Whether you’re picking out a baby detergent for the first time or making a switch, pay attention to the detergent’s formula and ingredients to ensure it’s fragrance- and dye-free. We carefully considered design, formula, value, and ingredients when reviewing products. From hypoallergenic to plant-based, here are the best baby detergents based on you and your baby’s needs. Its plant-based formula makes it especially well-suited to babies’ clothing, towels, and bedding. The liquid formula gets a “C” rating on EWG’s list, but the powder gets an “A”, so if you want purer, and your water and machine can handle powder, you might want to opt for the powder version. Price at time of publication: $30 Of course since every baby’s skin is different the reviews here vary on what has worked for their household. Some rave that this is the only product that has worked on their baby’s eczema prone skin while other’s say this made their reaction worse. Price at time of publication: $13 Dreft has been on the market for more than 85 years and is great for washing all your newborn’s delicates, like towels, sheets, burp cloths, and more. The detergent can be used in both high-efficiency and standard washing machines. Many parents and caregivers say it’s also perfect for the whole family. Price at time of publication: $20 There are no fragrances or dyes in the detergent’s formula and it’s even dermatologist tested. Reviewers say it’s a great detergent for not only their babies but their own sensitive skin, too. Price at time of publication: $46 Molly’s Suds laundry powder is perfect for high-efficiency washers and can be used on virtually any material (baby’s as well as yours). Parents love the natural, clean feeling and the peace of mind of the five organic, earth-based ingredients. They also say it helps with eczema and other sensitive skin-related issues. Price at time of publication: $15 Plant-based surfactants and grapefruit seed extracts do the job here, rinsing baby clothes clean with no residue or funk. Biokleen has earned an “A” rating from the EWG for its all-natural, safe, nontoxic ingredients. Parents who use hard water and high-efficiency washers often say Biokleen is their go-to detergent, even though it’s pricier than some of its competitors. Eco-Me is toxin-free and plant-based and works for both high efficiency and standard washing machines. It’s cruelty-free (no animal byproducts and no animal testing), and free of fragrances, sulfates, phosphates, dyes, and parabens. However, you should note that for big messes or intense stains, you’ll need to pretreat your load of laundry, as with many green and organic laundry detergents. Price at time of publication: $26 Some parents do find the Rockin’ Green laundry detergent scent (though it’s not artificial) a little overwhelming or strong, so be forewarned if you don’t like or can’t tolerate intense smells. Price at time of publication: $20 Reviewers rave about the many uses they can do with this, with many claiming they were impressed with how well it cleaned their laundry. Price at time of publication: $23 Aside from being environmentally friendly, it’s also safe for baby’s skin as it’s hypoallergenic and pediatrician tested. It’s compatible with both conventional and high-efficiency washing machines, so you don’t have to question if the detergent will damage your washing machine. Price at time of publication: $18
Dye-free
Along with hypoallergenic formula, many parents and caregivers should check out dye-free detergent. Many detergents are free of dyes, meaning they’re clear or colorless and perfect for washing those sensitive items, like baby’s clothes and bedding.
Fragrance-free
It’s important to realize fragrance-free and unscented are not the same thing. Fragrance can still be present in the detergent, but the unscented just means it’s simply hidden. For those with sensitive skin, fragranced laundry detergent can sometimes cause rashes, so to be safe, skip it altogether.
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While you can certainly use your regular detergent for your baby’s clothing, it is important to make sure that it is suitable for their super-sensitive skin and that it won’t deteriorate any flame-retardant properties in their clothing. You can still invest in a baby laundry detergent if you’d like to, though, especially if your baby has any signs of skin irritation from your current choice.
