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Updated: December 4, 2019
Best Laundry Detergent Without Optical Brighteners Detergent
In a hurry?
If you want to skip right to the number one rated laundry detergent without optical brighteners you’ll find it on Amazon here or the manufacturers’ website here.
I hope you’ll stick around and continue reading for some eye-opening information and extensive details about the options available to you. This list took months to research and compile. I hope it helps.
There are several websites that are listing detergents, such as multiple forms of Cheer as “Optical Brightener Free”, however, these statements are FALSE! I have done extensive research and there is only one variety of Cheer that is optical-brightener free! (See notes for links to cheer ingredients). This is only one example of false information I have found on other websites! Rest assured, this list is up to date and reexamined on a regular basis!
Please do your homework. When it comes to the safety of your infant or military family it’s better to stick with a list you know is thoroughly researched and current. Check the date of the article to find out if its the most up to date information on current laundry detergents.
Optical brighteners are synthetic chemicals that are added to liquid & powder laundry detergents. Laundry detergent manufacturers add this chemical for the sole purpose of making clothing appear whiter and brighter, and thereby looking cleaner.
OBAs (optical brightening agents) are added to most of the American laundry detergents today, to make whites appear whiter, but the reality is that they can also cause colors to fade, especially dark colored clothes. Have you ever had a new black blouse that only after a few washes looked grayish and worn out? That would be the OBAs doing their job, making clothes appear lighter/brighter! I would never use harsh synthetic chemicals to wash my cloth diapers, but the fact that they fade dark clothes is why I don’t use them on my clothes either!
No, not all laundry detergents have optical brighteners in them! Optical brighteners are synthetic chemicals. So if you’re trying to keep chemicals away from your precious little ones’ skin, this is something you should be checking out on the labels!
- Disodium Diaminostilbene Disulfonate
- DMS
- Fluorescent Brighteners
- Fluorescent Brightening Agents
- Fluorescent Optical Brighteners
- Fluorescent White Dyes
- Fluorescent Whitening Agents (FWAs)
- Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs)
- Optical Whiteners
- Organic Fluorescent Dyes
- Blankophor
- Dikaphor
- Intrawite (textile use)
- Kolocron
- Optiblanc
- Tinopal
- Tuboblanc
- Uvitex
- Akzo Nobel
- BASF
- Deepak Nitrite
- Eastman Chemical Company
- Huntsman International
List Of Detergents Without Optical Brighteners
We can only fit so much information within each small section, therefore we have provided you with a clickable link, so you can obtain more information on the detergent that you are researching such as reviews, manufacturer information, and varieties available (if any). We hope this information is useful!
If this list does not completely answer any questions you may have, please feel free to leave a comment below and I will try to help you as efficiently as I can. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone who does!
Need information on a detergent that’s not on our list?
No Problem!!! I will look into it for you! Just leave a comment below and I will do my best to find the answers for you.
| Product CLICK FOR MORE INFO | Details | He Safe |
|---|---|---|
Great for uniforms and work wear.
| Yes | |
 | Great for uniforms, hunting clothes, and work wear.
| Yes |
| Best for babies with sensitive skin, however, doesn’t clean very well!
| Yes |
| Although there are no brighteners, the label reads “Not recommended for military uniforms”.
| Yes |
| Allen’s Naturally liquid laundry detergent requires only 1/4 oz for HE Machines.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 | The liquid brand is a good choice
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 | Moms report cloth diapers are clean, and no funky smell. Commonly used on both pocket diapers and prefolds.
| Yes |
 | Plant Derived, GMO Free, Cruelty Free & Sulfate Free makes this an excellent choice.
| Yes |
 Sweet Pea Laundry Detergent | Contains plant-derived surfactants, Borax and essential oils of Geranium, Orange, Jasmine, Coriander, Rose and Bergamot.
| 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.
| Yes |
 | 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!
| Yes |
 | 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. | N/A |
 |
| Yes |
 | Cost effective, additive free, and great results.
| Yes |
 | Cost effective, additive free, and great results.
| Yes |
 | Plant-based and rather weak. It would take a lot of product to accomplish a good clean.
| Yes |
 | Phosphate-free, chlorine-free, enzyme-free, borine-free, cocamide DEA-free, dye-free, and free of petroleum ingredients.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| N/A |
 | Eliminates tough odors – including smell caused by sweat, bacteria, mold, and mildew!
| Yes |
 | A light, fresh scent that doesn’t linger.
| 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.
| Yes |
 | Contains vegetable-based surfactants including those derived from coconuts
| Yes |
 | Contains Seed & Pulp Extracts, Orange Peel Extracts, Surfactants from Coconuts.
| Yes |
 | 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.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 | Does not contain surfactants.
| Yes |
 | Does not contain surfactants.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 | Although this is an excellent product, it ships from Canada so if you are in the USA shipping is outrageous!
| 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.
| Yes |
 | Rinses completely and decomposes almost immediately in the environment leaving no toxic by-products or phosphates to the water table.
| Yes |
 | Not an effective detergent.
| Yes |
 | From Austin, Texas; No phosphates, sulfates, petrochemicals, animal by-products, chlorine, perfumes, dyes, allergens.
| Yes |
 | Fantastic for hard water
| Yes |
 | Fantastic for hard water
| 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.
| Yes |
 | Very expensive. Reports of burns and rashes by users of this detergent.
| 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.
| Yes |
 | Plant-derived enzyme stain removers. Certified Cruelty Free. From Vermont; 0% fragrances, dyes, or artificial brighteners.
| Yes |
 | Reports of burns and rashes by users of this detergent.
| Yes |
 | The free and clear variety does not contain synthetic fragrances. Ingredients in this detergent are problematic for build-up/repellency issues with cloth diapers.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 | Contains fabric softener which can buildup and cause repellency issues with cloth diapers.
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
 |
| Yes |
You can check eBay and other outlets that deal in discontinued products for these oldies but goodies.
- A Happy Green Life
- Bio-Vert
- Bio-Vert with no perfume
- All: Free and Clear Liquid – Military
- BabyGanics: 3X Fragrance-Free liquid
- Bio-O-Kleen: Premium Plus Laundry Powder
- Citra Suds – 2x Concentrated – Lavender Bergamot liquid
- Citra Suds – 2x Concentrated – Valencia Orange liquid
- Claudia’s Choices – Ultra Phosphate Free Laundry Powder (Canada)
- Crunchy Clean
- Eco-Max: liquid & powder
- Ecover – Zero 2x, Fragrance-Free, Liquid
- Ecover – Zero 2x, Lavender Field, Liquid
- EnviroRite – Clearly Clean
- Equator –
- Method – Squeaky Green
- Mrs. Meyer’s Laundry Detergent: Basil, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Geranium, and Baby Blossom
- Natural Value: Naturally Gentle
- SA8 Legacy of Clean: Delicate Fine Fabric
- Thirsties – Super Wash
- Tiny Bubbles
- VIP: Hypo-Allergenic
- Wonderwash
Well yes and no!
No, optical brighteners can not be “washed” out by simply washing them in your washing machine with laundry detergent. It takes a little more effort than that!
Yes, optical brighteners can be cleaned out of your laundry with speical products. The folks over at Clean It Guide have an article “How To Remove Optical Brighteners From Clothes” that is simple to follow. I did exactly what they said and IT WORKED!
ACU, OCP Uniform Washing In Optical Brightener Free Detergent
ACU, OCP Uniform Washing In Optical Brightener Free Detergent
On the care label, the instructions are to launder in a mild detergent which does NOT contain “optical brighteners.” The reason the instructions say not to use detergents with optical brighteners is that they make Army uniforms a lot more visible (not quite glow in the dark, but close).
Laundry Detergents Without Optical Brighteners F.A.Q.
Here are a few of the specific questions we get asked a LOT:
Yes
Hey there! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
Does tide free and clear and seventh generation in the lavender scent have optical brightness? I also wanted to know does fabric softeners have optical brightners?
Yes, Tide Free & Clear does have an optical brightener called “DISODIUM DIAMINOSTILBENE DISULFONATE”. Seventh Generation Lavender does not have optical brighteners and it also has no dyes or synthetic fragrances – you can read about it here on Amazons product page. Hope this helps
According to the SmartLabel website, Tide Free & Gentle does not have optical brighteners (https://smartlabel.pg.com/00037000477433.html). Tide PurClean Unscented also does not have optical brighteners (https://smartlabel.pg.com/00037000968177.html). On the other hand, Tide Ultra Stain Release Free does (https://smartlabel.pg.com/00037000947028.html). Hope that helps.
Yes, you are correct Nick. Tide free and GENTLE does not however, tide free & CLEAR does have optical brighteners. (see ingredient list here) Our list above is not all-inclusive of every detergent that doesn’t have optical brighteners, only the ones that (1) we’ve tested and used on our cloth diapers and (2) have no optical brighteners. Thank you for adding
Hi Tammy, I use the Grab Green brand laundry pods, typically Vetiver scent but also Fragrance Free if nothing else is available. Would these be brightener free?
Let me look into it and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks
Cheri, I checked out the Grab Green brand here https://amzn.to/2tZuCuN and while it does brighten clothes, it does not use an optical brightener to do so. You found a winner! Thank you for your question. I will add this item to our list!
Dear Tammy,
We just bought new white Charisma towels; the tags state no bleach and no optical brighteners. Does OXI CLEAN contain either?
Oxygen bleach (like OxiClean) is an alternative to chlorine bleach. OxiClean contains two active ingredients: Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Carbonate. These substances form oxygen and hydrogen peroxide when mixed with water. So no, OxiClean does not have optical brighteners or bleach. I use it on my cloth diapers as it doesn’t disintegrate the fabric the way “bleach” does. If it were me, yes I’d use it.
The best way to wash towels is with warm water and color-safe bleach (if needed) for colored towels. Use hot water and nonchlorine bleach, like OxiClean (if needed) for white towels.
Hope this helps
Do you know if Sprouts free and clear has optical brighteners?
Here are the ingredients:
Water, sodium chloride, methylisothiazolinone, sodium citrate, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium oleate, laureth-7
Thanks so much!
Courtney, methylisothiazolinone is a cytotoxin that may affect different types of cells and have been linked to lung toxicity, allergic reactions and possible neurotoxicity. However none of the ingredients you have listed are Optical Brighteners. Hope this helps
Hello I was wondering about Target’s new free and clear Everspring detergent. Thanks!
Hello Erinn and thank you for your question! I’ve looked into the Target Free & Clear Everspring Detergent and it does not contain any optical brighteners! I will be adding it to our list, thank you so much!!
Thank you for the information. What if detergents with optical brighteners were previously used? I have several sets of secondhand diapers that my sister washed with a detergent containing optical brighteners. Can the optical brighteners be removed with washing?
Yes, we covered that in the above article. It’s ok, I skim through things when I’m in a hurry too! LOL I’ll paste it here:
I am looking for a liquid laundry detergent that has no optical brighteners, no softeners and no essential oils
Essential oils will most likely be listed as a fragrance. So any from this list that says no optical brighteners, no softeners, and no fragrance would be good, The first four on this list are good examples of that.
Does Arm & Hammer free and clear have optical brighteners? What about Purex baby?
Yes…
Hope this helps! Let me know if there are any others you’d like to know about. I’d be happy to research them for you.