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Picking The Best Cloth Diaper Laundry Detergent

If cloth diapering is a new thing for you, I can not emphasize strongly enough how much easier your life will become by choosing a really good detergent. Make your routine as simple as possible.

If you want to experiment with your favorite detergent down the road, do so, but only after you are successfully cloth diapering so you know what normal is.

In a hurry?

It’s ok! I’m a mom too! I understand your time is valuable.

I switched to Country Save Powder due to sensitive skin issues. This detergent has been awesome. It’s cost-effective, additive-free, and great results with no optical brighteners, no enzymes, no dyes, no softeners, and no fragrance!

We have an HE wahing machine. We do a cold quick cycle with 3/4 measure of the Country Save, then a hot/cold cotton towels setting cycle and that’s it. If I get even a tiny bit too much detergent I have to rinse again, so I check the last rinse cycle.

No, you do not need to purchase a detergent specially labled “cloth diaper detergent” as long as you pick one that has enough cleaning power to get the job done, safe on your babies skin, safe for the materials in your cloth diaper stash and has as few chemicals as possible.

Thats a difficult question to answer since different detergents will work or not work to your satisfaction depending on many different factors. What works for one person’s diaper laundry will not necessarily work for you and yours.

Is your washing machine an energy-efficient or non-energy efficient machine? If your washing machine is an HE machine then you will need to pick a detergent that is HE safe. We’ve made a column just for the HE consideration so you can easily find HE detergents from the list below. These detergents are formulated to clean your laundry in very little water.

Do you have hard water or soft water? Testing your water for hardness will allow you to pick a detergent that best suits your water conditions. We’ve written a complete hard-water how-to post that will guide you step by step including video tutorials!

If your baby has sensitive skin or if sensitive skin is a possible concern then you’ll want to stay away from harsh chemicals and heavy fragrances. These things are known to cause skin irritations.

If yes, then you’ll want to stick with a plant-based detergent, which is environmentally-friendly. If being green is not an issue for you and your family then synthetic-based detergents would be an option.

Optical Brighteners

• Laundry detergent manufacturers add this chemical for the sole purpose of making clothing appear whiter and brighter, and thereby looking cleaner, without actually being cleaner! This chemical also fades your dark-colored clothes.
• The British Journal Of Dermatology. says that when you perspire, the moisture in the fabric releases optical brighteners and deposits them onto the skin. Ewwww!
• We have a rather extensive Detergents Without Optical Brighteners post with one of the largest detailed list of Optical Brightener Free Detergents on the web!

Enzymes

• Enzymes are used to break down the dirt in your laundry. Proteolytic enzymes also cause irritation to skin, eyes and the respiratory tract.
• Inclusion of enzymes in products leads to adverse skin reactions, including erythema, pruritus and exacerbation of eczema according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Artificial Dyes

• Alkylphenol Ethoxylates are used in detergents and as scouring, coating or waterproofing agents in the final stages of the dyeing process.
• It has been linked to reproductive health issues, reduced sperm count in men, and can result in early termination of pregnancy or fetal growth defects.

Softeners

• Fabric Softener is a big no no, as it is actually just a product that builds up on fabric over time.
• It will cause diapers to repel wetness and leak everywhere.
• Fabric softeners can also leave harsh chemicals on your cloth diapers which will irritate your childs tiny tush!

Fragrance

• To minimize irritation, look for a fragrance free detergent.

Soap-Based Detergents

• You’ll want to make sure you use a detergent, not a soap. Soap will build up and cause them to repel.

Bleach

• Bleach will slowly wear down the fibers and cause irritation and rashes.
• Be careful when using a bleach alternative such as OxiClean, it will break down any waterproof layer and make covers and AIOs leak! It can be useful for soakers and prefolds, though. The main ingredient in OxiClean is very similar to a powdered form of hydrogen peroxide, so don’t use Clorox 2 on anything waterproof also.

Surfactants

• Surfactants are crucial to getting your clothes clean.
• The main benefit of surfactants is their ability to draw grime out of clothing while making sure it doesn’t redeposit back onto the fabrics.
• There were some controversial discussions among scientist that surfactants in high concentrations harm aquatic life. Don’t let this keep you awake at night because according to the Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University , the most common soaps, shampoos and detergents actually pose a minimal risk to the environment. This is the conclusion of a comprehensive survey that covers more than 250 scientific studies over several decades.

After using my HE machine for over 6 months, I realized these machines are much different when washing diapers. Some of these machines wash better than others. (see Consumer Reports for this.. mine was rated “good” the middle rating).

I found my previous routine was not getting the diapers as clean as I liked; they smelled funky after the wash and started to get buildup quickly.

I switched to Country Save Powdered. This detergent has been awesome. Finally an economical choice for washing cloth diapers! It’s cost-effective, additive-free, and great results with no optical brighteners, no enzymes, no dyes, no softeners, and no fragrance!

To cover my behind here, I need to tell you to follow the instructions on your laundry detergents label. With that said, I do a cold quick cycle with 3/4 measure of the Country Save, then a hot/cold cotton towels setting cycle and that’s it. If I get even a tiny bit too much detergent I have to rinse again, so I check the last rinse cycle.

HE detergents are made to have less suds because of a very low water level in the machine. Too many suds can damage your HE machine!

Making your own homemade laundry detergent may sound like a fantastic idea. I mean afterall making it yourself is usually cheaper right?

I wouldn’t use homemade laundry soap on my cloth diapers, so I can’t recommend it for my readers. Why? First of all, you need to know the differences between soap and detergents. Soaps are made with fats or oils. They’re great for cleaning hard surfaces, but not clothes. Detergents are better at cleaning laundry in a machine because they’re more soluble. They also rinse away quickly, leaving no residue behind on your laundry.

Homemade detergents are not detergents at all, but rather soaps! They are usually made with soap products. Soap will build up and cause your cloth diapers to repel.

Product CLICK FOR MORE INFO	Details	He Safe
	Best for babies with sensitive skin, however, doesn’t clean very well! No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance Rinses well in cold water	Yes
	Although there are no brighteners, the label reads “Not recommended for military uniforms”. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Allen’s Naturally liquid laundry detergent requires only 1/4 oz for HE Machines. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Good plant-based option. Use half a cap in prewash and a whole cap and a half in the main wash. Wash on hot and add a water softener if your water is at all hard. No Optical Brighteners Awesome for sensitive skin and eczema!	Yes
	Good plant-based option. Use half a cap in prewash and a whole cap and a half in the main wash. Wash on hot and add a water softener if your water is at all hard. No Optical Brighteners Good Value For Money	Yes
	Good plant-based option. Use half a cap in prewash and a whole cap and a half in the main wash. Wash on hot and add a water softener if your water is at all hard. No Optical Brighteners	Yes
	Loads of Love is an unscented detergent that has none of all the “bad stuff” in regular laundry detergent. This means that it is free from petrolatum, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, and parabens. No Optical Brighteners No Chlorine, phthalates, phosphates, synthetic fragrances, or dyes No Dyes No Phthalates No Fragrance No Phosphates	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Chlorine, phthalates, phosphates, synthetic fragrances, or dyes No Dyes No Phthalates No Synthetic Fragrance No Phosphates	Yes
	The liquid brand is a good choice No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Perfumes	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners Contains Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Moms report cloth diapers are clean, and no funky smell.  Commonly used on both pocket diapers and prefolds. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Plant Derived, GMO Free, Cruelty Free & Sulfate Free makes this an excellent choice. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Contains plant-derived surfactants, Borax and essential oils of Geranium, Orange, Jasmine, Coriander, Rose and Bergamot. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners	No
	No lingering chemical-based fragrance. It’s completely free from perfume or parabens. It dissolves quickly in cold water, and you won’t have to worry about residues on your clothes after rinsing the soap off. This works great for babies and individuals who suffer from allergic reactions to certain components in regular laundry soaps. Safe and effective for all fabrics including silk, wool, linen, cotton and high-tech microfiber athletic and waterproof gear. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	There are several other websites (as of May 15, 2019) such as : Diaper Jungle who claims Cheer Free and Gentle has no optical brighteners, this statement is FALSE! – (link to manufacturers ingredient list) Homequicks claims Cheer and Cheer Free are optical brightener free. this statement is FALSE! – Cheer (ingredient list) and Cheer Free (ingredient list) ArmyStudyGuide.com list multiple forms of Cheer (as well as other detergents) as “Optical Brightener Free”, however, these statements are FALSE! I have done extensive research, with 1,000’s of man hours for this post, combing through ingredients and this variety of Cheer is the ONLY one that is optical-brightener free!  .PDF Ingredients from the manufacturer. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners Screenshots of DiaperJungle, Homequicks, and ArmyStudyGuide.	N/A
	Cost effective, additive free, and great results. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Cost effective, additive free, and great results. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Plant-based and rather weak. It would take a lot of product to accomplish a good clean. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes NPE Free No Phosphate No Chlorine	Yes
	Phosphate-free, chlorine-free, enzyme-free, borine-free, cocamide DEA-free, dye-free, and free of petroleum ingredients. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners Biodegradable Healthy Child Compliant No Animal Testing HE Safe Methylisothiazolinone-free Fragrance-Free	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	N/A
	Eliminates tough odors – including smell caused by sweat, bacteria, mold, and mildew! No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	A light, fresh scent that doesn’t linger. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners	Yes
	Plant-based. Contains sodium cocoate, which can build up in diapers, trapping bacteria and causing repellency issues. This baby laundry soap has a neutral pH level, which means it does not irritate the skin. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Contains vegetable-based surfactants including those derived from coconuts No Optical Brighteners Biodegradable Safe for Septic Systems Not tested on Animals No Phosphates	Yes
	Contains Seed & Pulp Extracts, Orange Peel Extracts, Surfactants from Coconuts. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners Fragrance-Free PETA acceptable product	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners	Yes
	Does not contain surfactants. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners Essential oil fragrances	Yes
	Does not contain surfactants. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Although this is an excellent product, it ships from Canada so if you are in the USA shipping is outrageous! No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Contains coconut oil based ingredients. Not considered strong enough to properly clean a dirty diaper. Too expensive to be able to use enough to get a proper clean. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Rinses completely and decomposes almost immediately in the environment leaving no toxic by-products or phosphates to the water table. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Not an effective detergent. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	From Austin, Texas; No phosphates, sulfates, petrochemicals, animal by-products, chlorine, perfumes, dyes, allergens. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	Fantastic for hard water No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners Essential oil fragrances	Yes
	Fantastic for hard water No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrances	Yes
	This product is not really a detergent, it is mainly water softeners and salt. Not recommended for cloth diapers as it contains no surfactant. No Optical Brighteners No Enzymes No Dyes No Softeners Some varieties have fragrance	Yes
	Use 1/2 cap in your cloth diaper prewash and 1 1/2 caps in the main wash. Wash on hot; add a water softener, such as Calgon if your water is at all hard. Does contain essential oils. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Fragrance	Yes
	Plant-derived enzyme stain removers. Certified Cruelty Free. From Vermont; 0% fragrances, dyes, or artificial brighteners. No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Perfumes	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Perfumes	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners No Fragrance	Yes
	No Optical Brighteners No Dyes No Softeners	Yes

Sources:
The British Journal Of Dermatology – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1969.tb15947.x
National Center for Biotechnology Information – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18422788
Dyes and their effects on your health – Trusted Clothes. https://www.trustedclothes.com/blog/2016/06/21/dyes-and-their-effects-on-your-health/
The Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University – http://envs.au.dk/en/current/news/artikel/saebestoffer-er-ikke-skadelige-for-miljoeet/