If you are striving for a sustainable non-toxic lifestyle, cleaning products are one of the first items that will need your attention. Dish soap in particular is used daily in most households, so we wanted to find the best non toxic dish soap brands that are eco friendly and effective.
Why Toxicity of Dish Soap is a Concern?
You might think that the toxicity of the dish soap is not a major factor since it gets rinsed off, so why worry about it?
When you wash your dishes with dish soap, the soap molecules surround and lift away the dirt and grime from the surface of the dishes. And yes, dish soap, ideally, shouldn’t linger on dishes after proper rinsing. However, if dish soap is not rinsed off thoroughly, it could potentially leave a residue. This residue might not only affect the taste and smell of your food but could also attract more dirt and dust over time. In areas with hard water (water that contains high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium), soap can react with the minerals and form soap scum or deposits on dishes. This can make it harder to rinse off soap completely.
Regardless of which type of dish soap you use, the first step to minimizing ingestion and exposure is to rinse off the soap thoroughly. But for a complete peace of mind it makes sense to choose a non toxic dish soap that is safer for your family and for the environment.
What Ingredients are Used in Non Toxic Dish Soap?
Non toxic dish soap typically contains ingredients that are gentle on the environment and safe for human health. Some common ingredients found in non-toxic dish soaps include:
Plant-derived surfactants: These are natural cleaning agents derived from plants like coconut or corn. They help to break down grease and grime.
Natural fragrances: Essential oils or plant extracts are often used to provide a pleasant scent without relying on synthetic fragrances.
Glycerin: This ingredient helps to moisturize and soften hands while washing dishes.
Citric acid: Derived from citrus fruits, citric acid is used as a natural preservative and to help remove stains and grease.
Aloe vera: Known for its soothing properties, aloe vera is sometimes added to dish soaps to help keep hands soft and hydrated.
Baking soda: A gentle abrasive, baking soda helps to scrub away tough stains and odors without causing damage.
Vinegar: White vinegar is sometimes used in dish soaps for its grease-cutting properties and as a natural disinfectant.
Our Recommendations
We have selected the 10 best non toxic dish soap brands based on the their commitments to sustainability and health, and their focus on the effectiveness of the dish soap. Here are recommendations.
This dish soap offers cutting-edge green cleaning with sustainable, plant-powered ingredients. It’s certified by the U.S. EPA Safer Choice, biodegradable, and vegan. The formula effectively breaks down grease yet is gentle for delicate items. A small amount goes a long way, providing strong suds for tackling tough dishes. It’s dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, and pH-balanced. ECOS dish soap is free from harmful ingredients. ECOS, established since 1967, uses natural enzymes and operates in a sustainable factory. Certified Safer Choice for human and environmental safety.
This dish soap from Cleancult transforms dirty dishes into clean ones while maintaining skin softness. It’s made from natural ingredients, such as aloe and essential oils, free from harsh chemicals, and eco-friendly. It comes in a 16 oz Eternal Aluminum bottle, designed for easy refills and minimal waste. Cleancult’s refill system uses recyclable packaging with 90% less plastic. The formulas exclude phthalates, phosphates, petroleum-based ingredients, dyes, SLS, and SLES. You can choose from Lemon Verbena or Wild Lavender scents.
ATTITUDE™ dishwashing liquid with refreshing citrus zest aroma is EWG Verified, ensuring clean ingredients and transparency. It’s made from over 97% naturally sourced ingredients, including plant-based and mineral components to effectively clean. The packaging is easily recyclable, using HDPE #2 plastic, and the product is PETA certified as 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
This liquid dish soap effectively removes grease, leaving dishes clean and bright. It features a biodegradable formula with plant-derived cleaning agents. The Apple Cider variant offers a sweet, crisp scent with a hint of spice. It’s easy to use and free from parabens, phthalates, and animal-derived ingredients. Mrs. Meyer’s products are cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified.
This dish soap is biodegradable and leaves no residue and is tough on grease but gentle on the skin. It is free of phthalates, glycol solvents, chlorine, formaldehyde, artificial colors, parabens, animal-derived ingredients, MEA, and DEA. The formula is fully biodegradable and is formulated with plant-derived ingredients, with soap bark extract being the main natural degreaser.
RE: Dish Washing Soap Bar is a solid dish soap that offers a plastic-free and zero-waste option for cleaning dirty dishes, pots, and pans. It is tough on greases but gentle on the hands. The package includes a 100% natural loofah slice that can be used to hold the soap or scrub dishes. The loofah 100% compostable. It comes in plastic-free packaging and the soap is made with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, free of artificial dyes and fragrance. The soap comes in unscented, citrus, rosemary, and cinnamon scent variations.
This dish soap is tough on grease and grime in the kitchen, suitable for various utensils including cookware, bakeware, and cutlery. It contains vitamin E and aloe, and has no petroleum solvents, chlorine or bleach, added alcohols, added parabens, SLS or SLES. Made from corn and coconut oil plant derived ingredient, it’s fully biodegradable and safe around children and pets.
This concentrated dish soap is gentle on hands yet tough on grease and grime. Made with plant-derived ingredients, it's safe for the environment and local wildlife. Naturally scented with essential oils, available in lavender, lemon burst, peppermint, or unscented. Septic safe, vegan, and cruelty-free, free of petrochemicals, solvents, dyes, and pesticides.. Molly’s Suds is Safer Choice and ISO-9235 compliant.
This dish soap is eco-friendly and efficient, producing ample lather to tackle grease and grime. Unscented and fragrance-free, it contains aloe vera to keep hands smooth. Versatile for various cleaning tasks, it's vegan, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, palm oil-free, and biodegradable. Packaged without plastic, each block lasts 2-3 months. Works well with a wooden dish brush or scrubber and a bamboo soap dish. Can also be used to clean sinks and oven tops.
Grove’s Lavender Blossom & Thyme Dish Soap Refill is designed to effectively clean dishes while being environmentally friendly. It's tough on stuck-on food and grease, and it comes in a natural fragrance using essential oils and plant extracts. Made with 98% plant-based ingredients, it contains no harsh chemicals or plastics, and the packaging is recyclable aluminum and recycled Kraft paper.
Puracy Dish Soap offers care for both your dishes and your hands. It contains a balanced blend of plant-powered cleansers and moisturizers to ensure that neither your dishes nor your hands are neglected. It does not contain skin-damaging chemicals such as sulfates, triclosan, parabens, petrochemicals, animal by-products, perfumes, or caustic ingredients. The soap is naturally derived, hypoallergenic, vegan, gluten-free, and biodegradable. It is certified cruelty-free and has not been tested on animals. The product is made in the USA.