Lighten Your (Chemical) Load

All those products we use to make our clothes clean might take care of the dirt and grease, but they can leave nasty chemicals behind!  Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get your laundry squeaky clean without the toxic chemicals.

Buy from companies that disclose their ingredients.  Many brands don’t disclose what chemicals are in their products, so it’s impossible to know what you could be pouring all over your clothes.   Just because something says “natural” on the label doesn’t mean it’s free of concerning chemicals. Check out Seventh Generation, Country Save, and Ecover laundry detergents.

Steer clear of artificial fragrances.  Often loaded with phthalates and other unknown compounds, we recommend giving a wide berth to all chemical-based fragrances.  Even fragrance-free versions of some brands still contain these, which is again why it’s important to buy from a brand that lists their ingredients. Try air-drying your laundry outside for the freshest scent of all!

If you need bleach, use oxygen bleaches.  Chlorine is a lung and eye irritant, so use oxygen-based bleaches like hydrogen peroxide or borax to brighten instead.

Choose tried and true stain removal & prevention methods. Your first line of defense for everyday stains like fatty foods and chocolate is a concentrated solution of dishsoap. See Consumer Reports’ How to Clean Practically Anything for specific solutions for every imaginable stain.

Who needs fabric softener? Fabric softener is made to counteract static cling on synthetic fabrics, and has no effect on natural ones.  While companies like Seventh Generation make less-toxic versions, there are other ways to reduce static cling.  Dryer balls or discs are reusable, easy to leave in your dryer, and they help shorten the total dry cycle by fluffing the clothes, which saves you energy and money! 

More resources for chemical-free clean clothes:

Check out our tip sheet for all home cleaning products, or read our FAQ.

Read this study on chemicals in laundry products. 

Browse the EHANS's guide to less toxic products.