Laundry Products
That Don't Come With a Side of Toxins.
Non-Toxic LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
You wash your clothes to get them clean. That's the whole point. But most mainstream detergents contain synthetic fragrance, optical brighteners, and surfactants that stay in the fabric — and on your skin — all day. These swaps do the job without coating your clothes in a chemical situation you didn't sign up for.
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SHOP › HOME ESSENTIALS › LAUNDRY
Laundry Detergent
Detergent touches every piece of clothing you own — and whatever's left in the fabric is next to your skin all day. Synthetic fragrance, optical brighteners, and petroleum-based surfactants are the usual offenders. The swaps below are plant-based, concentrated, and actually work.
Koala Eco
Laundry Wash — Lemon Scented Eucalyptus & Rosemary
Plant-based surfactants + bio enzymes, no synthetic fragrance
Scented with real lemon eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils
Ultra-concentrated — 100 loads per bottle
MADE SAFE certified, no optical brighteners, septic safe
What to avoid: "Fragrance" or "parfum" as a catch-all ingredient, optical brighteners, 1,4-dioxane contamination risk (look for ethoxylated ingredients ending in "-eth"), and anything that just says "surfactants" without disclosing what they are.
PURACY
Natural Laundry Detergent — Free & Clear
Developed by MDs — no sulfates, phosphates, dyes, or optical brighteners
4-enzyme formula handles grease, sweat, food, and everyday grime
10x concentrated pump bottle — precise dosing, less waste
Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin
Koala Eco
Laundry Wash — Mandarin & Peppermint
Same clean formula, different vibe — bright, citrusy, crisp
Mandarin and peppermint essential oils, fully disclosed ingredients
100 loads per bottle, works in cold, warm, and hot water
No synthetic fragrance, no optical brighteners, no bleach
MOLLY'S SUDS
ORIGINAL LAUNDRY POWDER
4 earth-derived ingredients only — sodium carbonate, baking soda, magnesium sulfate, unrefined sea salt
No synthetic fragrance, dyes, optical brighteners, SLS, phosphates, or bleach
EWG rated A, Leaping Bunny certified, Vegan certified
120 loads per bag, HE safe
Laundry Pods
Pods are convenient — the problem is most of them are made with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) plastic film that doesn't fully dissolve and ends up in waterways. The options here skip the PVA or use a biodegradable film, plus they're free from the usual fragrance-and-brightener situation.
Dropps
Free & Clear Laundry Pods — Unscented
USDA Certified Biobased, EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year
No dyes, phosphates, optical brighteners, parabens, or phthalates
Five-enzyme formula for stain and odor removal
Compostable cardboard packaging — no plastic jug
What to avoid: Standard pods from mainstream brands almost all contain synthetic fragrance and optical brighteners. Also worth noting: PVA film in most pods is essentially microplastic — look for PVA-free or certified biodegradable alternatives.
AspenClean
Unscented Laundry Pods
EWG Verified, EcoCert certified, Leaping Bunny — triple the receipts
Plant and mineral-based, 99.9% natural origin ingredients
Zero-plastic, 100% compostable paper packaging
Fragrance-free, baby-safe, pet-safe, septic safe
MOLLY'S SUDS
LAUNDRY DETERGENT PODS
Plant-based bio enzymes, no synthetic fragrance or dyes
No optical brighteners, phosphates, parabens, or bleach
Leaping Bunny certified, plastic-free compostable packaging
HE compatible, sensitive skin safe
Fabric Softener
Dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners are basically synthetic fragrance delivery systems that coat your clothing fibers with a petrochemical film. That's what makes them feel "soft." The non-toxic route is either mineral-based softener pods with no fragrance or skipping them entirely in favor of dryer balls.
Dropps
Fabric Softener Pods — Unscented
Mineral-based formula — flows through fibers instead of coating them
Keeps towels absorbent and athletic wear wicking (unlike liquid softeners)
Fragrance-free, no synthetic scent, enzyme-free, chlorine-free
Pre-measured pods, compostable packaging, B Corp certified
What to avoid: Liquid fabric softeners with fragrance, dryer sheets with any listed "fragrance" ingredient, and anything with quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) — which show up in a lot of softeners and are endocrine disruptors.
CLEAN PEOPLE
LIQUID FABRIC SOFTENER — FRAGRANCE FREE
Explicitly quat-free — one of the only liquid softeners that can actually say that
8 disclosed ingredients, no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, alcohol, or formaldehyde
Plant-based, fragrance-free, septic safe
Small brand, big transparency — they show you exactly what's in it
attitude
liquid fabric softener — unscented
Plant-derived ester quat — the biodegradable kind, not the endocrine-disrupting kind
98% naturally derived, no synthetic fragrance, no dyes, no phthalates, no SLS
EWG low hazard rating, vegan, cruelty-free
HE compatible, works in all water temps — get the unscented version only
Stain Removers & Boosters
Most spray stain removers are just bleach derivatives or solvent-based formulas that work by destroying the stain along with a little bit of your fabric. Enzyme-based removers break the stain down chemically without the collateral damage — and without chlorine, synthetic fragrance, or optical brighteners.
Koala Eco
Laundry Stain Spray
Hydrogen peroxide-based — chlorine-free, unscented, color safe
Works on most fabrics; no synthetic fragrance, no dyes
Spray, wait 10 minutes, wash — that's it
Non-toxic, biodegradable, septic safe, antibacterial
What to avoid: Chlorine bleach on anything you care about (and in enclosed spaces in general), optical brighteners in any stain booster, and "fragrance" in a formula sitting on fabric for 8+ hours.
Koala Eco
Oxygenated Bleach — Brighten & Whiten
Chlorine-free bleach alternative — brightens without destroying fabric
Unscented, color-safe, works at any water temperature
Use in the wash drum or as an overnight pre-soak for set-in stains
Non-toxic, biodegradable, septic safe — doubles as a bathroom cleaner
Puracy
Natural Laundry Stain Remover
Six-enzyme formula — handles sweat, grease, wine, ink, grass, and more
No sulfates, chlorine, parabens, brighteners, or petroleum
Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, safe for delicates
One 16oz bottle treats 500+ stains
Wool Dryer Balls
Dryer balls are the easiest swap in the laundry room — toss them in and forget dryer sheets exist. They separate clothes in the drum so hot air circulates better, cutting drying time by up to 40% and naturally softening fabric without coating it in anything. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want a scent. Or don't. Either way, you're done with dryer sheets.
Handy Laundry
Wool Dryer Balls — 6 Pack
100% New Zealand premium wool, no synthetic fillers or coatings
Cuts drying time up to 25%, reduces static and wrinkles naturally
Lasts 1,000+ loads — buy once, done
Fragrance-free; add essential oils if you want a scent
What to avoid: Plastic dryer balls (they don't actually soften), scented dryer balls with synthetic fragrance, and anything marketed as a "dryer sheet alternative" that still contains chemical coatings.
Friendsheep
Eco Dryer Balls — 6 Pack
Handmade from 100% organic New Zealand wool — no chemicals, no plastic
Azo-free, lead-free dyes that won't bleed on your laundry
Reduces drying time up to 40%, 1,000+ load lifespan
Compostable at end of life — fully circular, actually
Koala Eco
Pillow & Linen Spray — Eucalyptus, Peppermint & Rosalina
Essential oil-based linen refresher — no synthetic fragrance
Eucalyptus, peppermint, and rosalina — all disclosed, nothing hidden
Use on sheets, pillows, and fresh-out-of-dryer laundry
MADE SAFE certified, cruelty-free, no optical brighteners
New swaps added regularly.
Real finds, no fluff. Get updates when I add new vetted products to the shop.
