The best eco-friendly laundry products for baby and toddler clothes
These planet-friendly washing powders and stain removers are gentle for your baby's skin, but powerful on stains
As sustainability becomes a growing issue, many parents are becoming more aware of the effect a product can have on the health of their little ones as well as the environment.
When it comes to laundry, for example, some ingredients used in conventional products can be harsh on babies’ skin, exacerbating allergies, and they can be damaging to fauna and flora.
While you might think you're set with one of the best large washing machines for families, it's worth taking a look at the products you're putting in it.
Eco-friendly laundry products, however, with their green credentials, are often super-gentle for your baby’s clothing and bedding - making them a win-win for both the environment and your little one's delicate skin.
Find out more environmentally friendly ways to dry your clothes indoors such as using a heated airer.
Here is a round-up of our favourite eco-friendly options that are either specially formulated for babies, or so gentle that you can happily reach for them for your little one’s togs – and they’ll do the job on your clothes, too!
Here's our pick of the best eco-friendly laundry products for babies and toddlers...
1. Nimble Laundry Lover, £7.99 (1 litre, up to 45 washes)
Product type: Laundry wash | Awards: Gold – Everyday parenting essential under £20 – MadeForMums Awards 2022
Nimble is a fabulous brand founded in 2014 by Von Sy, a former chemist for one of the world’s leading consumer products companies. He embarked on a mission to develop plant-based cleaning products that don’t harm our little ones – or the environment.
We like the Laundry Lover detergent, which uses coconut-based cleaning ingredients that wrap around fat and stains to remove them, without any harmful components.
We particularly appreciate that it also comes in a nifty travel size of 100ml, so that we can carry on the gentle cleaning wherever we go.
Available from: Amazon and Nimble
2. Ecozone Soap Nuts, £8.70 for 1kg (330 washes)
Product type: Organic detergent
The soap nut is a natural detergent that has been used as a traditional organic cleaning method. It uses the shells of the nut which contain saponin, a natural soap. They are totally biodegradable and a great eco-conscious alternative to traditional detergent. Each dose of nuts can be used 4 times, so a 1kg bag will last for hundreds of washes.
Home tester Charlotte, mum of 1, said "“I was amazed by how well they cleaned and how fresh the clothes were after washing.”
Available from: Amazon, Lakeland and Ecozone
3. Bambino Mio Miofresh Natural Nappy Cleanser, £3.99 (750g, lasts 50 washes)
Product type: Laundry cleanser
Babies’ skin is incredibly delicate, so it’s great to be able to turn to a fabric cleanser that promises a 100% natural approach to washing piles of baby clothing.
Miofresh is targeted at those using reusable nappies, but it's also effective (even at low temperatures) for cleaning other garments thanks to its antibacterial agents – a godsend for making stubborn food stains disappear.
It works so well it won our silver award in the hero product category of our MFM Awards 2018, with one judge particularly chuffed wioth the “amazingly clean” results.
Available from: Amazon and Ocado
4. Bio-D Concentrated Non-Bio Washing Powder, £4.35 (1kg, up to 17 washes)
Product type: Washing powder
This no-nonsense, hypoallergenic concentrated formula is effective yet gentle on sensitive skin, so it's ideal for little ones or those suffering allergies.
Founded in 1989, the brand is committed to developing cleaning products that don’t damage the environment, but are also affordable, making this a fantastic budget option.
Available from: Bio-D, Amazon or Abel and Cole
5. Ecover Stain Remover, £3
Product type: Stain remover
Ecover has made a mainstream name for itself with its eco-friendly cleaning products. It is widely available and a hit with many environmentally conscious families.
When it comes to tough stains like grass, mud, blood or other bodily fluids, it’s tempting to nuke them with an industrial-strength stain remover.
However, this product from Ecover deals with these types of dirt while keeping its sustainable and eco-friendly promise – it is quick to biodegrade, has minimum impact on aquatic life and its packaging is also straight-forward to recycle.
Available from: Ocado, Ethical Superstore and Ecoverdirect
6. Nu-Eco Bleach Powder, £7.99 (1kg)
Product type: Whitener
Nu-Eco is a range of environmentally friendly and vegan cleaning products, and the brand ticks all the right boxes in terms of being kind to the environment and all living creatures.
Best of all, it offers some great laundry products. The Nu-Eco Bleach Powder, for example, is fantastic if your clothes need a brightening boost. It is also an effective, water-soluble whitener and is effective at removing stains in both cold and hot water.
It perfectly complements the brand’s Natural Laundry Gel, which includes antimicrobial and antibacterial plant extracts to keep your clothes fresh and soft.
Available from: Nu-Eco
7. Kinn Eco Friendly Neroli Laundry Detergent, £8.95 (1 litre, 25 washes)
Product type: Laundry detergent
The Kinn brand is all about “clean beauty” for body and home, and it launched its plant-based laundry care products in 2018. As with all its products, this detergent is free of SLS/SLES, parabens, phthalates, chlorine bleach, optical brighteners and other chemicals that can harm the environment.
It combines this approach with a lovely, luxurious feel and promises to leave your laundry feeling fresh and smelling divine. The laundry range also includes a delicates detergent and a fabric conditioner.
The type of machine you use can also make a difference to the cleaning results of your load, which is why we put together a guide to the best tumble dryer.
Available from: Kinn
8. Ecoegg Laundry Egg, £9.99 (approximately 70 washes)
Product type: Detergent alternative
Originally developed for people with sensitive skin, the Ecoegg Laundry Egg uses natural mineral pellets to draw dirt from clothes, leaving them soft and clean.
It’s a fantastic alternative to traditional detergents and offers non-biological washing without petrochemicals, bleaches, parabens and other environmentally suspect ingredients. It is suitable for vegans, holds Allergy UK’s Allergy Friendly Product award, and works whether you’re washing on 15 or 60 degrees Celsius.
Once you’ve used up your starter egg, you can buy replacement pellets (£4.99 for approximately 50 washes), so you can also reduce the amount of plastic you waste.
MFM Consumer & Reviews Editor and mum of 2 Christy says: "We've been really impressed with the Ecoegg – as well as doing a great job on grubby school uniforms and muddy play clothes, it's easier to use than regular laundry powder as you don't need to measure it out each time. It's so portable we even took it on holiday."
Just be aware that some who have tried the product miss the ‘freshly washed’ smell, as it doesn’t contain any perfumes. One user had a handy tip, though – add a few drops of essential oil to the machine drawer for DIY freshness.
Available from: EcoEgg, Lakeland or Robert Dyas
9. Hanwey Wool Dryer Balls, £11.99 (pack of 6 XL, usable up to 1000 times)
Product type: Dryer balls
These natural wool balls promise to reduce tumble dryer time and make clothes softer and fresher.
Made from 100% New Zealand wool, they are suitable for the whole family and those with allergies, and a great alternative to fabric softeners or other tumble dryer sheets.
Available from: Amazon
10. ECOS Baby Laundry Soap, £7.99 (1.5 litres, 50 washes)
Product type: Laundry detergent
ECOS is a company that offers high-quality, natural cleaning products that are safe for you, your pets and the environment.
The products are made with natural ingredients such as vinegar or orange oil, and the laundry soap is ideal for super-sensitive babies. It also has a built-in softener.
Available from: Ethical Superstore
11. Bollicine Baby Fabric Softener, £7.95 (500ml, approximately 33 washes)
Product type: Fabric softener
If you want extra softness, but without a negative environmental impact, try this Italian brand formulated specifically for babies.
It is free from all the usual environmentally unfriendly ingredients and includes a separate softener to make baby's clothes extra fluffy and soft.
Available from: Amazon
12. Nimble Nappy Lover Cloth Nappy Detergent, £6.99
Product type: Powder detergent
Fans of Nimble's gentle laundry detergent will be happy to know that the brand has now released a second detergent, designed specifically for washing reusable nappies. While Laundry Lover is a liquid detergent, this is a chunky powder, although it's a still a non-bio that's gentle on babies' skin.
Home tester Annika, mum of 3, said, "This detergent is a fantastic idea and something I want to see become more commonplace. The bottle design is great and works well and it’s nice to see that it’s more sustainable.”
Available from: Amazon, Ocado and Nimble
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