5 Sustainable Detergent Options
Week 29
Until this week, I had no idea that my laundry routine had such a negative environmental impact. There are plenty of ways to make the process a little more planet-friendly, like washing in cold water and air drying to save electricity. But since an estimated 1 billion plastic detergent bottles are discarded in the United States every year, switching to a low-waste laundry detergent feels like an easy way to be greener, without having to think too hard on a daily basis.
I'd like to note that I am expecting my first child in October and the following detergents are all considered safe options for cleaning cloth diapers.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Meliora
Meliora has everything I look for in a sustainable laundry detergent. It is made of all-natural ingredients, comes in plastic-free packaging, and is actually less expensive per load than big brands like Tide. Their laundry powder comes in Unscented, Lemon, Lavender, and Lemon Lavender Clove. It is packaged in paperboard containers at $17.99 for 128 HE loads or you can opt for the paper bag refill which is $13.99 for the same amount. If you prefer to go the bulk route, Meliora sells a 5 gallon bucket with 2,500 HE loads worth of laundry powder for $239.99. They even include a free shipping label (US customers only) so you can return the empty bucket at no cost to you. Meliora also sells plastic-free stain remover sticks and oxygen brightener. All products are vegan and cruelty-free.
Use code TINYWASTE on the Meliora website for 10% off your purchase.
Blueland
Blueland laundry tablets are a no-mess alternative to traditional laundry detergent. They are made of naturally derived ingredients and come in a reusable steel tin with compostable refill baggies. Prices start at $14 for one fragrance-free refill pack of 40 tablets. Blueland products are vegan and cruelty-free.
The Simply Co.
The Simply Co. laundry powder is made of organic natural ingredients. It comes in a reusuable/recyclable glass jar with a metal lid. You can find it at Package Free Shop at $18 for 60 loads. Simply Co. laundry detergent is unscented, vegan, and cruelty-free.
Ingredients Matter
Ingredients Matter detergent is a plant-based laundry powder that comes in recyclable paper packaging. Products start at $16.99 for 72 loads and can be found online or at many Target locations. They offer Fragrance-Free, Lemongrass, and Lavender scents. Ingredients Matter also sells stain sticks, wool dryer balls, and micro-plastic catching laundry bags. All products are cruelty-free.
Nellie's Laundry Soda
Nellie's Laundry Soda is an all-natural, fragrance-free laundry powder that comes in reusable metal tins starting at $22 for 100 loads. You can also find Nellie's in bulk at $126 for 1,100 loads. The bulk option comes in a recyclable plastic bucket. They also offer oxygen brighteners, stain-remover sticks, and wool dryer balls. Nellie products are cruelty-free and can be found online or at Home Depot and Walmart.
Detergent Pods and Strips
When I started writing this post, I include a few pods and strip options that seemed like an excellent low-waste alternative to bulky plastic detergent bottles. However, these products all use PVA or PVOH, which is a synthetic plastic polymer. Originally, this was thought to be a harmless ingredient, but a recent study proves otherwise.
While PVA does dissolve, it doesn't go away - similar to how salt dissolves in water, but you can still taste it. According to the study, 75% of PVA remains in our waterways and our soil after it dissolves in laundry and dish washing machines. It flows through our wastewater and ultimately ends up back in our environment. Basically, instead of using plastic bottles, we are just sending plastics directly into our waterways.
Here is a list of the products I had initially included, but will no longer support since they all use PVA:
After trying multiple sustainable brands, my detergent of choice is Meliora. It has been an inexpensive, effective cleaner that I feel comfortable putting into our waterways and washing my future child's clothing in. That being said, I highly recommend trying multiple options to see what works for you and your family.
