How do I Choose the Best Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent?

For those with skin sensitivities as well as the environmentally conscious, traditional laundry detergents may not be a suitable choice. Free from artificial chemicals, dyes, and fragrances, hypoallergenic laundry detergent is often a better option for those with sensitive skin and those who wish to minimize their environmental impact. To choose the best hypoallergenic laundry detergent for you, consider whether you prefer a liquid or powder formula and whether you would like a product containing a natural fragrance. If eco-friendliness is your primary concern, consider the packaging of your potential hypoallergenic laundry detergent choice as well as analyzing its labeling to ensure that it is “green.”

Hypoallergenic laundry detergent is produced by specialty companies as well as some mainstream detergent manufacturers, and is available in a wide variety of formulations. To decide which is best for you, narrow down your choices by considering whether you would prefer a liquid or powder formula. Some argue that liquid formulas lift stains better than their powder counterparts. Powder detergents tend to have a longer shelf life than liquid ones, however, and their production requires less water waste. Many environmental advocates suggest that if you wish to use liquid detergent, you should choose a concentrated product because it creates less packaging and water waste than non-concentrated formulas.

Once you have decided whether you would like a powder or liquid hypoallergenic laundry detergent, consider whether you would like a product containing a natural fragrance. Many hypoallergenic detergents contain plant or flower oils or essences, such as citrus or chamomile, which infuse laundry with a pleasant scent. Even though such fragrances are naturally derived, however, they may irritate the skin of very young children as well as those with plant allergies. Should you or one of your dependents have plant allergies or extremely sensitive skin, you may wish to choose a detergent that is totally free of fragrances.

If eco-friendliness is your primary concern, consider the packaging of your potential hypoallergenic laundry detergent choice. In addition to utilizing minimal packaging, an eco-friendly product’s bottle or box should be made from recycled materials, and should also be easily recyclable. You should also study a product’s back panel to ensure that it lives up to the “green” claims which appear on its label. For instance, you should attempt to verify that the product has not been tested on animals. Further, you should avoid detergents which list ingredients with unspecific names, such as “color brightener,” as it is difficult to determine whether such ingredients are genuinely “green.”