What Makes A Laundry Detergent "Natural"

Calling natural laundry detergent chemical-free would be a misnomer. All matter in the universe is made of chemicals. The difference between natural laundry detergent and regular laundry detergent is the source of the chemicals.

Most regular laundry detergents are produced with synthetic chemicals, which are created in a lab. These chemicals are often harmful to the human body and the environment. On the other hand, natural laundry detergent is produced with chemicals that are sourced from the Earth. Therefore, a laundry detergent is natural if it is produced with non-synthetic ingredients from nature.

Why Use A Non-Toxic Natural Laundry Detergent?

Natural laundry detergents are tough on dirt, stains, and oils, without being tough on your clothes, your skin, or the environment. Harsh chemicals found in many regular laundry detergents may pollute waterways and threaten wildlife. They may also irritate the body. Many laundry detergents can trigger a condition known as contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis often presents itself in the form of red, itchy, and irritated skin.

It's important to understand that labels such as "naturally scented" or "fragrance-free" don't necessarily mean that a laundry detergent is natural. These terms aren't regulated by any government entity, so manufacturers may place them on packaging even if the claims aren't entirely true. Truly Free laundry detergent is a detergent comprised of 100% natural, plant-based ingredients.

Do Natural Laundry Detergents Actually Work?

It's a myth that you need harsh synthetic substances to achieve a decent clean for your laundry. Natural laundry detergent works just as well as the regular detergents you'll find on grocery store shelves. The enzymes and surfactants used in natural laundry detergents are powerhouse ingredients that excel at pulling dirt, oils, and other residues out of fabrics. You don't have to take our word for it though. You can read all of the 1,800+ reviews on this page to get a better sense of just how well our natural laundry detergent works.

What Ingredients Should You Avoid In Laundry Detergent?

Most regular laundry detergents may contain many toxic chemicals that can jeopardize the health of you and your family. There are several common ingredients you'll want to avoid when shopping for laundry detergent. Truly Free natural detergent does not contain any of the harmful chemicals below.

Chlorine Bleach

Chlorine is a harsh chemical that is often found in household cleaning products. It is a skin irritant that strips the skin of natural oils. This isn't a chemical you constantly want to expose your skin to.

Phosphates

Phosphates are a large cause of water pollution. Phosphates drain into bodies of water from household waste and overfertilize aquatic plants. Over time, this overfertilization transforms water bodies into wetland complexes or bogs. Phosphates can also cause skin and eye irritation.

Nonylphenol Ethoxylate

Nonylphenol ethoxylate is a surfactant. Surfactants are substances that can be added to laundry detergent to reduce surface tension and remove dirt. Not all surfactants are harmful, but nonylphenol ethoxylate is. Nonylphenol ethoxylate is on the EPA's list of toxic chemicals. Studies have found nonylphenol ethoxylate to be an endocrine-disrupting chemical that can cause low sperm counts, early menstruation, and other reproductive health problems.

1,4-Dioxane

1,4-Dioxane isn't intentionally added to cleaning products. Instead, it often seeps into cleaning products as a manufacturing byproduct. 1,4-Dioxane isn't currently classified as a carcinogen, but it is believed to be a possible carcinogen.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

These two sulfates are very strong irritants to the body. SLS and SLES commonly cause irritation in the lungs, skin, and eyes, especially with prolonged exposure. SLS and SLES can also be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane.

Optical Brighteners

Most liquid laundry detergent options you'll find in grocery stores may contain blue liquid in contrast with natural laundry detergent options which contain clear liquid. The blue tint in the color of the liquid detergent is due to the presence of optical brighteners.

Optical brighteners are added to many laundry detergents to help brighten the colors of clothing items and mask the yellowing of clothing fibers. While it's great to have clothes retain their color the benefit comes at a cost to your health. Optical brighteners may contain harmful chemicals such as benzene. Benzene is classified as a known carcinogen by the Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, it's believed that exposure to benzene can also harm reproductive organs.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a pungent gas that can be a by-product of automobile combustion. Formaldehyde has been classified as a known cause of cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Laundry detergent that lists dioazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, or quaternium-15 as ingredients contains formaldehyde.

An Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Option

Truly Free's eco-friendly laundry detergent doesn't just benefit you and your family, it also benefits the environment. Detergent eventually runs off into bodies of water after use. The toxic chemicals in many regular liquid detergents can starve, weaken, and kill aquatic life. The convenient packaging used for most regular detergents may also come with an environmental toll. Plastic laundry detergent bottles pile up in landfills and slowly decompose. It can take up to 500 years for a plastic laundry detergent jug to decompose. 

Truly Free is non-toxic, so it doesn’t pollute waterways. Our reusable jug also prevents you from adding more jugs to the mounting piles in landfills. You can do your laundry with peace of mind knowing you’re helping to protect the environment. 

Why Choose Truly Free Laundry Detergent?

Thousands of households around the world choose Truly Free for their household cleaning products to fight back against harsh synthetic chemicals and environmental destruction. There are many benefits you receive when you become a member of the Truly Free family. Households choose us because:

1. Our detergent is plant-based and non-toxic to protect your family.
2. All of our products are cruelty-free. We don't test anything on animals.
3. We send you a reusable wash jug to prevent more plastic from entering landfills.
4. We're a family-owned and operated company that strives to provide exceptional service.
5. Our products are produced here in the US. Your purchase supports American families.
6. Your purchase supports our charitable work around the globe.

We'd love for you to give our natural laundry detergent a try. We're confident you'll wonder why you hadn't switched over to Truly Free sooner.

Save Money With A Laundry Detergent Subscription

You can buy our signature scent laundry detergent refill packets as you need them, but we find that the packets tend to last 30 days for the average family. The jug we provide holds 50 oz of detergent and we recommend using 1 - 2 oz per load of laundry. This means that a jug of detergent will last for 25 - 50 loads of laundry.

When you sign up for a laundry detergent subscription with Truly Free, you'll receive a refill packet every 30 days to ensure you always have the detergent you need. You'll also save money on detergent with a subscription.

You'll receive free shipping and save $1.99 per refill packet, which equates to a savings of over $23.88 per year! You can save up to $7.98/month on detergent by bundling other Truly Free home products into your subscription for an annual savings of up to $95.76. Our Truly Free family members often like to pair laundry detergent with our signature scent softening rinse and our heavy-duty degreaser.

Have Questions? Our Team Is Here To Help

Have questions about our natural laundry detergent or starting a laundry detergent subscription? You can ask a question in the question section above, or you can call our team at 231-944-1716 during business hours (9 am - 5 pm EST) for help and support.