Word has finally gotten out about the health and environmental perils of sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) in laundry detergents and personal care products.

Although it’s become easier to find SLS-free soaps and personal care products (woo hoo!), finding effective and truly low-tox sulfate-free laundry detergents remains a challenge.

Sulfates, like SLS and SLES, are popular in laundry products because they create great suds and are effective at removing dirt and soil.

However, as you likely know, sulfates are bad news for the environment and anyone with sensitive skin or who cares about preventative health.

The good news is healthy cleaning companies, like Branch Basics, have created SLES and SLS-free laundry detergents that work just as well (if not better) than sulfate full brands.

And, yes, they’re affordable too!

In this article, we’ll share why sulfate-free laundry detergent matters, other ingredients to watch out for in conventional and even “green” laundry products, and the best SLES and SLS-free laundry detergents.

What Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)?

A lot of people hear they should avoid sodium lauryl sulfate, but don’t really know what it is or what it’s used for.

While we agree that SLS has no place in a healthy home, we also want you to understand what it is so you can decide for yourself.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a type of surfactant sourced from a lab or natural sources like coconut or palm. 

As discussed in Are Surfactants Toxic? The Dangers And Alternatives, surfactants are natural or synthetic substances used to lower the surface tension of water so dirt can be released and removed.

They also act as thickeners, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and binders to help other ingredients mix together (and stay mixed). They’re also leading ingredients in detergents of all types.

There are various categories of surfactants, and not all are toxic to humans or the environment. However, many are, especially anionic surfactants like SLS and SLES.[1]

Natural soap is the most basic example of a non-toxic surfactant, while SLS is a higher-tox synthetic version.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is often combined with or replaced with sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), another harsh synthetic surfactant (we’ll talk more about this coming up).

Sodium lauryl sulfate is considered moderately toxic and can cause environmental damage.

Why Sulfate-Free & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-Free Laundry Detergents Are So Popular

Inexpensive sulfates, such as SLS, SLES, and others, may create effective detergents, but studies show they are harmful to health.

For example, multiple studies have linked SLS to:[2][3][4]

• Biochemical and cellular changes
  
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity
  
• Ecotoxicology
  
• Endocrine disruption
  
• Irritation of the skin and eyes
  
• Organ toxicity
  
• Neurotoxicity

SLES, sodium laureth sulfate, may also be contaminated with 1-4 Dioxane and ethylene oxide, Group B2 probable human carcinogens.

SLS and SLES are also banned by the European Union (EU), which makes you wonder why they’re still allowed in American products.[5]

This information is inconvenient for cleaning product companies, which is why many of them have paid researchers to refute it by saying that small amounts found in cleaning products, for example, can’t harm you.

However, they fail to consider the cumulative effects of using SLS and SLES in multiple products throughout the days, weeks, months, and years, plus environmental exposure through water.

One only has to look up its toxicological profile to find the truth.

So, if you find research saying claims about SLS or SLES safety are unfounded, we’d suggest paying attention to who funded the researcher who wrote the paper.

Learn more in: Are Surfactants Toxic? The Dangers And Alternatives

How To Find An Effective Human-Safe Biodegradable Sulfate-Free Laundry Soap

Although the SLS SLES debate rages on, you don’t have to wait to start using safer sulfate-free detergents.

However, don’t presume a product is safe just because it’s labeled SLS/SLES-free!

Laundry detergents contain a cocktail of ingredients, including surfactants, fragrance, optical whiteners, brightener, and stain-lifting chemicals, making them one of the most toxic products in the average home.

Here are some other ingredients and toxic byproducts of ethoxylation to watch out for in your low-tox laundry detergent search:

• 1,4-Dioxane, also called Dioxane or Diethylene Oxide: As discussed previously, 1,4-dioxane is not going to be listed on an ingredient list. It is a sneaky byproduct of ethoxylation, an inexpensive shortcut process companies use to produce softer, sudsier detergents.

Since it is a byproduct rather than an ingredient, it doesn't have to be listed on product labels. Avoiding Sodium Laureth Sulfate, SLES (an ethoxylated surfactant),is a great place to start!

Ingredients that contain the by-product 1,4 Dioxane may contain the following red flag suffixes:

• • Myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, and any other "eth" (for example, sodium laureth sulfate)
    
  • PEG
    
  • Polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, or polyoxyethylene
    
  • Oxynol
    
• Chlorine bleach, aka sodium hypochlorite: Bleach degrades fabric over time, is a VOC, and is responsible for more childhood poisonings than any other synthetic chemical, and passive exposure can lead to fertility issues, pregnancy complications, microbiome disruption, and a higher rate of adult and childhood illness, including asthma and infections.[6][7]][8] 
  • • Learn more in: Is Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) Toxic?
• Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates (LAS): Typically listed as 'anionic surfactants' on labels, LASs are one of the most common surfactants used in laundry detergents. Their production releases carcinogenic and reproductive toxins into the environment, such as benzene.[9]
  
• Fragrance: Laundry products typically contain signature fragrances, which may be made of dozens to hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. 

Many of these contain asthmagens (lung-irritating ingredients), endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins (impact the brain), obesogens (cause metabolic syndrome and weight gain regardless of diet and exercise), and even carcinogens (cause cancer). 

Laundry fragrances are also designed to impregnate fabrics, making them a challenge to remove.

• • Learn more in: Fragrance Is The New Secondhand Smoke | Eliminate Synthetic Fragrance To Improve Your Health
    
• Optical brighteners: Optical brighteners leave a permanent or semi-permanent residue on clothes that reflects light to make fabrics appear brighter and more vividly colored. Disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate is the most common and has received a “D” from the Environmental Working group due to toxicity issues.
  
  • Learn more in: What Are Optical Brighteners In Laundry Detergent?
    
• Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs): These petroleum-based surfactants are banned in Canada and the EU due to evidence showing they are endocrine disruptors that can adversely affect physical function and fetal development. Top retailers, including Wal-Mart, are phasing out NPEs due to public pressure.[10]
  
• Phosphates: Phosphates are primary ingredients in various detergents and are associated with various human and environmental health problems, including nausea, diarrhea, and skin irritation. They are persistent chemicals that are toxic to aquatic life.[11] 
  
  • Related reading: Why Phosphate-Free Laundry, Cleaning, And Dishwashing Products Matter
    
• Petroleum distillates (aka naphthas): Derived from crude oil, these solvents are linked to asthma, cancer, lung damage, inflammation, and mucus membrane damage.[12]
  
• Phenols: Phenols are so toxic that people who are hypersensitive to it could die or experience serious side effects at very low exposures. It is rapidly absorbed and can cause havoc on the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, lungs, and kidneys.[13]

Buyer Beware: Green Laundry Detergents Aren’t Necessarily Safer

Due to today's toxicology model, even “green” or “eco-friendly” detergents may contain some of these ingredients. 

After working for over thirty-five years with the chemically injured and chronically ill and studying ingredients, I found using the consumer advocacy sites and apps available now, like EWG Skin Deep, to help vet products (the service is free and only takes seconds to use), and looking for certifications like MADE SAFE on labels provide a guideline for choosing safe products for the home. 

Use EWG Skin Deep to review each ingredient in a product.  

In our “Toss the Toxins course, we recommend that products kept in the home should be MADE SAFE certified (with some exceptions*) or have all ingredients rated a 1 or 2 on EWG Skin Deep (with some exceptions*). 

Simply go to EWG Skin Deep’s website and type in the ingredient you are interested in. 

The ingredients are rated 1-10, with 1 being the safest and 10 being the most toxic. 

Toss all products with any ingredient rated 3 or more.  

Pro tip: Start with the last ingredient on the list to save time. Typically, you will find preservatives here and you may only have to look at one ingredient to find a 3 or above rating. 

Once you find an ingredient rated 3 or more, look no further and “toss that product”. 

*Note: People trying to heal inflammatory skin conditions, hormone disruption, or chronic illness should also avoid products used on the skin with the following potentially inflammatory ingredients: 

• Citric acid
  
• Sodium coco sulfate
  
• Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS)
  
• Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
  
• Sodium benzoate
  
• Potassium sorbate
  
• Phenoxyethanol
  
• Essential oils
• Any ingredient with a quaternary ammonium component like polyquarternium - 11, even though they are rated a 1 or 2 on EWG Skin Deep

For more information, see 3 Tools You Need To Become Your Own Product Advocate

Also, be wary of “unscented” synthetic chemical-based products. What?! Here’s the deal.

Unscented laundry detergents may appear more safe and eco-friendly, but they often contain scent-masking chemicals, which can be just as problematic as the scents they’re trying to cover up!

Instead, look for naturally fragrance-free products with all ingredients rated a 1-2 on EWG Skin Deep. .

Related reading: Are They Greenwashing? How To Decipher A Brand’s Sustainability Claims

Our Favorite Human-Safe Biodegradable Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-Free Laundry Detergents

Finding sulfate-free SLS-free laundry detergent used to be a real feat.

Fortunately, many companies now sell authentic sulfate-free/sodium lauryl sulfate-free laundry products that also do not contain the other harmful chemicals discussed in the previous section.

Two of our favorites are: 

1. Branch Basics Laundry Detergent: A waterless formula (EWG Verified) that cleans, deodorizes, removes stains, softens, and freshens clothes with just one scoop. 

Each bag is enough for 90 loads.

2. Branch Basics Laundry Solution: A liquid formula that doubles as a stain remover and fabric softener made using Branch Basics’ signature Concentrate (MADE SAFE certified) plus water in a refillable bottle. 

1 bottle does 64 loads.

Both products are:

• Naturally fragrance-free (no fragrance-masking chemicals)
• Cruelty-free
• 100% biodegradable
• And made with only the most human-safe and environmentally responsible plant- and mineral-based ingredients like decyl and coco glucoside (ultra-gentle plant-based surfactants), baking soda, and sodium percarbonate (aka: powdered peroxide)

Wondering which is best for you? Check out Comparing Branch Basics Laundry Detergent Vs. Laundry Dilution: What’s The Difference?

Looking For More Advice On Switching To Natural Laundry Products?

We are passionate about helping people transform their health by creating healthier, low-tox homes.

This process is often best started in the laundry room, one of the most toxic rooms in the home!

We’ve got loads of resources for you to make switching from chemical-based laundry products to human-safe brands a snap, including:

• Detoxifying Your Laundry Room
  
• Laundry Bleach Alternatives: 7 Human-Safe And Environmentally Responsible Option
  
• Our Guide To Laundry Sustainability
  
• How To Get Stains Out Of Everything With Branch Basics [Complete Guide]
  
• 7 Legit Natural Fabric Softener Alternatives
  
• 3 Tools You Need To Become Your Own Product Advocate