The 13 Best Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergents

Everyone uses laundry detergent, but for some this necessary product can cause skin issues or headaches and stuffy noises from chemical sensitivity to fragrances and some ingredients. 

Irritant contact dermatitis can be caused by laundry detergents that break down the skin's oily, protective surface layer resulting in itchy, dry skin. The most common detergent ingredient that causes the problem is any type of dye. These chemical dyes serve no purpose in cleaning clothes.

Chemical sensitivity can result in skin and respiratory issues. It is usually added fragrances in detergents that cause these problems. Since many consumers equate scents with cleanliness, manufacturers lace detergents with fragrances and even offer separate scent boosters.

If someone in your home is having skin or allergy issues or you have baby laundry to do, here are the best laundry detergents (in alphabetical order) to help prevent problems. Take time to read each review to determine which product will serve your laundry needs and give you the level of cleaning that you desire.

all Free Clear is a mid-priced laundry detergent that is readily available in United States mass markets on laundry detergent aisles. Manufactured by Henkle, it is a good all-purpose laundry detergent that performs well in removing daily laundry soil; however, heavy stains will require additional stain removal treatment.

Babyganics offers a line of products that includes laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and cleaning products. The products are available in mass marketers in the United States and online. 

The laundry detergent performs well in removing most types of stains with the exception of oily stains. It can be used for laundry for the entire household, not just babies. For the most protection against allergic reactions, choose the fragrance-free version.

Charlie's Soap, manufactured by a small family-owned company in North Carolina, is available in both powder and liquid formulas. Made with natural ingredients, it is an effective laundry detergent for the entire family, works well on oil-based stains, and can be used safely on cloth diapers. 

Charlie's Soap has limited availability in stores but is available online.

Country Save is a hypoallergenic laundry detergent that contains no optical brighteners, fragrances or dyes available in liquid and powder formulas. The detergent is actually included in military care packages due to its biologically-safe ingredients.

While available in some retail outlets in the Pacific Northwest where it is manufactured, it is readily accessible for the rest of the world online.

Dropps Laundry Detergent is offered in single-dose packets in several scented and unscented formulas neither of which contain irritating dyes. Both perform well on lightly stained everyday laundry. While the packaging is completely recyclable, care should be taken to prevent children from easily accessing the product in the boxes.

Dropps was awarded the 2017 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for outstanding achievement in formulation and product manufacturing of both consumer and institutional/industrial products.

Dropps Laundry Detergent and the other Dropps household cleaners are only available as online purchases.

Gain Botanicals from Procter & Gamble is Gain's first plant-based and USDA certified bio-based detergent that is free from dyes and optical brighteners. The product line does include scent created by essential oils in Orange Blossom Vanilla and White Tea Lavender.

Gain Botanicals is a midrange-priced detergent and works well to remove all but the heaviest of stains.

Honest Laundry Detergent is available in liquid and single-dose formulas. The detergent was created by actress Jessica Alba and partners as part of a green line of diapers and cleaning products for use around children.

Honest works well on light soil but does not remove heavy stains. It is available at some retail stores and online.

Method Laundry Detergent is a highly concentrated laundry detergent that is offered in scented and unscented formulas (neither contains dyes). It is a very effective detergent for removing normal soil and heavy stains.

Method laundry and home care products are available in the laundry aisle of most mass markets and online.

Molly's Suds is an all-natural line of laundry products including powdered detergents, liquid sports detergent, and wool dryer balls. The products are hypoallergenic and perform well on light soil but need additional products to remove heavy stains.

Available in some health food markets in select cities, Molly's Suds can be ordered online.

Purex Free & Clear is manufactured by Henkel and is one of the few unscented and dye-free laundry detergents readily available on mass marketing shelves. A mid-priced detergent, Purex Free & Clear is available in a liquid formula. Purex Baby is dye-free but does contain added scent.

The product works well on normal laundry soil but needs an additional stain removal product to tackle heavy stains.

The Seventh Generation company offers a huge line of cleaning, laundry, baby, and feminine products that are all natural and plant-based. Laundry products are offered in scented (natural essential oils) and unscented formulas. The free and clear detergents can be purchased as a liquid or in single dose packs. There are also free and clear stain remover and dryer sheets available.

Seventh Generation detergents offer excellent cleaning for lightly and heavily soiled laundry loads. They can be purchased at many mass market stores and online.

Available in both a liquid formula and as a single dose pod, Tide free & gentle is safe to use for anyone with skin sensitivity but is still tough enough to work on removing stains for the entire family. 

Recognized by both the National Eczema Association as well as the National Psoriasis Foundation as a recommended product for anyone with sensitive skin, Tide Free and Gentle contains no harsh chemicals, perfumes or dyes.

The formulas are safe to use in all water temperatures and in both standard and high-efficiency washers and perform well in removing all stains.

Tide is the leading seller in laundry detergents and a staple in many homes since it hit the shelves in 1946 because of its performance as a heavy-duty detergent in removing even the toughest stains.

Now, the Tide line includes Tide purclean, a plant-based detergent with the same cleaning ability as regular Tide but with no dyes, chlorine, phosphates, or optical brighteners. It is available in an unscented formula and in a Honey Lavender scent infused with essential oils.

Tide purclean is an excellent detergent and stain remover for all washable fabrics and is readily available at mass marketers and online.