5 Best Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergents

The average dishwasher runs five cycles a week. For many, this appliance works even harder than that, sometimes doing multiple cycles a day. Every time you run your dishwasher, you can expose yourself, your family, and the environment to potentially harmful chemicals. Exposure to these toxins and harsh chemicals comes from either the steam emitted from the dishwasher or the residue left on your dishes. Either way, switching to a non-toxic dishwasher detergent is essential to keep your family and the environment safe from toxic chemicals. 

There are many so-called “eco-friendly” dishwasher detergents advertised as “green” or “natural,” but many of them contain ingredients to avoid and, hence, are not as safe as they imply. However, there are several kinds out there that are truly safe and effective for washing away food particles. I will give you my recommendations for the best dishwasher detergent, and you will also get insight into the tactics and drawbacks of the mainstream dishwasher detergent industry.

5 Best Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergents

Before we go over the 5 best non-toxic dishwasher detergents, let’s discuss what is wrong with most conventional dishwasher detergents and why finding a non-toxic, all-natural dish detergent can be difficult.

What’s Wrong With Most Dishwasher Detergents?

To begin, many dishwasher detergents (and regular house cleaning products) include the following ingredients to avoid:

• ammonia
• sodium hypochlorite
• dyes
• artificial fragrance
• benzisothiazolinone
• methylisothiazolinone
• methylchloroisothiazolinone
• cristobalite
• polyalkylene glycol, and
• quartz.

All these chemicals have been linked to various medical issues including allergic reactions, dermatitis, eye damage, lung/throat/mouth irritation, cancer, and more. (Learn how to clean your house without chemicals here.)

Some examples of dishwasher detergents with ingredients to avoid include:

• Amway Home™ Automatic Dish Tablets
• Cascade Platinum ActionPacs
• Finish Quantum® Hard Water Tablets, and
• Frosch Lime Dishwasher Tabs.

Additionally, some dishwasher detergent companies have employed tricky schemes to hide certain ingredients. I assume that the hidden ingredients are toxic; otherwise, they would have no reason to conceal them. Let’s explore how they do it using Cleancult Dishwasher Tablets as an example. 

While Cleancult disclosed some ingredients, such as sodium percarbonate, they sneaked in 5 undisclosed ingredients. Here is how:

Water Soluble Film

This is not a name of a chemical or an ingredient. It describes a functional part of the tablets, but the ingredients in the film are unknown.

Granulation Excipient

Again, this describes a functional part of the dishwasher tabs. It is a hidden ingredient that produces a granular texture.

Plant Extract

There are thousands of plants out there. Therefore, there are thousands of possible extracts that could have been added. In other words, “plant extract” sounds too vague and abstract. Also, note that the mere presence of some plant extract in your dishwasher tabs does not make them “plant based.”

Surfactants

A surfactant is made from ingredients that produce lather or foam. There are hundreds of them, some that are safe and many that are not. The most used surfactants in dishwasher detergents are ethoxylated surfactants, which are toxic.

Many companies have actually found it relatively easy to cut out the aforementioned ingredients like ammonia, chlorine, and synthetic fragrances to claim they are a “natural detergent.” However, ethoxylated ingredients like alcohol ethoxylate, or alkoxylated alcohol, remain present even in so-called “non-toxic” detergents (like Dr. Mercola Greener Cleaner Dishwasher Pouches, and Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs).

The ethoxylated ingredients are concerning, because their residues can potentially cause cancer. This study shows that residue from ethoxylated ingredients on dishes may lead to chronic inflammatory disease by damaging the gut’s epithelial barrier, a condition often called “leaky gut.” 

In conclusion, dishwasher detergents, even so-called “natural” ones, often include harmful chemicals or hidden ingredients that make them potentially toxic. Pay close attention to the labels to spot and avoid harsh chemicals, as always, and utilize my dishwasher detergent recommendations for safe dishwashing. (If you hand wash your dishes, you can also find my dishwashing liquid guide and my top non-toxic dish soaps on the I Read Labels For You blog.) 

Why Is Finding Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergents Difficult?

Finding a non-toxic, all-natural dish detergent can be difficult because no single detergent can be effective for all levels of water hardness. You cannot make one solution to work in all circumstances—and I should know, since I’ve studied the whole dishwashing detergent market and even researched possibly making my own solution at one point. 

However, you need 0.3 gpg (grains per gallon) for soft water, 3.5-7.0 gpg for moderate water, 7-10.5 gpg for hard water, and over 10.5 gpg for very hard water. This means, of course, that not every non-toxic dish detergent will work well with your water hardness. Even so, do not revert again to using detergents made with harmful chemicals. Instead, try a different non-toxic dishwashing detergent with a gpg number that better suits your water hardness. (If you don’t know your water hardness, call your water district or buy a test online or take a water sample to a pool or pet supply store.)

5 Natural Dishwasher Detergent Recommendations

First, I think it’s a good idea to go for dishwashing powder or dishwasher tabs rather than coated dishwasher detergent pods or packs (such as Grove Collaborative dishwasher detergent packs). The reason is that coated dishwasher detergent pods or packs are enveloped in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). There is evidence that the PVA does not break down and disappear within wastewater treatment plants. Instead, it poses a pollution concern to the environment (source).

Second, to avoid health risks, including gastric burns and leaky gut, caused by residues of harsh chemicals on your dishes, it is a great idea to switch over to a non-toxic dishwasher detergent. Specifically, I consider dishwashing products by the following brands safe:

• Branch Basics tabs (READ15 for 15% off on starter kits)
• Pure Haven powder (what I currently use)
• Blueland packs 
• MamaSuds powder (IRLFY10 for 10% off), and
• Earthley powder.

Branch Basics

Branch Basics (use READ15 on starter kits to get 15% off) is, in my opinion, one of the best sources for all cleaning supplies, including its plastic-free, eco-friendly dishwasher detergent. The detergent (and all their other products) does not include any ethoxylated ingredients or other harmful chemicals.

It contains enzymes that play a critical role in its performance. While enzymes (i.e., protease and amylase) can irritate the lungs if airborne and inhaled, I don’t think dishwasher tabs pose such a risk. Just use them according to the instructions and don’t let your kids play with them.  

Based on my past research on Branch Basics, you can be confident that Branch Basics takes every step to ensure their products are as eco-friendly and safe as possible. In addition, I like the fact that there is no film as we saw in the Cleancult Dishwasher Tablets. 

Pure Haven Dishwasher Detergent

Pure Haven is also non-toxic and free of ethoxylated ingredients, as are all their products. Like Branch Basics, it is formulated to work pretty well with all water hardness types. I use Pure Haven dishwasher detergent, and, in my experience, it doesn’t leave food particles or a white film behind but gets me squeaky clean dishes every time. If you have soft water, make sure you do not use more than 1/3 scoop. Take a look at what one of the users of Pure Haven Dishwasher Detergent said here.   

It does include natural enzymes which can sometimes lead to respiratory irritation if inhaled, so be careful of that when using it. However, enzymes help with the cleaning action and will help you get a better finish. 

Pure Haven also has other cleaning products and personal care products that I recommend. In fact, after lots of research into this company and their mission, I believe that all their products are safe and void of harmful contaminants including heavy metals, benzene, bacteria, and PFAS..

Blueland Dishwasher Packs

Blueland is not one of my top natural cleaning supplies brands because they include fragrances and synthetic dyes (which I consider ingredients to avoid) in some of their products. However, I highly appreciate their eco-friendly plastic-free packaging and have had success with two of their products that do not include artificial ingredients.

Among their ingredients, the Blueland dishwashing tablets have no fragrance, dyes, or ethoxylated ingredients. Like the dishwasher detergents discussed above, they have enzymes, too.  I don’t believe, though, that detergent packs can be easily airborne and inhaled. These uncoated detergent packs must work great in both hard and soft water. 

MamaSuds Dishwasher Powder

MamaSuds is eco-friendly dishwasher powder that I would only recommend for soft water (IRLFY10 for 10% off). It has a safe and familiar ingredient list, including sodium carbonate, and excluding ethoxylated ingredients or any other harmful chemicals. It is completely biodegradable, plastic-free, and contains no enzymes.

Earthley Powder Dishwasher Detergent

Earthley powder dishwasher detergent is another detergent for soft water with some of the safest ingredients out there. It’s vegan, non-GMO, biodegradable, plastic-free, and is free of parabens, fragrances, sulfates, and harsh chemicals. All ingredients are natural and safe and work together for a super effective formula. 

If you prefer scented detergents, all the Earthley powder dishwasher detergent scented options are scented with essential oils only. Overall, the powder is pretty safe unless you are sensitive to certain essential oils (learn more about natural fragrance here). Both the scented and unscented formulas are effective and non-toxic based on my criteria. 

Conclusion About Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergents

The Right Combination Of Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergent And Water Hardness Makes For An Effective And Safe Dishwashing Detergent Solution. 

In sum, removing harmful chemicals in your home does not have to be difficult. There are several companies out there that provide products that are non-toxic and have just as much cleaning power as their chemical-ridden counterparts.

Specifically, I consider the following 5 eco-friendly dishwasher detergents safe:

• Branch Basics (READ15 for 15% off on starter kits)
• Pure Haven (it’s what I currently use)
• Blueland 
• MamaSuds (IRLFY10 for 10% off), and
• Earthley.

For more recommendations to help you replace all harmful chemicals in your home, use the I Read Labels For You blog and the shop section of the website as sources of trusted advice and research. I hope this content takes the stress out of learning and your house can soon be full of the best ingredients that are safe for you and the environment!