Best Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin

This is an unusual topic. Who thinks about which laundry detergent to buy because the buyer, family members, or friends may have sensitive skin. You just buy the detergent and throw it into the washer and wash the clothes. You don’t worry about what it will do to the clothes or the skin. But maybe we need to stop and consider people with sensitive skin who might break out in rashes because they are allergic to a specific laundry detergent.

Some people may get serious allergic reactions from wearing clothes that have been washed in laundry detergent that just does not agree with their skin. Let’s look into the issue of which are the best laundry detergents to use for people with sensitive skin. Do the manufacturer’s even take this into consideration when they make their product?

Another issue is that red haired people have sensitive skin and they will be affected by the wrong type of laundry detergent used. If you are a redhead and all of a sudden your skin becomes itchy and dry have you thought of why? You know some clothes you wear are fine and others are not. They irritate the skin to no end. Or have you thought of why when you first buy clothes and wear them they are fine? Then you wash them and they make your skin dry, itchy and feel like it is crawling? It could be the laundry detergent you are using to wash the clothes with.

The ideal product you want is a laundry detergent that is great at fighting stains but does not contain synthetic fragrances, dyes, optical brighteners and are hypo allergenic. Here are some recommended ones to try:

Arm & Hammer For Sensitive Skin plus Skin-Friendly Fresh Scent

The Arm and Hammer formula is dye free and washer friendly. The laundry soap is great for sensitive skin and has a great fresh scent. This is unusual because most sensitive skin laundry detergents are perfume free leaving the clothes with no scent.

Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent 

Seventh generation are masters at making laundry detergent soap that is effective for washing clothes  and keeping sensitive skin healthy. They do not add dyes or synthetic fragrances to the product. The soap is biodegradable and is non-hypo allergenic. It also contains any optical brighteners (they are chemicals present in laundry detergent that make it seem like clothes will glow in ultraviolet light. They want people to think the clothes are brighter and whiter because of these chemicals) which are bad for the skin.

All Free Clear

Purex Natural Elements

Like most of these types of laundry detergents this one contains no dyes and is hypoallergenic. (especially of cosmetics and textiles) relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction) It also has plant-based cleaning ingredients and natural fragrance extracts.

Purex Free & Clear Detergent for Sensitive Skin

This laundry detergent is free of perfumes, dyes and is hypo allergenic.

Ecos Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent

This detergent is made for people who are very sensitive to fragrances, fabric softeners, and cellulose optical brighteners. It is 100% natural, unscented and provides color guard. This is one of the few detergents that provides color guard.

Clorox Green Works

This Clorox Green Works natural laundry detergent is specially made for t for sensitive skin. Supposedly it is dermatologist-tested. It does not contain any phosphates, optical brighteners or harsh chemical residue.

Tide Free and Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent

This detergent is a potent hypoallergenic laundry detergent that is free of dyes, and perfumes. It also comes in pods and powder.

Babyganics Fragrance Free

Babyganics is a line of products that include dryer sheets, laundry detergent, and cleaning products. The products are available in mass marketers like “Babies R Us”. They are also available online. The laundry detergent is effective in removing stains except oily stains. It can be used for the whole household and protects against allergy issues. To get the most allergy protection get the fragrance-free version.

Charlie’s Soap

Country Save

Another simple name for a laundry soap. It is a hypoallergenic soap containing no optical brighteners, dyes, or fragrances. A pretty bland soap you could say. It to comes in liquid and powder formulas. The product has the distinction of being included in military care packages because of its safe ingredients. It is available in retail stores only in the Pacific Northwest. The rest of the world can buy it online.

Dropps Scent and Dye Free

Dropps scent and dye free laundry soap is offered in single packets but in many formulas. The dropps scent and dye free and the dropps baby soap are the same formula. Why Separate Products were made withe same formula is unknown. Both products are safe for anyone with skin and allergy issues. Both perform well on most stains and in everyday laundry in general. Dropps has limited distribution nationwide but is readily accessible for online purchases.

This product won the 2017 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for outstanding achievement in formulation and product manufacturing of both consumer and institutional/industrial products.

Grab Green Laundry Pods fragrance Free

The products have limited availability in stores nationwide but can be found in most natural and health-food stores and always online.

Honest Laundry Detergent Free Clear

Is there a laundry detergent that lies? Honest laundry detergent free clear is available in liquid and single-dose formulas. The detergent was invented by actress Jessica Alba and partners as a part of a green line of diapers and cleaning products that can be used around children safely.Honest works well on light soil but does not remove heavy stains. It is available at some Target stores and online.

Method Free And Clear

Method laundry detergent is offered in scented and unscented formulas. Neither type contains dyes. This detergent effectively removes normal soil and heavy stains. Method is available in most markets and of course online.

Molly’s Suds

A funny name for a laundry detergent. Molly’s suds is a line of all natural laundry products including powdered detergents, liquid sports detergent, and wool dryer balls. The products are hypoallergenic and are effective on  light soil but need additional products to remove heavy stains. This product is therefore limited in its usefulness because it cannot clean heavy stains on its own. This may not be a good product to buy because of this limit. Available in select health food markets in select cities, Molly’s Suds can be ordered online.     

Puracy

This is the plain and simple name of this laundry soap. Puracy laundry detergent and its companion puracy stain remover are all natural liquid formula cleaners. These products deliver effective cleaning because of the enzymes contained in the product. These may be one of the few cleaning products that contain enzymes. It is available in Austin,Texas, local stores in Texas and online for the rest of humanity.

Puretergent Fresh

These names are getting stranger. Puretergent is a laundry soap available in many formulas. The product is not scented but has a distinct herb smell. The mell is dispersed while the clothes wash. It seems funny that the product is supposed to be unscented but still gives off a herb smell. Could this be misleading advertisement?   

The product is very effective in removing heavy stains and the normal dirt. The product is limited to retail stores on the West Coast but is available to the rest of the world online.

2017 Reviews of Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin

Now, we come to the actual reviews of some of the soaps.

Puracy Natural Laundry Detergent

We talked about this one earlier. It is a powerful cleanser made from plant-based enzymes and minerals. It has been featured on several media outlets like CBS and NBC. So, it is a well-known brand. It is an effective cleaner of all types of stains and dirt. It is one of the best biodegradable products around because it is made of all natural ingredients. The pump quality is bad and the smell is intolerable some complained about.

Active Baby Liquid Detergent by Dreft

We have not talked about this one before. It is a highly hypo allergenic product that is highly recommended by many sources. It is formulated for active, developing babies and it can be used in both regular and High Efficiency washers. Making it a versatile soap to be used in all types of washers. This is a perfect solution for those exploring babies. It can also be used by the whole family making it a versatile and valuable commodity to have around the house. The bad points are it stinks and it is too expensive.

Free Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent

Free Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent by all is highly recommended by dermatologists. It can be used in all types of machines and it leaves no harmful residues because it washes away completely. It is also recommended by pediatricians and allergists. It is a well-respected product among the medical community. This says a lot about the safe use and quality of the detergent. It has a patented stainlifters formula that gently but safely removes stains. It also brings dull lifeless, whites back to life. It doesn’t come in a large container but the volume is small. This is definitely a negative point.

Natural Laundry Detergent, Unscented by Sun & Earth

This is the best laundry detergent for sensitive skin because it is fragrant free and is a preservative. It is biodegradable so you are caring for the environment (if that is a concern for you or not) and you are caring for your skin. Hypoallergenic, it has no chemical preservatives and is non-toxic. It is also cruelty-free and a vegan product, which means this natural product is safe on people and on animals, too. It is gentle on fine delicate fabrics and it is safe to use on baby clothes. It will keep colors and whites vibrant so fading is not an issue with this product.

The two problems with this product are it leaves a lingering natural scent in the clothes. The packaging can be a hassle to handle.

Perfect Laundry Detergent, Scent Free by vaska

The bad points about this product arietis too costly, packaging is less cheap-looking and the smell left on the clothes afterwards is unbearable. So is the scent in the bottle itself.

Choosing the Right Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin

The clothes you wear will definitely influence your skin’s behavior. In other words if you wear clothes that have been washed in a detergent you are allergic to. Your skin will let you know its displeasure by becoming red, itchy, irritable and break out in rashes. Choose detergents that are free from dyes, and are hypo allergenic. It is so critical to look for and choose products that are specifically designed for sensitive skin.

It would behoove you to choose liquid formulas over powder formulas. Liquid formulas are less likely to leave residue behind in the clothes. In other words they are less likely to stain the clothes like the powder formulas would. It also beneficial for people with sensitive skin to wash their clothes with liquid softeners. This seems to help the skin have less of a reaction to freshly washed clothes.

If your washing machine has an “extra rinse” setting, make sure to use it. This will make sure all of the detergent and other cleaning products are removed from the clothes. Even though the products are made for sensitive skin it is better to be safe than sorry.

Just remember that choosing a detergent is more of a trial and error. What may work for another person with sensitive skin might not work for you, so keep on searching until you find the one. This may include having to purchase separate detergents for family members. Because each family member may react differently to laundry detergents.

Storing Laundry Detergents with Children Around

Here are some ways to keep children safe in the laundry area. You know children are curious and will explore in the laundry area as well as play there. Store the detergents in the original containers leaving the labels untouched. This will clearly tell children of reading age what is in the container and to stay away from the product. Keep the products on high shelves and never leave the product on the washer or dryer. The last thing you want is for your child to be able to reach the product. If they are kept high on shelves pets and children cannot get to them.

Single packet containers should never be left ner children. Always clean up as you go. Don’t ever leave liquid or powder residue behind where children have access to them.

Conclusion:  

Now, you know what are the best laundry detergent to choose for people with sensitive skin. You have also come across some reviews of the top products out there. You know where to get them and what makes them effective and not so effective. The ingredients have been listed as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the products that were reviewed.

We have shared with you what to look for when you purchase a laundry detergent for people with sensitive skin. Who knows you might be one of those people with sensitive skin. There have been some tips to keep children safe in laundry areas added as well. Go ahead and pick the best detergent for your family.