7 Best Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents, Tested by Experts

Following in the footsteps of other Tide formulas we've tested, Tide Purclean, a GH Seal star, was a top performer in GH Cleaning Lab stain removal tests. It worked in hot, warm and cold water and 75% of its formula is made with plant-based ingredients. In addition, this formula is made without dyes, chlorine and optical brighteners and is produced at a zero waste to landfill manufacturing site using 100% renewable wind power electricity. Some reviewers said the honey lavender scent was not as they expected but it comes in an unscented version as well. The translucent cap makes accurate measuring a cinch.

Botanical Origin may not be a familiar name to you, but it's from the same company that brings you the Woolite detergent brand. Botanical Origins is USDA certified to be 67% biobased and at only 18 cents per medium load, we think it provides great value along with some eco benefits. The mix of enzymes it contains helps tackle stains and it cleans well and has a lovely fragrance, part of which is also plant-based. It's made without dyes, brighteners and artificial preservatives and, according to the manufacturer, dermatologist tested for skin safety. Botanical Origin lists its ingredients on the label for transparency and fabric softeners in matching scents are also available. While the bottle has a sleek, easy-to-hold design it lacks a spout, so some drips down the bottle while pouring or placing the cap back on are likely.

Gain Botanicals is an economical choice that not only has 65% of its formula coming from plants, but in our test, cleaned better than traditional formulas costing more. It was the only detergent to remove tea completely from each stain swatch we tested, and it did consistently well among all other stains, struggling only a bit with tomato sauce and crayon stains. Like Tide Purclean, it's made in a facility using 100% renewable wind power electricity. We love the translucent cap that makes measuring so easy, plus, it comes in the unique scents of orange blossom vanilla and white tea lavender that one expert called "heavenly!"

Aspen Clean is a brand that first impressed us when we tested it for our 2021 Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards. For the Awards we tested and featured the liquid detergent, but since then, we've been working with the powdered single-dose packs. Though pricier per load than other detergents, we like Aspen Clean's sturdy cardboard canister and that it contains enzymes, like protease for tackling protein stains and amylase to break down starches and sugars, along with oxygen bleach for whitening. In our tests, it held its own against traditional detergents and did a very good job on spaghetti sauce, chocolate syrup and wine stains and was better at removing mustard than some regular formulas. The test loads we washed were subtly and pleasantly scented even coming out of the dryer.

Seventh Generation has set a high bar for many years when it comes to environmentally-responsible products and its EasyDose Laundry Detergent is no exception. In fact, it was a winner in our first Good Housekeeping Sustainable Packaging Awards back in 2019. This concentrated liquid formula cleaned well in our tests — even in cold water — and comes in a bottle that automatically pre-measures each dose when you squeeze it. One squeeze for medium loads and two for large or more heavily soiled loads. It helps eliminate the guesswork of how much detergent to add and avoids under- or over-dosing. Kudos to Seventh Generation for being 98% biobased and disclosing the full ingredient list on the label, even the plant-derived fragrance in its rose scent version. Though the bottle is plastic, it's made of 100% recycled plastic (most others use around only 25%) and it is recyclable.

Blueland is a brand that's breaking ground in the cleaning and even personal care categories by eliminating single use plastics. Its powdered dishwashing soap and dishwasher and laundry detergent tablets come in compostable pouches that you then pour into a "forever" tin or container. In this case, the laundry detergent tablets are plant-based and fragrance- and dye-free with enzymes to tackle stains. The tin that holds the tablets is slim and easy-to-grab and comes with a tight-fitting lid. The tablets start dissolving as soon as the water hits them, even in cold water, and we didn't see any tablet remnants at the end of our test cycles. While we haven't tested these Blueland tablets on our stained swatches, our general cleaning test results were good. We would like to see the directions updated to include recommendations for how many tablets to add for large and heavily soiled loads.

You've likely heard about the latest trend in laundry, detergent sheets. They are thin strips of compressed detergent that you place in the washer with your load. No measuring, no mess and no plastic waste. While they sound compelling, in our recent GH Cleaning Lab test of 20 different brands, most didn't perform up to our expectations, except these EC30 laundry detergent swatches. In fact, they wowed us! Made without water, liquid stabilizers and fillers, the company claims to reduce CO2 emission impact from manufacturing, chemistry and shipping by up to 50% versus traditional liquid detergents.

In our test, EC30 swatches were the top overall scorer by a long shot and were the only ones to make a dent in removing set-in spaghetti sauce stains. When we compared how well these swatches restored the whiteness of a gray-stained fabric to that of a leading detergent pack, we found the performance virtually identical. These swatches are very slow to dissolve — even in hot water — though we didn't find remnants in the washing machine at the end of the cycle. Use one swatch for small loads and two for bigger ones. They are expensive, though setting up a subscription on their site can save up to 10 cents per load. We were happy to see that safety precautions are prominently featured on the packaging, as is a full list of ingredients.