Why Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergent is Better for Your Health

Laundry detergent is a staple in our daily lives, used to clean clothes, towels, bed sheets, and more. We are surrounded 24/7 by our laundry detergent every day in our home or on the clothes we wear and bed sheets we sleep in.

However, many laundry products are undermining our health, home, and environment.

Choosing the right detergent is about more than just cleanliness. Traditional laundry detergents, stain removers, dryer sheets, and scent beads contain harmful chemicals that lead to adverse health effects. These substances affect the indoor air quality of our homes and are absorbed by our skin through contact with laundered  items.

One of the most concerning components found in conventional laundry products is synthetic fragrance. The proprietary mix of chemicals that make up various fragrance recipes hijack our health, causing asthma, neurological issues, cancer, obesity, endocrine disruption, skin and respiratory issues, and more.  

The fragrance industry capitalizes on our human desire for pleasant smells, but awareness of their health impacts is growing. In this article, we’ll discuss what “fragrance” on a label means, how it impacts health, and why opting for fragrance-free laundry detergent is the best choice.

Understanding Fragrance in Laundry Detergents

When looking at the ingredient list on a laundry product (or any product for that matter), the word “fragrance” or “parfum” should be an instant red flag. These simple terms signify a blend made up of hundreds of synthetic chemicals. The fragrance industry pulls from a reservoir of over 3,000 ingredients to create custom scents, none of which have to be explicitly disclosed on a label or tested for safety.  

According to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study, 72% of products tested with the ingredient "fragrance" contain endocrine disruptors called phthalates. Phthalates are linked to serious health issues including diabetes, obesity, liver and breast cancer, hormone disruption affecting fertility and development, as well as ADHD and Autism in first and third trimester prenatal exposure.

Up to 95% of synthetic fragrance chemicals are derived from petrochemicals, which are known carcinogens, neurotoxins, asthmagens, obesogens, endocrine disruptors, allergens, and are linked to birth defects.

Even sealed and unopened in the home, fragranced laundry products can release hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, affecting indoor air quality and health. 

To make matters worse, the lack of transparency of labeling in the laundry and cleaning industry makes it nearly impossible to determine if a fragranced product is safe or not. Products labeled “unscented” are usually just the fragranced product with the addition of chemicals that neutralize or mask odors of other ingredients..

The best thing we can do for our families health is to completely eliminate fragranced laundry detergent from the home. Removing these products can instantly improve your home’s air quality and overall well-being.

Benefits of Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergents

Using a fragrance-free laundry detergent is not only beneficial, but imperative when considering our overall health. Babies, children, and individuals with neurological issues, cancer, chronic illnesses, autoimmune disease, sensitive skin, eczema, allergies, or respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable to chemicals in fragrances.

The National Eczema Association recommends avoiding fragranced products, including laundry detergents, especially for those more sensitive. Laundry detergents with fragrance leave behind chemical residues that are absorbed into the skin, potentially causing eczema flare ups and other skin or respiratory issues.

In our experience, removing fragranced products from the home can significantly benefit overall health for everyone. Not only does it help those with specific allergies to fragrance, but even people who previously thought they were unaffected  notice improvements. 

Many report reduced allergies and skin irritation, fewer headaches, and alleviated respiratory issues. People also note reduced or even resolved hormonal issues, such as painful menstrual cycles, PMS, PCOS, etc. after removing fragrance from their lives.

Fragranced laundry detergents also negatively impact our environment. After using a conventional detergent, the leftover water then gets drained, polluting our aquatic life and clean water. By choosing a fragrance-free, biodegradable laundry detergent, you reduce toxic chemical runoff and synthetic petrochemicals in our waterways.

By opting for fragrance-free alternatives, you can create a healthier living environment for you and your family while also prioritizing the earth’s well-being. 

Our #1 Pick for Best Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergent

Choosing a fragrance-free, human-safe laundry detergent is crucial when creating a healthy home for you and your family. And now, making the switch is even easier!

Our Laundry Detergent was thoughtfully designed to provide a gentle yet powerful solution for cleaning your clothes. We tested numerous formulations to ensure we offer a product that is both safe and highly effective. One scoop of our powder is all you need for a superior deep clean.

This one-of-a-kind, fragrance-free powder is

• Safe for sensitive skin
• Gentle on fabrics and tough on stains
• Odor fighting
• Free of toxic contaminants like 1,4-dioxane
• Effective even in cold water 

Safe for the environment, this biodegradable, microplastic-free formula ensures no toxic run-off enters our waterways. Being effective in cold water not only conserves energy but also protects the quality of your fabrics.

Branch Basics Laundry Detergent stands out as one of the rare natural options free from hazardous contaminants like 1,4-dioxane, alongside being made without phosphates, sulfates, harmful VOCs and SVOCs, optical brighteners, dyes, chlorine, ammonia, phthalates, and more.

Learn more about the ingredients in our revolutionary Laundry Detergent.

Experience the Difference

Fragranced laundry detergent has no place in a healthy home!

We encourage you to take this proactive step of removing any conventional laundry detergent, fabric softeners, scent beads, from the home. We have experienced firsthand the immediate and significant improvement in our health when switching to a detergent that is free of harmful chemicals. 

Our  fragrance-free, biodegradable Laundry Detergent makes finding a safe and effective laundry alternative even easier. We encourage you to give it a try and hope you love it as much as we do!

Click here to shop our human-safe Laundry Detergent today!