Detergents and Cloth Diapering

What detergent works best for washing cloth diapers? Well, this is a loaded question since different detergents will work or not work to your satisfaction dependent on many different factors. What works for one persons diaper laundry will not necessarily work for you and yours. This chart analyzes many different detergent choices and rates them so that you can find the best cloth diaper detergent for your diaper laundering needs. We also pinpoint detergents that work well with HE or High Efficiency washing machines and they have a page of their own as well. See how our rating system works below the chart. The percentages under the rating represents the results of our running poll, and how many moms use each detergent.

Want to leave a review for a detergent? Visit our Product Review Forum. We also have a diaper laundry glossary and Detergent Ingredients Glossary.

= Do Not Use for Cloth Diapers = Uses fragrance/dyes/enzymes/brighteners = Pretty Good = Thumbs up!*

*Remember - Even the detergents that have been given four stars will work differently within different water, washing conditions, and individual children so do some experimentation and find the option that works best for your family and your routine.

Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
7% of moms polled		All Free and Clear Buy It Now	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
		All Liquid Laundry Detergent - Baby Care Plus Buy It Now	NO	YES	NO	YES	NO
.23 per load		All Small and Mighty HE Detergent HE (front loader) compatible Buy It Now	NO	YES	NO	YES The Free/Clear version has no fragrance	NO
3% of moms polled		Allens Naturally Powdered & Liquid Laundry Detergents Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Arm & Hammer FabriCare Buy It Now	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		Arm & Hammer FabriCare Free	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
		Arm & Hammer Essentials Free Note: The Mountain Rain edition has fragrance and dyes	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Buy It Now	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
2% of moms polled		20 Mule Team Borax Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		Bio-O-Kleen Laundry Powder Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
2% of moms polled		Bio-O-Kleen Premium Plus Laundry Powder Buy It Now	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
1% of moms polled		Bio-O-Kleen Liquid Laundry Detergent	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
.75 per load		Caldrea Sweet Pea Laundry Detergent Note: Contains plant-derived surfactants, Borax and essential oils of Geranium, Orange, Jasmine, Coriander, Rose and Bergamot. HE (front loader) compatible Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	YES	NO
10% of moms polled		Charlie's Soap HE (front loader) compatible Note: Controversy around the disinfecting abilities of this detergent have surfaced - see bottom of page for disinfectant information.	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
3% of moms polled		Charlie's Soap HE (front loader) compatible Note: Controversy around the disinfecting abilities of this detergent have surfaced - see bottom of page for disinfectant information. Buy It Now		NO	NO	NO	NO
		Cheer	YES	NO	YES	YES
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
1% of moms polled		Cheer Free and Gentle Buy It Now	YES	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		Country Save Liquid Detergent Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled .21 per load		Country Save Powdered Detergent HE (front loader) compatible Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Dreft Buy It Now	YES	YES	NO	NO	?
ECO FRIENDLY		Dropps Liquid Laundry Pacs HE (front loader) compatible - Note - The scented has fragrance and dyes. Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		Earth Friendly Products Baby Hypoallergenic Laundry Soap Vegetable & Coconut Based Soap...may not be strong enough to launder cloth diapers	NO	NO	NO	NO	YES
		Ecos Free & Cear Liquid Laundry Detergent HE (front loader) compatible	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Ecos Powdered Laundry Detergent Soy based fabric softener	NO	NO	NO	NO	YES
		Ecover Non Bio Laundry Liquid/Powder Note: This detergent is Vegan approved	NO	NO	NO	YES	NO
		EnviroRite Laundry Detergent Ingredients: Deionized Water, Vegetable-Based Cleaning Agents, Surfactacts, Microbiostat	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		The Laundress Baby Detergent	NO	YES	NO	YES	YES
		Lifekind Naturally Safer Triple Concentrated Laundry Powder & Liquid Note: contains Seed & Pulp Extracts, Orange Peel Extracts, Surfactants from Coconuts.	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		GAIN	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
		GAIN HE Powder Detergent HE (front loader) compatible	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
		Ivory Snow may not be strong enough to launder cloth diapers Buy It Now	YES	YES	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
3% of moms polled		Kirkland's Signature (Costco brand) This product is nearly identical to Tide	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO
		Maggie's Soap Nuts Buy It Now Note: 100% natural - Grows on Trees!!!	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Melaleuca MelaPower	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
1% of moms polled		Melaleuca MelaPower Scent Free	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
		Method HE Laundry Detergent HE (front loader) compatible But It Now	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO
		Method Baby Laundry Detergent Buy it Now	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
		Method Free and Clear Laundry Detergent HE (front loader) compatible Buy It Now	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		Mountain Green Free and Clear HE (front loader) compatible A PETA acceptable product	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		Mountain Green Original Citrus HE (front loader) compatible A PETA acceptable product	NO	NO	NO	YES	NO
		Mountain Green Baby Detergent HE (front loader) compatible A PETA acceptable product	NO	NO	NO	YES	NO
		Nature Clean All Natural Laundry Liquid Pure castile soap - not suitable for cloth diapers	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Nellie's Laundry Soda contains coconut oil based ingredients. HE (front loader) compatible Buy it Now		NO	NO	NO	NO
		OXY-PRIME Powdered Laundry Detergent Buy It Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		PENGUIN SPORT-WASH Buy It Now Restores factory applied waterproofing (DWR). Contains biodegradable vegetable surfactants	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		Planet Ultra Powdered Laundry Detergent Buy it Now	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
1% of moms polled		Purex Buy it Now	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO
		Purex Buy it Now	NO	YES	?	YES	NO
10% of moms polled		Purex Free and Clear Note: Many moms have expressed satisfaction with this detergent. Buy It Now	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		SA8 Sensitive Laundry Detergent HE (front loader) compatible	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
		SA8 with BioQuest Concentrated Detergent BUY It Now HE (front loader) compatible	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
2% of moms polled		SensiClean Note: Some burns and rashes have been reported by users of this detergent.	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent Baby Buy It Now	YES	NO	NO	NO	YES
		Seventh Generation - Free & Clear contains vegetable based surfactants and enzymes Buy It Now	YES	NO	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent Buy It Now	YES	NO	NO	YES	NO
1% of moms polled		Shaklee Liquid-L Laundry Detergent	YES	YES		YES	NO
5% of moms polled		Sport-Wash Residue Free Detergent Buy It Now Note: Some burns and rashes have been reported by users of this detergent.	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
		Sun and Earth Deep Cleaning Laundry Detergent HE (front loader) compatible	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
6% of moms polled		Sun Free Note: Many moms have expressed satisfaction with this detergent.	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
Rating	Image	Detergent	Enzymes	Brighteners	Dyes	Fragrance	Softeners
		Sunlight Ultra Sensitive Skin	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
		Sunlight Ultra Sensitive Skin HE	NO	YES	NO	NO	NO
		Surf Laundry Detergent Buy It Now	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO
		Surf Aloha Splash Laundry Detergent Buy It Now