11 Best Baby Laundry Detergents

This non-toxic, biodegradable, hypoallergenic product contains 96 percent plant-based ingredients and zero chemical brighteners. So what does it have? Powerful natural enzymes that work hard to clean baby’s duds. While some super-gentle infant laundry detergents lack the power to squash stains, Seventh Generation’s cleaner works great on milk spills, spit-up stains and even poop smears (it’ll happen). It’s not fragrance-free, but the light scent is derived from plant-based essential oils and botanical extracts. For added peace of mind: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded this baby detergent a Safer Choice designation.

Searching for an organic baby detergent? This option is our number one choice. Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested, it has all the qualities you’d want in a natural baby detergent. Plus, it’s been thoughtfully designed with sensitive skin of all ages in mind. The four stain-fighting enzymes in this powerfully gentle formula can be counted on to keep tiny clothes clean.

All Free detergent isn’t officially a baby laundry detergent, but it might as well be. This formulation is hypoallergenic, dye- and perfume-free and gentle enough for delicate skin—especially if baby has eczema. In fact, this is the only laundry detergent recommended by the National Eczema Association. All Free easily lifts dirt and grime, without the harshness. (You’ll still need to pretreat super-stubborn stains, though.)

Hypoallergenic and plant-based, these concentrated pods are free of dyes, fragrance, chlorine, phosphates and brighteners. And when you’ve got a stack of laundry in front of you and baby on your hip, you can’t beat the convenience of a one-handed, pre-measured drop-in Dropp. They’re even certified by the EPAas a Safer Choice for their special chemical formulation. But always keep safety top of mind: Between 2012 and 2013, over 700 children aged 5 and under were hospitalized or harmed because they ingested a laundry pod. If these convenient cleaners are your family’s go-to, keep them in an air-tight, hard-to-open container and high on a shelf, out of a child’s reach.

You’ve heard of Dreft. We all have. It’s long been touted as the top choice among pediatricians for babies with sensitive skin, and it’s been successfully (and gently) cleaning onesies for almost 90 years. This gentle laundry detergent for babies is also great for hand-washing delicates. While it’s hypoallergenic and dye-free, it does have that yummy, mild baby detergent scent, so if you’re searching for a fragrance-free option, keep looking. An added bonus for eco-minded caregivers: Dreft’s packaging is made from 25 percent or more recycled plastic.

The safest baby laundry detergent for little ones with sensitive skin may just be Babyganics. It’s a gentle, plant-based clothes cleaner that’s free of chlorine, brighteners, phthalates, phosphates, artificial fragrances and dyes. Its formula also doesn’t include sulfates, a very common additive in detergents that’s a proven skin and scalp irritant. While this isn’t a powerhouse at removing caked-on stains (be sure to pre-treat!), Babyganics is triple concentrated, so you can use less detergent for each load and still get teeny-tiny clothes nice and clean.

Looking for a baby detergent that will keep clothes super-soft and squeaky-clean without breaking the bank? Then you’ll surely love Arm & Hammer’s economy-sized clothes cleaner. Even though it’s under $10, this baby-safe laundry detergent will last for up to 75 loads, and its cuddly clean scent is sure to make you want to snuggle with baby for even longer. What’s more, its hypoallergenic formula can be trusted to take on tough stains from milk, fruits and other foods that will inevitably end up on baby’s clothes.

Tide has been a laundry room go-to for generations; and while there’s no specific Tide detergent for baby clothes, this one can fit the bill. Tide Free & Gentle is hypoallergenic and free of dyes, perfumes, brighteners, chlorine and phosphates. At the same time, it’s managed to hold onto the cleaning power of the original (just without the petroleum-based cleaning agents), which is great news for diaper blowouts. Bonus: This baby laundry detergent is recognized by the National Psoriasis Foundation and the National Eczema Association, so it’s ideal for other family members with sensitive skin as well.

This unassuming, seemingly old-fashioned natural baby laundry detergent is a powerhouse at cleaning cloth diapers. Charlie’s was originally formulated as an industrial cleaner, so it really gets the poop out, and it removes any residue your previous detergent left behind on clothes. Amazingly, it’s tough yet gentle, hitting all of the baby-friendly notes. It’s hypoallergenic, biodegradable, non-toxic and chemical- and parabens-free. Don’t be fooled by the lack of scent—it is, in fact, fragrance-free, and baby’s clothes, sheets and towels will emerge from the washer completely odorless. And because it’s so concentrated, it’s a great value baby detergent too.

We love that Method has no dyes or perfumes, and that it’s derived from plants, making it one of the best laundry detergents for babies with sensitive skin. But what gets us even more excited is that the family-friendly detergent is perfect for all laundry—and comes in a handy pump form. This Method product is super-concentrated, so you get a lot of laundry out of a little detergent (two pumps for a small load, four for medium, six for a big load of wash). Better yet, it’s an easy spot-cleaner, making laundry chores that much simpler.