9 BEST NATURAL & NON-TOXIC DISH SOAP BRANDS FOR SPARKLING CLEAN DISHES

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This blog post is all about the best natural and non-toxic dish soap brands! 

Because we use dish soap every day, choosing a healthy and safe product is crucial if we want to eliminate harmful chemicals from our homes. 

Dish detergent from brands like Dawn, Palmolive, or Ajax is filled with toxic substances that we pour onto our cookware, dishes, drinking glasses, and silverware. 

Not only is doing so incredibly bad for the environment, but it may also negatively impact our health and that of our family.  

Thankfully, there are tons of options out there that are both safe to use and effective at cleaning dishes.

So why not make the switch? 

In this article, you’ll find the 9 best natural and non-toxic dish soap brands for sparkling clean, hand-washed dishes! 

This post is about dish soap for handwashing dishes, but if you’re looking for dishwasher detergent, make sure to check out this one: 9 best natural & non-toxic dishwasher detergents, tablets & pods for a safe clean.

This blog post contains affiliate links which means that if you buy something through such links, I will get a small commission without any extra cost for you. Please read my Disclosure for more details. 

Why should we switch to natural and non-toxic dish soap? 

Dish detergent typically contains lots of harsh chemicals that help eliminate food residue and grease from our dishes.

The problem is that those substances can cause a variety of health issues when exposed to them in the long run. 

Here are some toxic chemicals commonly found in conventional dish soap and their health effects:

• Isothiazolinone preservatives (like benzisothiazolinone or methylisothiazolinone)

These are skin sensitizers that are held responsible for a rise in allergic contact dermatitis.

They’re also toxic to aquatic life and may potentially be endocrine disruptors. 

• Surfactants like lauramine oxide, SLS, and SLES

Some of these are incredibly harmful to aquatic life in addition to causing contact irritation.

Sulfates, in particular, can irritate the eyes, lungs, and skin, and may even be contaminated with substances potentially causing cancer.  

• Synthetic fragrances

“Fragrance” is an umbrella term that can include thousands of different ingredients, many of which are toxic to humans.

Dish detergents with “fragrance” may contain endocrine disruptors (like phthalates), indoor air pollutants, allergens, and even carcinogenic compounds. 

• Colorants

Brightly colored dish soaps are usually made with synthetic dyes.

Not only are many dyes persistent in the environment, but some are also carcinogenic and even pesticides that can cause a variety of health issues. 

Those are just some of the chemicals we often find in dish soap but keep in mind that dish detergent may contain many other toxic substances. 

It may be formulated with formaldehyde, phosphates, polyacrylates, triclosan, ammonia, chlorine, and more, which come with their own health risks. 

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be exposed to any of those chemicals while washing the dishes.

Nor do I want to pour them down the drain and have them polluting waterways and marine ecosystems!  

For all those reasons, I recommend switching to non-toxic and natural dish soap brands. 

What is the healthiest dish soap to use? The best natural & non-toxic ingredients

If you want to buy healthy, safe dish soap, make sure to stay away from brands that do not disclose all of their ingredients. 

Instead, buy products with transparently disclosed, recognizable ingredients, and ideally, as few ingredients as possible. 

Have a look at the ingredient list and do not buy dish detergent containing any of the harmful chemicals listed above. 

Natural and non-toxic dish soap is usually made with mineral- and plant-based ingredients such as coconut oil, castile soap, vegetable glycerin, and essential oils.

Also, either opt for unscented products or dish detergent scented with 100% natural oils. 

To ensure you’re buying a healthier product, look for third-party certifications like: 

• MADE SAFE
• EPA Safer Choice
• USDA Organic
• Green Seal 
• Ecocert 

What’s more, if you want to buy ethical and eco-friendly dish soap, opt for one that has a cruelty-free and biodegradable formula and that comes packaged in sustainable (ideally plastic-free) packaging. 

Read more: Detox your home: How to make your home healthy?

9 best natural & non-toxic dish soap brands for a safe & effective clean

1. Public Goods

Types: Liquid Dish Soap

Scented? Yes With Essential Oils 

Public Goods offers this liquid dish soap that is also available in refills.

Its concentrated formula is powered by natural ingredients such as coconut extracts, citrus, sea salt, and essential oils. 

It’s very gentle on your skin and doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients, yet it’s great at breaking up grease, baked-on food, and grime on your dishes! 

This biodegradable, greywater-friendly dish soap is free of synthetic fragrances, preservatives, dyes, phthalates, SLS, and parabens. 

It’s also cruelty-free, vegan, and made in the USA and will leave a juicy mandarin orange and basil scent (made with essential oils) around your kitchen. 

If you’re looking for other dishwashing essentials, Public Goods also has dishwasher detergent pods, natural sponges, as well as a glass soap dispenser. 

2. Grove

Types: Liquid Dish Soap, Dishwashing Sticks, Dish Cleaning Pods, Dish Soap Bars

Scented? Unscented + Scented Options 

Grove has a huge selection of dish soap in various forms from many different brands such as Dr Bronner’s, Grab Green, Koala Eco, and its own in-house brand. 

While some products are better than others, we can easily make non-toxic choices using the practical filters on the website! 

For instance, we can choose to only see fair trade or organic dish soap, products certified by EPA Safer Choice, or dish detergent that’s either unscented or formulated with 100% natural fragrance. 

Grove allows you to choose from many liquid dish soap options, but also from dish soap bars, sticks, and pods.

Plus, I like that many products can be bought with plastic-free packaging and refills. 

3. Zero Waste Store

Types: Solid Dishwashing Soap Bar 

Scented? No 

Zero Waste Store has this zero-waste dish block from the brand No Tox Life, which is incredibly versatile. 

Not only can it tackle greasy dishes, but you can also use it to clean your countertops, eliminate stains on fabrics, and even remove labels off glass jars! 

This dishwashing bar is made with 100% biodegradable, vegan ingredients (including some organic ones) like sustainable soap bark and coconut-based cleansing agents.

It doesn’t contain any sulfates, phthalates, parabens, fragrances, dyes, or palm oil. 

This bar is made to last for as long as three bottles of liquid dish soap, and it ships plastic-free and carbon-neutral. 

Zero Waste Store is also a member of 1% For The Planet and has many different eco-friendly sponges and dish brushes as well. 

4. Blueland

Types: Dishwashing Powder 

Scented? No

Blueland’s powder dish soap is an effective product intended to be used in its powder form.

You simply need to pour some powder onto your dishes or sponge, add water, and then clean as you would with liquid dish soap. 

Made with plant- and mineral-based ingredients, this unscented powder foams to wash away food debris, stains, and grease while being gentle on your skin.

Blueland doesn’t use any phthalates, phosphates, parabens, VOCs, ammonia, or chlorine bleach to make it. 

This dishwashing powder is also certified EPA Safer Choice, Cradle to Cradle, Leaping Bunny, and vegan.

It comes with one or three refill pouches (you choose) and is packaged in a reusable silicone bottle as well as recyclable and compostable packaging. 

Not to mention that the brand received the B Corp and Climate-Neutral certifications! 

5. AspenClean

Types: Liquid Dish Soap 

Scented? Unscented + Scented Options

AspenClean sells a natural dish soap available in an unscented version or scented only with organic essential oils (choose between lavender-lemongrass and eucalyptus-rosemary). 

No matter which you opt for, these are made with biodegradable, non-toxic ingredients derived from minerals and plants. 

The formula is tough on dried-on foods and grease, yet it will leave your hands feeling soft thanks to the skin-smoothing aspen bark and glycerin it contains. 

It is also EWG Verified and certified by Ecocert and Leaping Bunny, so you can do the dishes with peace of mind knowing the product is non-toxic, cruelty-free, and sustainable. 

You can get AspenClean’s dish soap in a pump dispenser or a larger refill bottle (both made from recycled plastic).

6. Meliora

Types: Dish Soap Bar 

Scented? Unscented + Scented Options 

Non-toxic cleaning brand Meliora offers a great zero-waste solid dish soap bar.

Very easy to use, you just need to rub it against your sponge so that it lathers and effectively cleans your dishes. 

This bar is formulated with very few, natural ingredients such as organic coconut and sunflower oils and organic lemon essential oil (for the scented option).

Certified by MADE SAFE, this dish soap doesn’t contain any ingredients that harm human health, animals, ecosystems, or aquatic life. 

It’s also vegan and cruelty-free and comes packaged plastic-free.

You can get this soap bar in a recyclable cardboard box or unboxed if you want to reduce waste even more. 

7. Branch Basics

Types: Multi-Purpose Liquid Concentrate 

Scented? No 

Want a cleaning product that can truly tackle all the jobs in your home, including washing the dishes?

Check out Branch Basics’ concentrate. 

Its biodegradable formula contains mineral- and plant-based ingredients that cut grease and grime effectively, making it great for handwashing dishes! 

Very gentle on the skin, it doesn’t contain any sulfates, chlorine, parabens, phthalates, phosphates, VOCs, or endocrine disruptors. 

This multipurpose product is also certified by MADE SAFE and Leaping Bunny, and lasts very long since one concentrate bottle can be used to refill 13 different bottles! 

8. Whole Naturals

Types: Multipurpose Liquid Castile Soap

Scented? No 

Love multipurpose products?

Here’s another one for you! 

Instead of buying dish soap, get liquid castile soap so you can use one single product to clean everything from your dishes, body, and hair to windows, laundry, and more. 

I love this one from Whole Naturals!

This 100% biodegradable, unscented soap is EWG Verified, so it only contains safe, non-toxic ingredients. 

Its concentrated formula, which you can dilute to make it last longer, is made entirely with organic plant-based oils, so it will leave your skin hydrated and smooth.

There are no GMOs, synthetic preservatives, thickeners, fragrances, foaming agents, or palm oil in it! 

You can also buy this product with or without a pump. 

9. Attitude

Types: Liquid Dish Soap, Baby Dish Soap  

Scented? Unscented + Scented Options

Attitude has a non-toxic liquid dish soap formulated with deep-cleansing, natural plant-based ingredients. 

Its foaming and degreasing action helps break down food residue and grease, leaving your dishes sparkling clean without any substances of concern. 

You can get it in its unscented version, but you’ll also be able to choose from lovely scents including pink grapefruit, green apple, or wildflowers. 

It also comes packaged either in a recyclable plastic bottle, in aluminum, or a cardboard refill. 

What’s more, if you’re looking for non-toxic dish soap for baby bottles specifically, Attitude has you covered too!

It has a baby dish soap that effectively removes milk residue, odors, and grease on all your baby accessories. 

The brand’s dish soaps are EWG Verified and have a vegan and cruelty-free formula. 

Final thoughts on the best natural & non-toxic dish soap brands

I hope you’ve found this article about the best natural and non-toxic dish soap brands helpful! 

These companies are making it easy for us to have sparkling clean dishes without leaving toxic chemicals on them. 

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in: 

• 6 best non-toxic, natural oven cleaners that break down grease effectively
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• 9 sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands to elevate your dining experience
• 9 best non-toxic silverware & flatware brands for a safer table
• 11 best non-toxic cookware brands selling the safest pots and pans
• 10 best non-toxic bakeware brands to bake delicious goods without any of the bads
• 8 best natural & non-toxic all-purpose cleaners that clean everything from countertops to bathrooms
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• 10 non-toxic brands selling natural & eco-friendly cleaning products
• The best eco-friendly alternatives to Swiffer for zero-waste cleaning
• 10 non-toxic homemade cleaning products that actually work
• The only 9 minimalist cleaning supplies you need
• DIY laundry detergent recipe: all natural & cheap
• 10 natural & sustainable alternatives to dryer sheets
• 7 best reusable lint roller alternatives for removing lint & pet hair sustainably

What is your favorite natural dish soap? 

Make sure to leave a comment!

Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends so they can find non-toxic dish detergent too. 

Looking for more non-toxic & sustainable brands? Check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory!

It features conscious brands in various categories, from home goods and furniture to fashion and clean beauty!

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