The 8 Best Unscented Laundry Detergents and Gels: The Solution for Kids and Allergies

A characteristic feature of laundry detergents is a pungent odor. Manufacturers try to give it pleasant notes – citrus, floral, marine. Many consumers prefer to use unscented and phosphate-free laundry detergents. We will find out what is their difference and what brands offer them.

Features of unscented washing powders

The absence of odor in synthetic detergents (SMC) is a quality characteristic of safe and hypoallergenic powders. Conventional remedies can adversely affect pregnant women, asthmatics, allergy sufferers, and young children.

Detergents with a smell and without – what’s the difference?

Fragrances in SMS are due to special substances – flavors and fragrances that can provoke an allergic reaction. The smells of such powders are very intrusive – after washing, the laundry smells intensely, causing irritation of a different nature.

Unlike conventional products, odorless powders:

• consist of natural ingredients;
• are much more expensive – you have to pay for health and safety;
• inferior in efficiency – SMS without enzymes and phosphates is not able to eliminate serious pollution;
• they are used mainly at 45–60 °;
• economical consumption – usually such powders are expensive and make them concentrated.

Fragrances are substances that give household chemicals and cosmetics a pleasant aroma. It is fragrances that cause allergies more often than other ingredients.

How to choose an odorless powder?

Washing powders are offered by dozens of manufacturers, reliable and not so reliable. To choose a truly safe powder – free of flavors and phosphates, pay attention to the following points:

• The quality of the inscriptions. All information must be written clearly and legibly. To buy the powder you like, save the package – you can easily find the right product on it: this is how it was advised before. We advise you to simply take a picture of the tool you like.
• Manufacturer’s contact information. The manufacturer’s address and expiration date should be written on the package.
• There should be no lumps. True, this can only be found out after opening the package.

What powders do not smell – rating of the best and consumer reviews

Powders that do not smell are usually classified as phosphate-free. These are the safest products that do not cause allergies.

Pure Water – made from natural soap

This is a universal concentrate powder, eco-friendly, fragrance-free and phosphate-free. Refers to biodegradable products. Does not cause allergies. Contains bleach. Packing weighing 1 kg costs from 400 rubles. It is intended for white and light linen. Recommended temperature: +40… +95 °C.

This brand belongs to the Russian company MiKo. A whole line of detergents is produced – from soap to antiscale. Product advantages:

• Environmental friendliness. Pure Water is safe for human health and for nature. Washout decomposes during the day.
• It does not smell at all and does not leave smells on things.
• Made from natural soap.
• Removes dirt well.

Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for silk and wool. In delicate mode and at low temperatures, the soap shavings may not dissolve completely. For silk and wool products, Pure Water gel is used.

Pure Water is suitable for families with children, people with sensitive skin and allergy sufferers.

Duo Colors – for colored clothes

Biodegradable, hypoallergenic and phosphate-free concentrate. Suitable for colored and children’s things. You can wash dark and black fabrics. Contains no fragrances. Contains enzymes. The country of origin is Australia. The price of a package of 1 kg is 300-400 rubles.

Product advantages:

• Safe for health, septic tanks and sewage treatment plants.
• Contains natural ingredients that preserve the color of fabrics.
• All ingredients are environmentally friendly and biodegradable – zeolites soften water, and surfactants remove persistent stains of organic origin.
• No phosphates, fragrances or chlorine.

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t remove tough stains.
• There is no decoding of surfactants – which substances are included in the composition.

Relatively inexpensive, safe – according to the manufacturer, but only suitable for lightly soiled things. If you need to wash soiled jeans or things with old stains, you will have to look for a more powerful option.

Molecola – for children with allergies

Washes any children’s clothes – white and colored, cotton and synthetic. A pack of 1,2 kg costs about 300-400 rubles. Phosphate-free, decomposes in nature, does not cause allergies. Can be used for newborns. Made in Russia (Rostov-on-Don).

Pros:

• There are no harmful substances in the composition, there are not even plant components. Ideal for allergy sufferers. Contains only baby natural soap, sodium citrate, soda.
• Доступная цена.
• Biodegradable box. There is a measuring spoon.
• Doesn’t smell of anything.
• Washes clothes well. You can wash adult clothes.

Disadvantages:

• Inside the box is a zip bag. This is already less environmentally friendly for nature.
• Not all stains are removed. But there is a way out – complex contaminants are manually washed before being sent to the drum.
• Does not give whiteness. But on the other hand, there are no reflective particles in the composition – this is important for safety.
• Washed clothes become very hard – it is necessary to add conditioner.

The manufacturer promises the preservation of the shape of linen after long washes and the complete harmlessness of the composition.

SODASAN Comfort Sensitive – baby organic

For children’s clothing made of cotton and synthetics. No phosphates. A pack of 1,2 kg costs about 1000 rubles. Contains organic herbal soap. Made in Germany.

Pros:

• Effective in removing tough stains.
• Does not require soaking.
• A pack is enough for 25 washes.
• There is a measuring cardboard glass.
• Preserves the color saturation of fabrics.
• Suitable for water of any hardness – no additional softener is needed.

Disadvantages:

• Slightly smells of laundry soap. However, the smell is subtle and unobtrusive. But SMS is positioned as an odorless product.
• Additional rinses are required for good rinsing.

Linen washed with SODASAN becomes soft and does not smell. But not all consumers trust this brand – doubts are expressed about the compliance of “western standards” with our requirements. But this is a controversial topic and requires separate consideration.

Garden Eco Kids – with silver ions

Another safe SMS for baby stuff. It contains only natural soap, soda and sodium citrate, as well as silver ions. The price of 1,35 kg is 350–450 rubles. Made in Russia.

Pros:

• Easy to use – there is a measuring spoon.
• It dissolves well in water. True, only in warm – not lower than 60 degrees.
• The linen is soft without the use of conditioner.

Disadvantages:

• Washes only at 60 degrees. This wastes electricity, and not all things can be washed at this temperature.
• It is necessary to pour directly into the drum.
• It does not cope with old and complex stains.
• High cost. There are domestic analogues much cheaper.
• Not for sale – you have to buy online.

BioMio Bio-Sensitive – cotton extract gel

Gel for children’s things. Suitable for silk and wool fabrics. Like previous products, it is phosphate-free, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. The price of 1,5 liters is from 400 rubles. Manufacturer – Denmark.

Pros:

• Can be used in an activator machine.

Disadvantages:

• One of the women who left a review complains that the laundry does not smell and she has to use rinse aid. A strange claim to a product that is positioned as odorless.
• “Things are washed, but there is not enough sense of cleanliness.”

Judging by the reviews of liquid SMS, they are inferior in terms of washing power to powdered counterparts. BioMio Bio-Sensitive is so delicate that it has a hard time picking up dirt. This gel is suitable for allergy sufferers who do not have to wash extremely dirty clothes.

Freshbubble – gel for sensitive skin

Delicate gel for people with sensitive skin and for allergy sufferers. Does not contain harmful substances. The price of 1,5 liters is about 400–500 rubles. Manufacturer – Russia.

Pros:

• Concentrated, long lasting.
• Linen after washing is pleasant to the touch.

Disadvantages:

• It is expensive, there are cheaper analogues.
• You need to buy conditioner.
• Poorly washes not only complex, but even medium pollution.

Some consumers note the softness of the linen, others complain that they need to spend extra money on rinse aid. Perhaps the difference in “readings” is due to different hardness of the water.

Mitsuei New White – automatic powder with enzymes

For washing cotton and synthetic fabrics in SMA. The composition contains enzymes (enzymes). A pack of 0,9 kg – from 270 rubles. Made in Japan.

Pros:

• It is economically consumed.
• After washing, the laundry smells fresh. At the same time, there are no fragrances and fragrances in the composition.
• It dissolves well in cold water.
• Softens linen.

Disadvantages:

• Users complain that there is a light, unobtrusive aroma of “chemistry”.
• Wash temperature at least 30 degrees.
• Doesn’t work on tough stains.

The effectiveness of this CMC, like many other phosphate-free powders, leaves much to be desired. It is chosen by those who are contraindicated in conventional detergents.

Conclusions

Summing up:

• Safe products in 99% of cases are universal – they are suitable for any type of laundry. If you want to quickly wash something with your hands, you can use the gels and powders used for the washing machine.
• If SMS does not smell, then it is probably phosphate-free. Lack of smell is a very good safety marker. Hypoallergenic SMS not only does not smell, but also does not contain harmful substances.
• The average cost of SMS without fragrances and phosphates is 300-450 rubles per 1 kg. They are expensive, but they wash dirt worse than analogues with phosphates and enzymes.
• SMS for baby clothes can be used for adults. Their “childhood” lies in the maximum safety of the composition.

Odorless SMS has many performance drawbacks. But often washing errors are associated not so much with the characteristics of the detergent, but with the errors in its use. In general, you still have to choose between efficient washing and environmental friendliness.