Best softener for sensitive skin

When it comes to skin care, laundry detergent for sensitivities often gets overlooked. When you wash your laundry, it's easy to assume all the detergent is getting washed out during the rinse cycle—but that isn't the case. While the exact amount will differ depending on the size of the load, washer, and detergent used, a small amount will remain. Between towels, clothes, and bedding, you come in contact with small amounts of detergent all day, every day.

If you’re interested in a concentrated laundry detergent that strips out all the dyes and perfumes, we’ve got you covered. Our labs have a ton of experience testing laundry detergents, from the eco-friendly to those that specialize in cleaning bathing suits.

But what about laundry detergents for people with sensitive skin? We tested each free laundry detergent’s ability to remove stains, as well as comparing any known irritants they may contain. While we researched what makes each detergent hypoallergenic, for the purpose of these tests, we trusted claims and clinical trials, which are better suited to investigate more in depth.

Testing revolved around cleaning clothes, specifically the ability to remove common household stains like chocolate and red wine. After weeks of doing laundry, Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin (available at Amazon) rocketed to the top of our rankings for superior stain removal performance.

Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin removed the most stains.

Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin

Ingredients of concern: Sodium Borate, Polyethyleneimine Ethoxylates, Alcohol Ethoxysulfates, Propylene Glycol

Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin came out on top in our cleaning tests. The results did not surprise us as Persil also currently holds the number one spot in our best laundry detergent roundup.

In fact, we actually like this version of Persil over the regular ProClean. One of our major complaints about the original Persil was its cloying aroma. When we opened the Sensitive Skin bottle, we mercifully found a very mild scent. We also appreciated that it is formulated to work in cold water.

Those who like to cook will enjoy that our testing showed Persil did best against red wine and protein stains. Overall, it removed about 76.8% of all testing stains, 1.5% more stains than Tide Free & Gentle. That might not sound like much, but over the course of 64 loads—the amount inside a single bottle—it really adds up.

While testing showed its cleaning capacities, we had some concerns over some of the ingredients. Most notable was Sodium Borate, also known as borax, which can cause skin irritation. There is also some concern about Propylene Glycol, prolonged exposure to which could cause contact dermatitis.

Persil Sensitive Skin balances hypoallergenic laundry detergents with the standard set we’ve been familiar with for years. In exchange for having more harsh chemicals than most free-and-clear detergents, you’re getting a superior clean.

Pros

• Superior stain remover

• Neutral scent

Other Detergents For Sensitive Skin We Tested

Ingredients of concern: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate

All Free & Clear is probably the most popular brand in our roundup. In fact, All claims it’s the number one recommended brand by dermatologists and pediatricians.

It is also one of the detergents with the highest user ratings, with thousands of five-star reviews across multiple online retailers. Going over the ingredients, we can see why.

Of all the detergents we researched and tested, All had the second-fewest skin irritatants. The major cleaning agents are C12-15 Pareth-9 and Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Pareth-9 has been labeled non-irritating by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel—a consumer safety group that includes dermatologists and toxicologists.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate, sometimes known as SLES, is of bigger concern. Multiple studies have shown it to be a known irritant that can cause allergic reactions.

On a more positive note, our testers also found that it has one of the most neutral scents. If you’re sensitive to detergent smells, All has you covered. On the stain removal front, it fell into the middle of the pack, removing an average of 71.8% of all stains. It did quite well against protein stains, but lagged behind when it came to oil.

While All did not ace all of our tests, it did well enough across the board to uphold its reputation. Our testing and research tell us that consumers looking for detergent free of fragrances and dyes should start with All first.

Charlie's Soap Laundry Liquid

Ingredients of concern: Alcohol Ethoxylates (C12-16)

Charlie’s Soap Laundry Liquid is a true original. Of all the detergents we’ve tested, it’s probably the most hypoallergenic, containing mostly washing soda. It also has the EPA’s Safe Choice seal—an award given to products that are environmentally sound and contain no harmful chemicals.

While did find some evidence that Alcohol Ethoxylates (C12-16)—one of three active ingredients in Charlie’s Soap Laundry Liquid—can cause skin irritation, the concentration is very low in this detergent.

The major downside of Charlie’s Soap is in its simplicity. In many cases, companies use harsh chemicals because they clean better so it’s not a big surprise that Charlie’s Soap is weaker than the competition. In our testing, it removed 65% of testing stains, which is almost a full 10% less than Persil, our Best Overall detergent.

On the other hand, Charlie’s Soap firmly stands in the hypoallergenic camp. If you’ve found every other soap to be irritating, you should check out this simpler detergent.

Ingredients of concern: Sodium Borate, Propylene Glycol

Tide Free & Gentle gives you similar stain removal performance to that of Tide Original. It is also one of the most distinguished products in our roundup, winning a seals of recognition from the National Psoriasis Foundation and the National Eczema Association.

On the cleaning front, Tide Free & Gentle was outdone only by Persil. It removed, on average, 73% of the heavily soiled stains we presented, doing particularly well against sweat and protein stains.

For consumers who are used to using Tide, Tide Free & Gentle is a solid alternative.

Up & Up Free + Clear & Gentle

Ingredients of concern: Sodium C10-16 Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate, Polyethyleneimine Ethoxylate, Triethanolamine

We think Target’s in-store brand Up & Up is on top of its game. We tried out its Free + Clear detergent and found that it can stand toe-to-toe with big name brands.

This detergent came in third place in the cleaning tests. On average, Up & Up removed 72% of all stains, and had a good showing against sweat, protein, and red wine stains.

While Up & Up didn’t claim the top spot, it did provide great value. Of all the detergents we tested, it had one of the lower costs per wash.

Seventh Generation Free & Clear Laundry Detergent

Ingredients of concern: Methylisothiazolinone, Enzisothiazolinone, Laureth-6

Seventh Generation, a cruelty-free company that does not test on animals, is a brand best known for its green approach. It has backing from the Forest Stewardship Council, and it partners with the Rainforest Alliance.

The detergent itself is also very eco-friendly. The USDA has certified that the detergent is 97% plant based ingredients, and derived from other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials.

Aside from having eco-friendly practices, Seventh Generation Free & Clear also did pretty well on our cleaning tests. On average, it removed 71.84% of our testing stains, with the strongest showing on protein and sweat stains.

Pros

• Good stain removal

• Eco-friendly

Dropps Sensitive Skin HE Natural Laundry Detergent Pods

Ingredients of concern: Alcohol Ethoxylates (C12-16)

Dropps, an all-natural alternative to regular detergent pods, lives up to the hype – for the most part. Our testers found the Dropps pods were easy to use and not prone to popping or leaking.

Cleaning-wise, the Dropps fell into the back half of the pack. We used the recommended one pod per load and it removed about 68% of our testing stains. It did relatively poorly across the board.

However, Dropps presents a very eco-friendly attitude with policies like carbon-neutral shipping and promoting environmental causes.

Cons

• Below-average stain removal

Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin

Ingredients of concern: Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Arm & Hammer has a storied tradition of using washing and baking soda to solve everyday problems. The company’s free and gentle detergent is no different. Washing soda is the second active ingredient after SLES.

Unfortunately, our testing showed that this detergent couldn’t stand up to the competition. It removed about 67% of all the testing stains, a full 7% behind the leader. You should also be wary that there is a version of this detergent, in a similar looking bottle, called Sensitive Skin plus Hypoallergenic Fresh Scent that contains fragrances.

Cons

• Below-average stain removal

How We Tested

The Tester

I’m Jon Chan, the senior lab technician at Reviewed. It’s my job to test and write about products ranging from coolers to laundry detergents. When it came to testing detergents for sensitive skin, I wanted a product that balanced non-irritating ingredients and stain removal performance.

The Tests

We tested all the detergents in the Maytag MVWC565FW, a high-efficiency washing machine, on the Normal cycle with warm (not hot) water. To ensure that our test results were consistent, we used mechanically dyed swatches that are covered in common household substances like sweat, oil, pig’s blood, red wine, and cocoa.

All stains are carefully sourced—for example, all the red wine is made in the same vineyard and all the blood comes from the same breed of pig.

Step One: We placed our stain swatches into standardized loads of laundry. Each load contained eight pounds of pillowcases, towels, and bed sheets. Most importantly, we made sure our test laundry was free from fabric softeners as those chemicals change the way fabric interacts with water.

Step Two: We repeated this process with swatches set in designated places inside of the washing machine. For example, the first towel goes on the left side of the agitator followed by a bedsheet on the right.

Step Three: After we ran the Normal cycle, we let each strip dry overnight before analyzing them with a photospectrometer—a device designed to detect changes in color. This allowed us to assign an empirical number to how much of each stain the detergent lifted.

Step Four: Finally, we compared the ingredients of all the detergents we tested using the Environmental Working Group database. We felt that EWG has a proven track record of collating information about a comprehensive list of chemicals.

How to Choose the Best Laundry Detergent

What is the Difference Between Free-and-Clear and Regular Detergent?

The term “free-and-clear” has no legal standard, but there are some differences between those detergents and others. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the color. Most free-and-clear detergents are milky white rather than the usual blue. In regular detergents, the blue color comes from dyes used to help fight yellowing in clothing.

Another major difference is smell: Most detergents we tested had a rubbing alcohol smell because, in many cases, ethanol was used as a cleaning agent.

Will Fragrances Irritate Sensitive Skin?

By law, manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients in their fragrances. So it can be difficult to know if you’re allergic to certain products. Even products labeled “unscented” can contain fragrances.

However, companies like P&G have vowed to be more transparent with what goes into making the scents of its products. If you’re worried about fragrances, look for products that have the EPA’s Safe Choice seal.

What Does Hypoallergenic Mean?

All the products we tested for this roundup have phrases like “free-and-clear'' and “hypoallergenic.” On the surface, hypoallergenic translates to products low in allergy-causing compounds.

However, according to the FDA, these terms have no legal meaning. A study done at Northwest University showed that out of the 100 top-selling moisturizers labeled “hypoallergenic,” 83% contained potential allergens. While this isn’t exactly the same as detergents, our research into various ingredients of the detergents in our roundup yielded similar results.

“Free-and-clear” typically refers to detergent that is fragrance free, contains no dyes or perfumes, which can cause irritation. It also usually means that the detergent lacks any optical brighteners. We frown on the addition of optical brighteners because they use an actual trick of the light to make clothes look cleaner without removing any stains.

Are Free-and-Clear Detergents Safe for Babies?

You should consult a pediatrician about what products are and are not suitable for your child. However, our experiments with brands that tout themselves as safe for young children have fewer ingredients than average. For example, Molly’s Suds has only five ingredients and is mostly made of baking soda and washing soda—a substance that makes grease and dirt more likely dissolve into water.

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