Laundry Detergent: What Actually Matters
If you don't want to overthink it
Abode ZERO
Cleanest ingredients
Ecostore Ultra Sensitive
Sensitive-skin
Koala Eco
Natural fragranced option
The Why
Baby laundry doesn’t exist in isolation.
You’re not just washing a few onesies. It’s swaddles, sleep sacks, bibs, towels, your own clothes, bedsheets — and anything repeatedly covered in milk, spit-up or food.
That means whatever detergent you use ends up in repeated contact with your baby’s skin, often through the fabrics they sleep in, feed against, or spend hours wrapped in.
The issue is that many laundry detergents are still built around heavy fragrance, dyes, optical brighteners and vague “perfume” ingredient listings. Some babies won’t react at all. Others — particularly those with eczema-prone or sensitive skin — absolutely will.
And importantly, “baby laundry detergent” doesn’t automatically mean cleaner.
The Shortlist
Abode ZERO
~$60 - $80 for 4kg (up to 165 washes) = ~$.48 per wash
Best for: Cleanest ingredients
Why we like it
- • Plant + mineral based formulation with clear ingredient disclosure
- • Fragrance-free
- • No chlorine bleach or optical brighteners
- • Greywater safe, so wash water can be reused for gardens where appropriate
- • Highly concentrated, you only need to use a tablespoon
- • Baby liquid version available, but we prefer the simpler Zero formula for most households
- • One of the cleanest Australian options that still feels practical
Trade-offs
- • Powder won’t suit every household
- • Performance may feel less aggressive than conventional detergents on tougher stains
Ecostore Ultra Sensitive
~$50 for 5L (up to 140 washes) = ~$.35 per wash
Best for: Sensitive-skin
Why we like it
- • Plant + mineral based formulation with clear ingredient disclosure
- • Fragrance-free
- • No chlorine bleach or optical brighteners
- • Greywater safe, so wash water can be reused for gardens where appropriate
- • Easy supermarket availability when you need a practical everyday option
- • Sensitive Choice approved for asthma and allergy-sensitive households
Trade-offs
- • Includes preservatives
- • Not as stripped-back as Abode Zero
Koala Eco
~$30 for 1L (up to 100 washes) = ~$.30 per wash
Best for: Natural fragranced option
Why we like it
- • Coconut-derived plant-based formulation with clear ingredient disclosure
- • No chlorine bleach or optical brighteners
- • Strong enzyme-based stain performance
- • Greywater safe, so wash water can be reused for gardens where appropriate
- • Certified by Australian Allergy and Made Safe Australia
- • Australian made
Trade-offs
- • Essential oils mean it's not fragrance-free
- • Some ultra-sensitive or eczema-prone households may still prefer a simpler fragrance-free formula
- • Not as stripped-back as Abode Zero
Earthwise Sensitive
~ $20 for 2L (up to 40 washes) = ~.50 per wash
Best for: Stain-heavy families
Why we like it
- • Plant-based formula with clear ingredient disclosure (including enzymes for stain removal)
- • Fragrance-free
- • No chlorine bleach or optical brighteners
- • Strong enzyme-based stain performance
- • Greywater safe, so wash water can be reused for gardens where appropriate
- • GECA-certified (an independent Australian environmental ceritifcation)
Trade-offs
- • Includes preservatives
- • Uses SLES (a stronger foaming detergent) so it's not the gentlest formula here
- • Less ideal for ultra-sensitive or eczema-prone households
- • Not as stripped-back as Abode Zero, Ecostore Ultra Sensitive or Koala Eco
