KEY TO DETERGENT CHART
	Considered a great choice for diaper laundry.		Easy Tip:	A green background highlights detergents that are recommended;  an orange background highlights detergents to avoid.
	A good choice for cloth diaper laundry.
	An average detergent. Not the best for cloth diaper laundry.
	Not recommended for diaper laundry.			Detergent does NOT have this offending ingredient
	Should not be used for cloth diaper laundry.			Detergent does have this offending ingredient

 

HE Detergent Chart for diaper laundry success

updated March 2008

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		all Small and Mighty Free Clear HE HE Certified
		all Small and Mighty Fresh Rain HE HE Certified
		Allens Naturally Laundry Detergent -Liquid  -Ultra Concentrated Powder   Standard and HE compatible
		Personal note: Results for use in high-efficiency machines is often considered better than when used in the same water supply with a top-loading machine. Manufacturer's note: "For high efficiency washers use Ľ of the recommended amount."
		Arm & Hammer  HE HE Certified
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Bi-O-Kleen  Laundry Powder Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This brand of detergent has repeatedly caused repellency issues with pocket diapers.
		Bi-O-Kleen Premium Plus Laundry Powder Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This brand of detergent has repeatedly caused repellency issues with pocket diapers.
		Bi-O-Kleen Laundry Liquid Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This brand of detergent has repeatedly caused repellency issues with pocket diapers.
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Caldrea Laundry Detergent Standard & HE compatible				natural essential oils
		Charlie's Soap Powder Standard & HE compatible
		Personal Note: There is great controversy over this detergent.    Fact is: some (not all) babies have a severe skin reaction to this detergent. Manufacturers Note: "We have found that by following proper procedures with our detergents... we have remedied nearly all the problems. We know there can be a problem with hard water with our detergents" -Charlie Sutherland
		Charlie's Soap Liquid  Standard & HE compatible
		Personal Note: There is great controversy over this detergent.    Fact is: some (not all) babies have a severe skin reaction to this detergent. Manufacturers Note: "We have found that by following proper procedures with our detergents... we have remedied nearly all the problems. We know there can be a problem with hard water with our detergents" -Charlie Sutherland
		Cheer  Ultra HE HE Certified
		Cheer  Ultra Free & Gentle HE HE Certified
		Country Save Powder Laundry Detergent   Standard and HE compatible
		Manufacturers Note: Independent lab results for this product http://countrysave.com/announce.php
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Eco-Max Standard and HE compatible
		ECOS Free and Clear Standard and HE compatible
		ECOS Laundry Detergent with Soy Based Fabric Softener Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This detergent can act more like a soap and leave a residue in hard water conditions. Manufacturers Note: For HE front loader, use half the above amount.
		Ecovantage HE Certified
		Era HE  HE Certified
		Equator   HE Certified
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Method  -Fresh Air -Lily and Aloe -Sweet Water    Standard and HE Certified
		Method Free and Clear Standard and HE Certified
		Method  Baby Standard and HE Certified
		Mountain Green  Free & Clear Standard and HE Certified
		Mountain Green  Free & Clear Baby Standard and HE Certified
		Mountain Green Original Citrus Standard and HE Certified				natural essential oils
		Mountain Green  Ultra Baby Standard and HE Certified				natural essential oils
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Nature Clean All Natural Laundry Liquid Standard and HE compatible
		Nature Clean All Natural Laundry Powder Standard and HE compatible
		Nellie's  -All natural Laundry Soda -Laundry Nuggets Standard and HE compatible
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Planet Ultra Powdered Laundry Detergent Standard and HE compatible
		Planet 2x Liquid Laundry Detergent Standard and HE Certified
		Purex HE HE Certified
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		SA8  -Liquid -Sensitive Detergent -Premium Powder -Plus Powder Standard and HE compatible
		Sears  -Stain Fighting -with Oxi Clean -with Bleach Alternative   Standard and HE certified
		Sears  Ultra Plus Detergent Dye and Perfume Free Standard and HE certified
		SensiClean Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This detergent works well for many people.  However some babies will develop a severe rash to this detergent.  The manufacturer has been reluctant to investigate what could cause these problems.
		Seventh Generation   -Baby Laundry  -2x Concentrate Standard and HE certified
		Seventh Generation   Natural Powdered Standard and HE certified
		Seventh Generation   Delicate Care Standard and HE certified
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Shaklee Fresh Laundry Liquid Fragrance Free Standard and HE compatible
		Sportwash Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: This detergent works well for many people.  However some babies will develop a severe rash to this detergent.  The manufacturer has been reluctant to investigate what could cause these problems.
		Sunlight HE HE Certified
		Sun and Earth Standard and HE compatible
		Personal Note: Ingredients in this detergent are problematic for build-up/repellency issues with cloth diapers.
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Tide -Original -Clean Breeze -with Febreeze Freshness -with Alternative Bleach   HE Certified
		Tide  Free HE HE Certified
		Trader Joe's Cleanliness is Next to Godliness Liquid HE Certified		soy based		lavender oil
Rating	Detergent Image	Detergent Brand	Enzymes	Fabric Softener	Brighteners	Scents	Dyes
good       average     avoid
		Wisk HE HE Certified

Why Does HE Matter?

Two voices seem to dominate this arena.  The first voice states that a standard detergent in a lesser amount, (often in the tsp to tablespoon range)  will work in your new HE Washing Machine.   However, although the lesser amount of standard detergent won't produce an unwanted quantity of suds, will the detergent be able to allow thorough cleaning?

The second voice is stating more and more clearly that it is important to have a specific HE detergent for use with your HE washing machine.  This voice is even stating that "HE compatible" detergents may in fact not be suitable for use with HE washing machines.

Using a load sudsing detergent is important. The HE machine cleans your diapers by lifting them up and then dropping them down into the water.  Remember that water is the number one ingredient in cleaning your diapers.  Detergent helps water penetrate your clothing more effectively to loosen particles and then traps the particles in the water so they are not repositioned on your clothing.  If too many suds are formed on the top of the water, the dropping action of the clothes into the water will be inhibited.  If the clothing cannot hit the water properly, it cannot be cleaned properly. 

HE detergents are generally more than just low-sudsing. Most are designed to quickly travel throughout the water and quickly dissolve.  The detergent doesn't have the 20+ gallons of water to dissolve in like a traditional detergent.  HE detergents also are designed to combat dye transfer (a dye from one fabric transferring to another fabric) and soil redepositing (dirt from one item transferring to another item) both of which are more problematic in a smaller quantity of water.

Debate over a liquid vs. a powdered HE detergent is hot.  It seems that your particular HE washing machine, your water supply, and your laundry loads will play a significant role in how each performs.

Evaluation Process for Detergents

This work is an elimination of detergents for cloth diaper laundry based on problem ingredients and a compilation of known detergent complications with cloth diaper laundry.  Even from the recommended detergents all of the detergents may not be compatible with your water or washing routine.  At least you will have fewer detergents to experiment with. Best success in your real-life chemistry adventure.  Please let me know how I can help.

A product with a red star has known problems that make it unsuitable for cloth diaper laundry.  Examples include Arm and Hammer Fabricare which has been known to cause severe reaction due to its enzyme content.  Ivory Snow, Dreft and Zero which are just too mild of a detergent for diaper washing.  Environmentally friendly detergents may fall into the orange coding when they have ingredients that may act with hard water poorly and create a residue. Detergents with built in fabric softeners are all included as unsuitable. Biokleen has caused trouble with pocket type diapers but may work fine with prefold or fitted cloth diapers.

? A product with a question mark just hasn't had enough research done to honestly evaluate it.  I just don't have the information yet to evaluate the product.  

- A product within this ranking includes a potentially problematic additive as is viewable from the detergent ingredients.  A detergent that has dyes and/or fragrance may not be suitable for baby.  Some diapering momma's do not feel chemical exposure is an issue, and prefer the "clean" illusions they get from their fragrance detergents or the super cleaning they get from enzymes.  My opinion just differs.

1. Dyes are unnecessary ingredients added to detergents with the potential of  being left on the cloth diapers. 

2. Fragrances are unnecessary chemicals left by the detergent on purpose, which may irritate baby's skin and overload baby's sense of smell. Mothering Magazine has a good article on Infants and Smell in their Jan/Feb 2010 issue.

3. Enzymes are unacceptable because they can irritate baby's skin. I can not with good conscience recommend enzymes when I know from experience that many babies do experience, the bright red markings indicating enzyme irritation.  The enzyme group that is problematic is called protease, most detergent manufacturer's will not release what enzymes they use and thus have to be considered problematic.  New detergents are being developed now in early 2010 to use good enzymes as aids in sanitizing. 

4. Optical brighteners are chemicals added to a detergent to be attached to the fabric and not rinsed off. Optical brighteners make your diapers appear cleaner by looking "whiter" through the refraction of light. These chemicals if loaded into the detergent can also compromise a cloth diapers ability to absorb and make covers, pocket diapers and AIO's leaky.  

Detergents with optical brighteners do leave chemicals on your cloth diapers.  However, these products may end up being more acceptable for your cloth diaper laundry than other readily available detergents.  Note: optical brighteners have been identified with causing problems with several diaper brands performance so check with your manufacturer's instructions.

- A detergent in this categories may be a great choice for your cloth  diaper laundry.  You will have to determine which detergent in this category works best with your washing machine and  your water supply, but you are on the right track to a great laundry routine.  Do consider any notes of caution presented with the detergent and always seek to follow your manufacturer's instructions.