Avoid These Laundry Detergents At All Costs Because Many Of Them Can Be Toxic To Your Health

Sara Portnoy | February 14, 2025 10:00 am

Many liquid laundry detergents contain harmful chemicals, posing risks such as skin irritation, respiratory problems, and potential cancer risks. It's crucial to choose a detergent that prioritizes your family's health.

Here is a guide to help you identify the worst laundry detergents in terms of potential health hazards. Read on to learn more!

Fab Ultra Spring Magic Detergent

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Fab
Fab

Fab Ultra Spring Magic liquid laundry detergent is highly detrimental to the environment. It contains the carcinogen formaldehyde, which is harmful to both ecosystems and fabric. Additionally, ingredients like sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and alcohol ethoxylates can cause allergic reactions and respiratory issues.

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Caldrea Sandalwood Riceflower Laundry Detergent

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The Environmental Working Group deemed Caldrea Sandalwood Riceflower laundry detergent harmful to humans. Some toxic ingredients include sodium borate, methyliso thiazolinone, and fragrance.

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Not only are these bad for overall health, but they can hurt the environment. Inhaling these toxins can lead to damage to DNA, cancer, organ failure, skin irritation, vision impairment, and much more.

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Cheer Bright Clean HE Detergent

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Those who use Cheer Bright Clean High-Efficiency liquid laundry detergent should reconsider. This product is not suitable for laundry purposes.

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The detergent is highly toxic and can lead to cancer, respiratory illnesses, endocrine issues, reproductive problems, developmental dangers, and more. The Environmental Working Group gave this Cheer detergent an F rating.

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Xtra ScentSations Summer Fiesta Detergent

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Xtra ScentSations Summer Fiesta liquid laundry detergent contains several harmful substances including disodium distyrlbiphenyl disulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium carbonate, and linear alkyl benzene sulfonate. These ingredients have negative effects on fabric, the environment, and personal health. They have been linked to various health issues such as cancer, vision damage, and respiratory problems.

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Tide Plus With A Touch Of Downy

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The Environmental Working Group reported that 29 of the ingredients found in Tide Plus with A Touch of Downy liquid laundry detergent are concerning to both the health of consumers and the environment.

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Most of the harmful ingredients aren't even listed on the label.

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All Small & Mighty HE Fresh Rain

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The ingredients found in All Small & Mighty High-Efficiency Fresh Rain liquid laundry detergent aren't listed clearly on the label.

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These include stabilizers, fabric brighteners, buffer, nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and color. The Environmental Working Group discovered they could cause cancer and negative respiratory effects.

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Original Fresh Ultra Purex Regular Detergent

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Purex doesn't list every ingredient on the bottle, and some of these include sodium polyacrylate, disodium diamino stilbene disulfonate, as well as other harsh chemicals.

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These chemicals can cause skin irritation, allergies, and have negative effects on the nervous and respiratory systems.

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Dreft Liquid Detergent

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Most of the ingredients in Dreft liquid laundry detergent are not disclosed on the label. The Environmental Working Group found toxins such as sodium borate, fragrance, enzymes, and more.

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These can cause organ failure, cancer, irritation, allergies, and respiratory issues. Since this product is advertised for newborns, parents should try and find a healthier alternative.

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Tide With Febreze Freshness

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Even though not all Tide products are dangerous, there are some that received a failing score from the Environmental Working Group. One of those was Tide with Febreze Freshness liquid laundry detergent.

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The EWG found sodium borate in the detergent, which can hinder the endocrine, developmental, and reproductive systems. Also, it can damage the eyes and skin.

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Wisk High-Efficiency Detergent

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According to the Environmental Working Group, Wisk High-Efficiency liquid laundry detergent received an F rating. This is because they were vague and unspecific in listing the ingredients on their label.

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They were trying to not disclose the fact they were using chemicals such as polymers, fragrances, dyes, and nonionic surfactants.

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Ajax 2x Ultra HE Original Detergent

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Toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde, synthetic colors, fragrances, methanol, and preservatives can be found inside Ajax 2x Ultra HE Original liquid laundry detergent.

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According to the Environmental Working Group, these toxins can cause cancer and damage organs. While this product is affordable, it can also be destructive to the environment.

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Dynamo 2x Ultra Free & Clear Detergent

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There are numerous toxic chemicals inside the Dynamo 2x Ultra Free & Clear liquid laundry detergent. These range from formaldehyde, synthetic fragrances, colors, and more.

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All of these chemicals can cause organ failure and cancer. Unfortunately, the detergent bottle doesn't list all of the harmful ingredients on its label.

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Era 2x Ultra With Oxi Booster

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If you use Era 2x Ultra liquid laundry detergent with Oxi Booster, then you may need to pick a different detergent.

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Some of its detrimental ingredients include sodium borate, ethanolamine, biodegradable surfactants, and enzymes. These can lead to respiratory and reproductive issues, cancer, and more. The Environmental Working Group gave it a failing score.

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Fragrance-Free Babyganics 3x Detergent

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With a name like Babyganics, it should be expected that their Fragrance-Free 3x laundry detergent would be safe for babies. That is not the case.

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The Environmental Working Group found ingredients, such as sodium borate and methylisothiazolinone, in this detergent that cause skin irritation, allergies, and respiratory problems. Parents should consider a better detergent for their babies.

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Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean

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While Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean is an affordable liquid laundry detergent, it is actually pretty dangerous. The Environmental Working Group gave it a failing score because of toxic substances such as sodium borate, quaternium-15, and fragrance.

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These chemicals can be harmful to aquatic life, cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, and damage the nervous and respiratory systems.

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2x Ultra Ivory Snow Detergent

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While new parents are encouraged to use Ivory Snow's 2x Ultra laundry detergent, they should think about other options. The Environmental Working Group gave this brand an F rating for its harmful chemicals.

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It contains sodium borate, which disrupts the developmental, endocrine, and reproductive processes. This detergent is also toxic to the environment.

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Persil ProClean Power Liquid Sensitive Skin Detergent

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Persil ProClean Power Liquid Sensitive Skin laundry detergent contains sodium borate, boric acid, alcohol ethoxy sulfates, and more harmful chemicals.

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These chemicals can lead to chronic aquatic toxicity, vision impairments, and damage to the reproductive, respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems.

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Dynamo 4x Paradise Escape

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The Environmental Working Group noticed that Dynamo failed to list all of the toxic ingredients in their 4x Paradise Escape liquid laundry detergent.

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Some of the worst included formaldehyde, sodium carbonate, ethoxylates, and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. These chemicals may cause cancer and other respiratory illnesses. The EWG gave this a failing score.

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Tide Plus With Bleach Alternative

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Tide Plus with Bleach Alternative contains toxic ingredients, including sodium borate, ethanolamine, and fragrance.

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Once these chemicals become airborne, they can cause allergies, asthma, organ failure, and cancer. Not all Tide products are harmful, but this is one to steer clear of.

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Gain Liquid Detergent

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Gain liquid laundry detergent contains toxic chemicals such as sodium borate that can harm our health.

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The chemicals can lead to adverse effects on hormones, skin and eye irritation, reproductive failure, and more.

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Lavender & Vanilla Xtra With Softness Of Escape Softener

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Lavender and Sweet Vanilla Xtra detergent with Softness of Escape softener did not rank well with the Environmental Working Group.

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Ingredients such as quaternium-15, sodium borate, and fragrance pose many health issues. These range from cancer, allergies, and reproductive and respiratory failures. These harmful chemicals are also toxic for aquatic life.

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Sparkling Falls Woolite Everyday Laundry Detergent

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According to the Environmental Working Group, Sparkling Falls Woolite Everyday laundry detergent is not safe for use. It contains toxic ingredients including formaldehyde, triethanolamine, and dodecyl benzenesulfonate.

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These harmful chemicals can lead to respiratory issues, allergies, skin irritation, and cancer. The ingredients are also not good for the environment or clothing fabric.

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All 2x Ultra Stainlifter Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent

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There are several harmful substances found in All 2x Ultra Stainlifter liquid laundry detergent. These include cleaning agents, fabric brighteners, fragrances, dyes, stabilizers, and buffer.

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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) gave this brand of detergent an F rating because the ingredients are non-biodegradable. If the product gets into the ocean, it can also do some damage to aquatic life.