 loads of laundry later, one brand came out on top. Results below. -Rosalie Roberts

How I picked the brands: Ecos, Blueland, Truly Free, Branch Basics, Mollys Suds, Papabear Naturals, and Dirty Labs

The average household does hundreds of loads of laundry per year. That's hundreds of opportunities for synthetic chemicals, harsh surfactants, and hidden toxins to end up on your skin, in your home's air, and down your drain into waterways. Because YES, the chemicals stick to your clothes. When you start asking what's actually in conventional detergents — artificial fragrances, optical brighteners, chlorine bleach, and surfactants linked to carcinogens — the switch to a natural laundry detergent starts to feel less optional and more urgent.

But "natural" on a label means almost nothing. (Neither does aesthetic branding, a cute Granny-sounding name, or a little green leaf on the bottle). There's no FDA or EPA regulation requiring a detergent to meet any standard to call itself natural, non-toxic, plant-based, or eco-friendly. That means the research falls on you — or on people like me who test these things obsessively.

After my research on which ingredients should actually be avoided, I compiled a list of brands that excluded them. Then, I crossed off the big. plastic. jugs. Because if you haven’t switched to a concentrate detergent yet hear this: That big plastic jug is filled with up to 80% water. That’s a waste of carbon emissions from shipping, a waste of plastic, and a waste of your time. These 8 brands are all experimenting with either 100% plastic free or nearly there systems.

The Truth About Laundry Detergent Sheets (And Why They Aren't as Green as You Think): Before I get into the brand-by-brand breakdown, I need to address the laundry sheet trend — because if you've gone zero-waste at all, you've probably considered them. Laundry detergent sheets are marketed as the ultimate eco-friendly laundry solution. Here's the problem nobody in the marketing materials mentions: every single laundry sheet brand on the market contains polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a synthetic polymer — in other words, a plastic. It's what makes the sheet hold together and dissolve in water. PVA is marketed as "water-soluble" and therefore safe, but water-soluble does not mean biodegradable. Research has found that PVA passes through wastewater treatment plants largely intact, accumulating in the environment and in waterways as a form of microplastic pollution. So if you switched to laundry sheets specifically to reduce plastic waste, you may actually be introducing a more insidious form of plastic into the environment — one that's invisible and harder to filter out than a plastic jug you can recycle. The bottom line on laundry sheets: They are not truly natural, they are not plastic-free, and they are not as earth-friendly as their packaging suggests. Until there are better independent studies on PVA's long-term environmental fate, I can't recommend them as a genuinely green laundry option. A Better Alternative: Blueland Laundry Tablets If you want the convenience and minimal packaging of a dissolvable laundry product without the PVA problem, Blueland laundry tablets are one of the best alternatives available — and they turned out to be a top performer in my experiment (spoiler alert).

Ingredients to Avoid in Any Natural Laundry Detergent

Surprised you don’t see your favorite “natural” laundry detergent listed? Here are the red-flag ingredients that knocked many of those brands (Seventh Generation, Zum, All Free & Clear, and more) off the list —

1,4-Dioxane: The Hidden Carcinogen Risk

One of the most important things to understand when shopping for a truly clean laundry detergent is 1,4-dioxane — a known carcinogen that isn't an ingredient itself but a byproduct of a manufacturing process called ethoxylation.

Certain surfactants are made through ethoxylation, meaning 1,4-dioxane may be present as a contaminant even when it doesn't appear on the label. Watch for these ingredients, all of which carry a risk of 1,4-dioxane contamination:

Anything labeled "PEG" (polyethylene glycol compounds)
Polyethylene
Polyethylene glycol
Polyoxyethylene
Polysorbate-60 or Polysorbate-80
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Even some naturally-derived ingredients like polysorbate 20 can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane if not carefully sourced. If a brand uses polysorbate 20, look for verbage that they specifically test for and exclude nitrosamines and 1,4-dioxane from their supply chain.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) vs. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): Both Are a No

These two surfactants are among the most common in conventional detergents and still sneak into products marketed as "gentle" or "natural."

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a harsh surfactant associated with skin irritation, disruption of the skin barrier, and potential organ toxicity with repeated exposure.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is derived from SLS through ethoxylation — which introduces the risk of 1,4-dioxane contamination. A much safer alternative is Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate (DLS), which is made through esterification and sulfonation rather than ethoxylation. Because it's not ethoxylated, 1,4-dioxane formation is not expected in its manufacturing process.

A Note on Sodium Percarbonate

A green flag ingredient is Sodium Percarbonate, which you'll find in many natural oxygen whiteners and stain removers. It's produced by a reaction between sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide — a powerful oxidizing agent that releases active oxygen when dissolved in hot water, making it highly effective at breaking down stains without chlorine bleach. It's genuinely one of the cleaner, more effective options for stain removal and is generally considered safe for people and waterways when used as directed. Several of the top performers in my experiment use it in their formulas.

How I Tested: The Experiment

I couldn't find an experiment online and I wanted to side-by-side compare these actually clean detergent companies — so I built a controlled test.

Each of the eight detergents was used for three separate loads:

One cold water wash
One warm water wash
One hot water wash

Two fabric swatches were included in every load:

A poly blend swatch
A 100% cotton swatch

The same eight stains were applied consistently to every swatch before washing:

Chocolate
Two types of ink (gel and regular)
Cooking oil
Mud
Açaí
Grass
Ketchup
Coffee

Stains were applied, allowed to fully set, and then washed with no pre-treatment — just the detergent’s recommended dosage and water temperature. I rated each swatch after washing by how much of each stain remained.

Stain-by-Stain Results

Ink: Blueland was the clear winner on ink removal — the stain came out better with Blueland than with any other detergent across temperatures. Second place went to Dirty Labs on hot. The remaining brands performed similarly to each other on ink, with no dramatic standouts below those two.

Chocolate: Molly's Suds on hot was the standout here — it got almost all of the chocolate stain out. Blueland came in a close second. For chocolate specifically, heat made the biggest difference, and Molly's formula leveraged it best.

Oil: Blueland was the strongest performer on cooking oil across all three temperatures, which is notable because oil stains are notoriously difficult in cold water. ECOS and Truly Free also performed well on oil in all temperature settings and ranked above the rest of the pack.

Açaí: Truly Free did consistently well on açaí across cold, warm, and hot — impressive given how pigment-dense açaí is. But Blueland's overall açaí removal was the best of all eight brands.

Coffee: This was one of the closest competitions. Molly's Suds on hot took out almost all of the coffee stain and may have had a very slight edge, but it was neck-and-neck with Blueland. Both are excellent choices if coffee stains are a regular problem in your household.

Ketchup: Good news here: nearly all eight detergents handled ketchup well. ECOS was the only brand that underperformed slightly — it still removed most of the stain, but left a faint trace where others didn't. Don't panic if you reach for ECOS at dinner time; it's still decent on ketchup, just not quite as thorough.

Grass: Papabear Naturals was the strongest performer on grass stains overall — a standout result for a smaller brand. Blueland on cold also removed most of the grass stain, which was impressive for a cold-water wash.

Mud: Mud removal was fairly consistent across brands, with no dramatic outliers. Molly's Suds and Blueland maintained their top-tier positions, and the others clustered in the middle.

The Overall Rankings and Winner: Blueland

After running 24 total loads across all eight brands and evaluating 16 swatches per brand, here's where things landed:

1st Place: Blueland. The two absolute cleanest fabric swatches were a Molly’s Suds swatch, and a Blueland swatch. Molly's Suds dominated in hot water — especially on protein and food stains like chocolate and coffee. Blueland dominated in cold water, but was also remarkably consistent across all temperatures. Because of the high performance in the most earth & budget friendly temperature, cold, the overall plastic and waste free system, and the convenience of tossing in a tablet vs. scooping powder, Blueland is a clear winner.

2nd Place: Molly’s Suds. Note, many mom’s swear by this one! It’s clearly popular for a reason.

Tied for 3rd: Truly Free and Branch Basics. Truly Free held its own across every temperature with especially strong results on oil and açaí. Branch Basics showed strong all-around cleaning power, especially when paired with their Oxygen Boost. Papabear Naturals earned a special mention for the best grass stain removal of any brand tested.

By the way, some natural laundry detergents call for cold water. That’s not just their plea for a more earth friendly laundry practice, this means they actually perform better with cold.

Discount Codes and Brand-by-Brand Breakdown

1. Blueland Laundry Tablets — 1st Place

Price: ~$0.40 per load ($24.00 ~ 60 tablets)

Discount Code: pending

What's good: PVA-free, EPA Safer Choice certified, reusable tin packaging, and zero plastic. The tablet format is convenient without the microplastic problem of laundry sheets.

Testing results: The most consistent performer of all eight brands across temperatures — particularly dominant in cold water, where most natural detergents struggle. Best overall on ink, oil, and açaí. Second-best on chocolate and coffee. Strong on grass stains in cold. No other brand performed as well across such a wide range of stains and temperatures.

What to watch: Higher price point per load than some competitors, but performance justifies it.

Verdict: The most versatile natural laundry detergent I tested. If you wash in cold water (better for the environment and your fabrics), Blueland is the strongest choice available.

Convenience side note: now that I have enough detergent to last me a lifetime (okay, not really, I'm a cloth diapering mom), it's been funny to notice with my array of detergents, I reach for the Blueland tablets or my Ecos pump bottle first when I'm in a rush (or lazy). They are mess free and a valuable 10 seconds quicker then scooping powder or pouring liquid. Special shoutout to Dirty Labs though, as soon as I pour that concentrate in a pump bottle that will be easy too.

2. Molly's Suds Original Powder — 2nd

Price: ~$0.19 per load ($22.99 ~ 120 loads)

Discount Code: pending

What's good: One of the cleanest formulas I tested. The ingredient list is short, recognizable, and free of SLS, SLES, synthetic fragrances, and optical brighteners. The powder format avoids plastic bottles entirely.

Testing results: Exceptional on hot water loads. The top performer on chocolate and coffee, and strong across most stain categories when heat was applied. Less impressive on cold but still competitive.

What to watch: Powder may not fully dissolve in cold water cycles. Best results come from warm or hot washes.

Verdict: If you do most of your laundry in warm or hot water, Molly's Suds is arguably the best natural laundry detergent you can buy. Clean formula, impressive performance, minimal waste.

3. Truly Free

Price: ~$0.50 per load ($24.95 ~ 50 loads)

Discount Code: Click link above for rotating deals

What's good: Truly Free's formula is enzyme-rich, fragrance-free, and free of the usual offenders — no SLS, SLES, synthetic dyes, or optical brighteners. Consistent performance was its defining trait throughout testing.

Testing results: Performed well on oil and açaí across all temperatures, which made it stand out from mid-tier competitors. One of only a few brands that showed reliable results regardless of water temperature.

Verdict: A strong third-place finish in efficacy, as I expected. But other than the fact that I don’t love Truly Free’s manipulative subscription marketing and the plastic jugs that come with their refills, some purists have boycotted Truly Free for two ingredients. Both of these have been addressed and defended by the Truly Free team because of the miniscule amounts used:

Sodium Polyacrylate — this is a petroleum-derived polymer and is not biodegradable. Critics flag it as a microplastic concern.

Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate — this synthetic surfactant is derived from Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonic Acid (DDBSA), which is a known aquatic toxin and is irritating to skin, eyes, and the respiratory system. Critics note the ingredient's origins and potential irritancy.

EWG ratings are A for the unscented version and B for scented — decent but not spotless.

4. Papabear Naturals

Price: $0.58 per load ($34.95~60 loads)

Discount Code: Click link above for 10% off

What's good: Papabear Naturals is a smaller brand that punches above its weight. The formula is free of synthetic fragrance, SLS, SLES, and artificial brighteners, with a straightforward, recognizable ingredient list.

Testing results: The standout result: Papabear had the best grass stain removal of any brand in this roundup — a significant win for an enzyme-based formula that often gets overlooked in favor of bigger names.

Verdict: If grass stains, sports uniforms, or outdoor laundry are a regular challenge, Papabear Naturals is worth adding to your rotation. Impressive for a smaller brand.

5. Branch Basics Concentrate

Price: ~$0.27 per load ($69.00~ 256 loads)

Discount Code: 10% off with link above

What's good: Built around a single multi-purpose concentrate you dilute yourself. Designed originally for chemically sensitive individuals, with one of the most rigorously vetted formulas on the market.

Testing results: Solid all-around performance, especially when paired with their Oxygen Boost (which contains Sodium Percarbonate for extra stain-fighting power). Tied for 4th overall.

What to watch: Higher upfront investment and requires their reusable bottles for proper dilution.

Verdict: Best-in-class for ingredient safety and super affordable. Worth the investment for anyone with sensitivities or who wants the cleanest possible formula. I highly recommend this brand for all their other products, so it could be easy to throw their detergent in the subscription

6. Dirty Labs Bio Laundry Detergent

Price: ~$0.35 per load ($28.00 ~ 80 loads)

Discount Code: Use code SUSTAINABLY_ROSALIE for discount

What's good: Dirty Labs uses a bio-based enzyme complex and is free of synthetic fragrance, optical brighteners, and chlorine. The formula is designed to perform in cold water, which aligns with their sustainability positioning.

Testing results: Second-best on ink removal (hot wash), which was a notable result. Performance was solid but not exceptional across other stain categories, placing it in the middle tier.

Verdict: A good option, especially if ink stains are a recurring issue. Mid-tier overall but with a standout in one category.

7. ECOS Free & Clear

Price: ~$0.20 per load ($20.49 ~ 100 loads)

Discount Code: pending

What's good: Affordable, widely available, carbon-neutral manufactured, and plant-derived. A USDA BioPreferred certified formula with a generally clean ingredient profile in the free & clear version.

Testing results: Did well on oil (all temperatures), but was the weakest performer on ketchup of the eight brands. Still removed most of it — just not quite as thoroughly as the others.

What to watch: Some ECOS formulas contain ethoxylated surfactants; stick to the Free & Clear version for the cleanest ingredient profile.

Verdict: A solid budget-friendly option for everyday loads. Choose the fragrance-free version, and don't rely on it for ketchup emergencies.

What to Look For in a Natural Laundry Detergent

Look for:

EPA Safer Choice certification
Plant-derived, non-ethoxylated surfactants
Full ingredient transparency
Free of synthetic fragrance and optical brighteners
Sodium Percarbonate for safe, oxygen-based stain removal
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate (DLS) as a safer surfactant alternative
No polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) — this disqualifies all laundry sheets

Avoid:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Any PEG compounds
Polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, or polyoxyethylene
Polysorbate-60 or Polysorbate-80 (unless verified free of 1,4-dioxane contamination)
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) — found in every laundry sheet on the market
Synthetic fragrances and artificial dyes
Optical brighteners

Final Verdict

After testing seven natural laundry detergents across multiple washes, two fabric types, and eight consistent stains, the results were clearer than I expected. Molly's Suds and Blueland were first and second — with Molly's dominating in hot water and Blueland winning in cold and proving the most consistent across all temperatures and stain types. Blueland's convenient tablets made this a winner for me. Truly Free and Branch Basics tied for third, and Papabear Naturals earned a special shoutout for the best grass stain removal of the entire group.

Clean ingredients and clean clothes don't have to be a trade-off. These brands prove it.

-Rosalie (Sep 2026)