Posted By: Truly Free Home
|
Posted On: 8/18/2025
This article is part of our Truly Transparent Ingredients Series, which offers a deep dive into the ingredients we use, the products you’ll find them in, and why they’re a safe, gentle, non-toxic choice for your family.
We know, this ingredient is a doozy to pronounce, and that may be setting off alarm bells in your head. That’s totally understandable. We’ve been taught that ingredients with long or complicated names must be toxic—or at least a little shady. But that’s not always the case.
Take, for instance, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate.
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate is often mistaken for dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DDBSA), a highly corrosive acid that can cause skin allergies and irritation, is associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity, and is commonly used in multipurpose cleaners, stain removers, and laundry detergents and pods.
When used with care and alongside gentle compounds, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate is a safe, balanced version of harsher DDBSA. In Truly Free Home Unscented and Signature Scent Laundry Wash, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate works hard behind the scenes—breaking down surface tension so it can lift oils and grease right out of your clothes.
Here’s where the clean chemistry comes in. Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate molecules are made up of hydrophobic (water-adverse), hydrophilic (water-loving), and lipophilic (oil-loving) parts. When these molecules come into contact with water, dirt, and oil, their unique structure loosens grime so it rinses away with ease.
And don’t worry if your home has hard water (most homes do!). This ingredient is remarkable at removing oil and grease from fabrics in both soft and hard water.
We use sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate in Truly Free Home Unscented and Signature Scent Laundry Wash because it’s a powerful, safe alternative to nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), a class of nonionic surfactants and known endocrine disruptors that are found in laundry detergents and cleaners.
When too much sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate is packed into a product, it can be irritating. But at Truly Free Home, our formula pairs gentle compounds with a small safe amount of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate—just enough to get the job done—so you don't have to worry about skin irritation or reactions.
Our commitment is simple: healthy, science-backed ingredients that deliver real results. That’s why at Truly Free Home, every ingredient is chosen with intention, so you can always trust the performance, safety, and transparency of our products.
