Hi Everyone!

Today I wanted to talk Laundry, specifically laundry detergent. Clothing detergent seems like an item that should be harmless – the least of our worries. I know I thought this for so many years before I started Good Home. Back then, I always purchased the detergent with the best scent and then efficacy. And of course, cost – I was in my early 20s after all.

Ingredients Matter

But when I started making my own detergent and I wrote “Detox Your Home”, I really dug in deep to all the bad stuff that many manufacturers throw in to detergents to make them “better” and how important it is to keep them out.


This week I wanted to share the importance of what is NOT in our detergents and why when you are purchasing Good Home detergent you are making a healthy choice for yourself, your home and your “planet home”.

Be well - Christine

Shop Laundry Detergents

How to pick a laundry detergent:

There must be at least 20 different detergents on a store shelf at any time – this one brightens whites, this one keeps darks, dark. Another removes odors and another is 5x concentrated.

All of these may be very desirable, but the question we need to ask is what ingredients are they using to do this and are they harmful to humans and/or the water system?

In Chapter 11 of my book “Detox Your Home”, I dive into these ingredients with an exploration into the ingredients in Tide – arguably the number one detergent in consumers eyes for efficacy. But for that efficacy you are using chemicals with many hazards that can cause respiratory issues and pollute our waters with horrible ingredients.

Optical Whiteners and Brighteners are also just ingredients that “coat’ the clothing to make them appear brighter and newer, but they do not actually make them newer. This coating stays on your clothing and can trigger skin sensitivities. It is also horrible for the fish who experience our waste water when we get heavy rains and sewage water overflows into the oceans.You want a detergent with few ingredients. Liquids are more efficacious than powders, and if you do want to brighten your whites naturally, 20 mule team borax laundry booster is a natural product that can give them a new life and also remove odors.

Why sulfate free matters?

Sulfates are very strong detergents. They may clean your clothes, but they will also wear down the fibers and colorants, making them look worn much quicker. We use a plant based, sulfate-free soap in our detergent that works well AND doesn’t wear down fibers. It is safe enough to use on hand washables as well as the items we wash weekly – cleaning them, but now wearing them out.

In addition, Good Home detergents are phthalate free and paraben free. Phthalates are added to numerous products, even skin care and are often hidden in fragrances so they do not have to be declared as an ingredient. Phthalates are very harmful to the human endocrine system and are found in our drinking waters. They are linked to infertility, depression and thyroid issues. The less phthalates in this world, the better.

Which Good Home Detergent should I use?

We get this question so often. I know it is hard to choose! This is what I use in my own home and I hope it is helpful.

Beach Days – Literally smells like the beach. I use this on all my towels. It is heavenly.

Lavender – Lavender is a no brainer for sheets and blankets because it is naturally calming.

Grapefruit – This is our newest scent and I am obsessed with it. I use it on all of my workout gear. Nothing smells as fresh as our grapefruit scent!

Hyacinth – The perfect scent to use when you are feeling gloomy and need a lift. Spring in a bottle. We also donate $1 to my late Mother’s local garden club with each purchase. They are active in creating pollinator pathways!

Cleanacolada – A vacation in a bottle, I use this on all my swimwear and beach clothing. We also donate $1 to the TCReef Fund with each purchase. They are working to protect the coral reefs that are so important to our survival and the ocean’s health.

Pure Grass – My husband’s favorite scent. All of his clothes are washed in this!

Pine Forest – Christmas in a bottle. As soon as November 1st rolls around this is all I use until the end of January. We plant a tree with every purchase of this scent with One Tree Planted.