Ingredients · Explainer
What's actually in your laundry detergent (and why it matters for your skin)
A calm, sourced guide to the ingredients in a typical detergent, what research says, and how to read a label.
Most of us pick a detergent by price, scent or habit. Few of us read the back of the bottle, and until recently the back of the bottle didn't say much. Here's a calm, sourced look at what's in a typical laundry detergent, what the research actually says about skin, and how to read a label.
What a detergent is made of
Most liquid detergents combine a few functional groups: surfactants that lift oil and soil, enzymes that break down specific stains, builders and chelators that soften water, preservatives that keep the liquid stable, and often fragrance, dyes and optical brighteners. A 2020 review of potential allergens in US laundry products listed fragrances, preservatives, surfactants, emulsifiers, bleaches, brighteners, enzymes and dyes as categories to know.1
| Ingredient group | What it does | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Surfactants | Lift oil and soil | Some (e.g., ethoxylated types) can carry trace 1,4-dioxane; New York caps it at 1 ppm in household cleansing products.5 |
| Enzymes | Protease (protein), amylase (starch), lipase (oils), mannanase (gums) | Target specific stains, which lets formulas work at lower temperatures |
| Preservatives | Prevent microbial growth | Isothiazolinones are common allergens in some products2 |
| Fragrance | Scent | Fragrances and essential oils were the most common potential allergen in best-selling detergents (66.7%)2 |
| Optical brighteners | Make fabric look whiter | One historical brightener caused documented contact allergy3 |
So, is detergent bad for your skin?
For most people, the evidence says no. In a multicenter study of 738 patients who already had dermatitis, only 5 (0.7%) reacted to a laundry detergent patch test, and the authors concluded detergents "appear to be a rare cause" of allergic contact dermatitis.4 Researchers also note that machine washing may reduce fragrance and preservative residues to below clinically relevant levels, though that can't be assumed for every chemical.1
Fragrance allergy itself is real but limited: it occurs in roughly 3.5% of the general population, according to figures cited in the same review.1 If you have sensitive skin or a diagnosed allergy, a dermatologist is the right person to ask, and fragrance-free products are a sensible option.
How to read a label
Look for a full ingredient list. California's Cleaning Product Right to Know Act requires manufacturers to disclose intentionally added ingredients and, on the label, each EU-listed fragrance allergen present at 0.01% (100 ppm) or more, or the statement "Contains fragrance allergen(s)."6 Check for third-party programs. EPA's Safer Choice label means every ingredient was reviewed against EPA's safer-chemistry criteria.7 EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning offers its own ratings.8 Decide what matters to you: scent, sensitivity, packaging, price.
Where Eau de Linge fits
We're developing a plant-based, enzyme-powered concentrate, formulated without parabens, phthalates, phosphates, dyes or optical brighteners, with phthalate-free fine fragrance. We'll publish the full ingredient list and fragrance allergens before launch. We're not claiming it's "safer" or "non-toxic." We're committing to telling you exactly what's in it.
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Join the waitlist and we'll send our complete ingredient and allergen disclosure before launch.
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- Is Laundry Detergent a Common Cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis? Cutis. doi:10.12788/cutis.0748
- Contact Allergens in Top-Selling Textile-care Products. Dermatitis (2020). PubMed 31905182
- Contact allergy to an optical whitener, "CPY," in washing powders. Br J Dermatol (1971). doi
- Allergic contact dermatitis to detergents: a multicenter study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:200-6. jaad.org
- NYSDEC, 1,4-Dioxane limits: dec.ny.gov
- CA SB 258 (2017): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- EPA Safer Choice: epa.gov/saferchoice
- EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning: ewg.org/cleaners
This article is for general information, not medical advice.