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Updated: December 28, 2019
What is a Detergent Index?
Our detergent index is continuely updated to bring you the most accurate and up to date information. Please keep in mind, what works for one person may not be suitable for you or your cicumstances. It’s best to test the recommendations below and use your own judegment.
A detergent index is an alphabetical listing of laundry detergent products with references to the usage, type, amounts, recommendations, etc., Our detergent index could be used by nearly anyone researching detergent usage however our main goal was to bring you a detergent index for the purpose of determining which detergent products would be best for your modern cloth diapers!
Detergent Index Recommendation Criteria
A detergent is generally not recommended if it contains any of the following:
- Fabric Softeners: Fabric Softener is a big no-no. 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!
- 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.
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Details | He Safe | Recommended? |
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Great for uniforms and work wear.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Great for uniforms, hunting clothes, and work wear.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Best for babies with sensitive skin, however, doesn’t clean very well!
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Although there are no brighteners, the label reads “Not recommended for military uniforms”.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Allen’s Naturally liquid laundry detergent requires only 1/4 oz for HE Machines.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
 Lavender & Grapefruit |
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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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The liquid brand is a good choice
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Moms report cloth diapers are clean, and no funky smell. Commonly used on both pocket diapers and prefolds.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Plant Derived, GMO Free, Cruelty Free & Sulfate Free makes this an excellent choice.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
 Sweet Pea Laundry Detergent |
Contains plant-derived surfactants, Borax and essential oils of Geranium, Orange, Jasmine, Coriander, Rose and Bergamot.
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He Safe? No | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Similar to Allen’s Naturally, however ingredients are proprietary. Extensive studies by Clemson University have shown it leaves no residue. Biodegradable. Technically a “detergent” (not soap, despite its name). Complaints of chemical burns and rash have been reported!
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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There are several other websites (as of May 15, 2019) such as :
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.
Screenshots of DiaperJungle, Homequicks, and ArmyStudyGuide. |
He Safe? N/A | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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Cost effective, additive free, and great results. Use 1 cap in the prewash and 2 caps in the main wash.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Cost effective, additive free, and great results. Use 1 scoop in the prewash and 2 scoops in the main wash.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Plant-based and rather weak. It would take a lot of product to accomplish a good clean.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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Phosphate-free, chlorine-free, enzyme-free, borine-free, cocamide DEA-free, dye-free, and free of petroleum ingredients.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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He Safe? N/A | Recommended? Yes |
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Great for hard water! For hard water households, use 1/2 cup in prewash and 1 1/2 cups in the main wash. For soft water households, use 1 – 1 1/2 cup in main wash only. Lots of suds. Works better than some of the pricier detergents.
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He Safe? No | Recommended? Yes |
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Great for hard water! Start with 1/2 cap prewash and 2 caps main wash, increase as needed for your washer & water conditions.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Eliminates tough odors – including smell caused by sweat, bacteria, mold, and mildew!
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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A light, fresh scent that doesn’t linger.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Contains vegetable-based surfactants including those derived from coconuts
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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Contains Seed & Pulp Extracts, Orange Peel Extracts, Surfactants from Coconuts.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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100% natural – Grows on Trees!!! Perfect for hunting camo! This is actually a natural soap, not a detergent and can build up on fibers and cause repelling issues. Perfect for regular laundry.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Does not contain surfactants.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Does not contain surfactants.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Although this is an excellent product, it ships from Canada so if you are in the USA shipping is outrageous!
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Rinses completely and decomposes almost immediately in the environment leaving no toxic by-products or phosphates to the water table.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Not an effective detergent.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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From Austin, Texas; No phosphates, sulfates, petrochemicals, animal by-products, chlorine, perfumes, dyes, allergens.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Fantastic for hard water
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Fantastic for hard water
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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This product is not really a detergent, it is mainly water softeners and salt. Not recommended for cloth diapers as it contains no surfactant.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Very expensive. Reports of burns and rashes by users of this detergent.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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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.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Plant-derived enzyme stain removers. Certified Cruelty Free. From Vermont; 0% fragrances, dyes, or artificial brighteners.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Reports of burns and rashes by users of this detergent.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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The free and clear variety does not contain synthetic fragrances. Ingredients in this detergent are problematic for build-up/repellency issues with cloth diapers.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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Contains fabric softener which can buildup and cause repellency issues with cloth diapers.
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? Yes |
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He Safe? Yes | Recommended? No |
Hello, I’ve recently purchased some motherease cloth diapers to start using when our baby arrives, however the warrantee on these nappies is not valid if using detergents with certain things in and they also recommend NOT using certain other eco or home made detergents. I’ve listed below what they say on the website, but Im now totally confused as this seems to cover every detergent ingredient list I’ve looked at or Im worried I will miss something by another name. In your vast experience do you have any recommendations that are free from anything of this list? I live in the uk but can probably get hold of most detergents if you had a few suggestions?
Many thanks for any suggestions for this confused mumma to be!
Stating:
“Warranty is void when detergents containing harsh solvents such as hydrogen peroxide (oxygen bleach), sodium per carbonate or optical brighteners are used”
Mother ease does not recommend the use of boutique type detergents due to customer complaints. These include (but are not limited to) Charlies Soap, Allens Naturally, Nellies Soda, Rockin Green, Country Save, Laundry Tarts, any type of soap nuts, 7th Generation Soap, and Ecos.
Mother ease does not recommend any homemade detergents. Fat deposits from soap can accumulate in the diapers layers and cause water repellency.
Do not use laundry detergent products containing sodium percarbonate, hydrogen peroxide (oxygen bleach) or optical brighteners. These ingredients are often listed. When combined with uric acid and ammonia a reaction occurs causing natural fibers to dissolve. These ingredients are also harsh on diaper covers and cover binding.
Hi KatGoose,
I wrote to the folks over at MotherEase and this is what they said
“You can use any good quality detergent that does not contain any oxygenated bleaching agents (hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, optical brighteners). Liquid Tide Free and Gentle, Liquid Ivory Snow, Kirkland regular, Country Breeze Laundry Detergent + Laundry Miracle (on our site) are good options we know work well. ”
I would add that I do not agree with everything this customer rep had to say due to the fact Tide Free & Gentle DOES have an optical brightener called “DISODIUM DIAMINOSTILBENE DISULFONATE” in its ingredients. I’d say any of the others listed would be ok though.
I hope this helps,
Tammy