10 Best Natural Dish Soap Brands

Do you spend serious time scrubbing in the kitchen? We get it. From pots and pans to area surfaces, dish soap is something you use every day. Why not go green with natural dish soap? Required to fight dirt, grease, and grime, read on for our best suggestions.

Top Picks: Natural Dish Soap

Adulthood is when shopping for natural dish soap feels exciting. Lucky for us, there are many great brands to choose from, free of chlorine and phosphates to better protect the environment. Minimize sink contact with possible chemicals, especially when washing dishes by hand. Pay it forward with the best natural dish soaps. Who’s down to try them all?

1. Public Goods Mandarin Basil Dish Soap 

Our number one choice for the best natural dish soap, powered by coconut extracts, sea salt, and citrus. You won’t find any harmful ingredients, dyes, or synthetic fragrances, plus it’s greywater friendly and biodegradable. Juicy mandarin orange and basil essential oils do double-duty, complemented by a crisp, soft scent. Ruthless on grime, the powerful bacteria-fighting agents stay gentle on the skin, too.

2. Aunt Fannie’s Microcosmic Probiotic Power Dish Soap 

Dishes come out clean every time! Made in the USA with plant-friendly ingredients, this natural dish soap cuts grease without toxic side effects. Scented by 100% essential oils, the fragrance is fresh and eco–friendly. Brighten up your dishes without drying out skin…that’s what we’d call a win/win.

3. Dr. Bronner’s Pure–Castile Liquid Soap 

You’ll definitely want to stock up on this natural dish soap. Founded in 1948 and still a family-run business, it’s fair trade and available in eight different scents. Made with simple, organic ingredients like vitamin E and palm kernel, olive, coconut, hemp seed, and jojoba seed oil, the unscented option is just as effective. Dr. Bronner’s creates socially and environmentally-responsible products based on Cosmic Principles, including treating the Earth like home. We love to hear it!

4. ECOS Hypoallergenic Dish Soap 

In compliance with the EPA Safer Choice standards, this natural dish soap cuts dirt and grime using coconut-based surfactants. A kitchen staple made with 100% vegan and Kosher ingredients, this foam-free product is safe for use around pets, workspaces, and home environments. Dermatologist–tested and hypoallergenic, this natural dish soap is known to be a great pick for sensitive skin. It’s available in delicious scents like grapefruit, pear, lavender, and apricot.

5. Seventh Generation Dish Liquid 

This plant-based natural dish soap is powered by a cruelty–free formula that fights grease and dried-on foods. Packaging is designed from post-consumer recycled plastic. Free of fragrance and harmful dyes, it’s a USDA Certified Biobased Product 95% containing renewable ingredients.

6. Lemi Shine Grease Cutting Dish Soap 

Powerful citric acids cut through grease to ensure fresh, shiny dishes. Made with biodegradable ingredients that leave zero residues on dishes, the citric acid kills germs on contact. It’s also great for cleaning dirty surfaces. Other popular uses for this natural dish soap include cleaning bath and shower fixtures, tile floors, and rusty tools.

7. The Laundress Dish Detergent 

A low–sudsing detergent that thoroughly cleans dishes, entirely derived from plants. Formulated with cleaning enzymes, this natural dish soap works on contact to remove grease, baked-on food, and unappetizing cooking messes.

8. Method Dish Soap 

A no-waste win! Thanks to the functional dispenser, it’s easy to apply the right amount of formula. Bottles are aesthetically pleasing for countertops, too.

9. Better Life Sulfate Free Dish Soap 

Sulfates can irritate sensitive skin, but this natural dish soap is gentle on your hands…and the planet. Biodegradable ingredients power against grime on cookware, bakeware, cutlery, flatware, and dinnerware.

10. TRINOVA Natural Dish Soap 

Made without parabens, this natural dish soap washes everything clean of dirt and grime. To use, dilute in warm water, apply using a brush or sponge, then leave dishes to dry.

What to Avoid in Natural Dish Soap

Shopping for the best natural dish soap? Put your top dollar toward something biodegradable, phthalate-free, and paraben-free. Oftentimes, natural dish soaps contain about 90 percent water.

Look at the ingredient list and watch for hidden toxins. All-natural is best, but what dangers should you look to avoid overall?

• Preservatives 
  One is phenoxyethanol, which can ignite serious concerns including cancer, respiratory problems, skin issues, and more.
• Synthetic Fragrances
  Fragrances can hide phthalates, a dangerous endocrine disruptor. Go with a natural dish soap that uses 100% essential oils.
• Phosphates
  Commonly used as a water–softening mineral, these are hazardous for humans and marine life.
• Artificial Coloring
  Specific issues vary by color, but always be wary of coal tar dye and petroleum.
• Triclosan
  A synthetic chemical with antibacterial properties, it’s hazardous to human hormones by disrupting the body’s natural thyroid and endocrine systems.
• SLS / SLES
  Short for sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, these chemicals give dish detergents a foaming property that powerfully cuts through grease.
• Formaldehyde
  A known carcinogen that may appear as methanol, methyl aldehyde, or methylene oxid.

Does Natural Dish Soap Really Clean Dishes?

More often than not, it’s the dish sponge that contains germs over dishes. Start with a clean slate! Soak sponges in diluted vinegar between uses. Consider trading these in for a dish towel that can be laundered after each use. 

Most automatic dishwashers are designed to safely sanitize during cycles. In fact, dishwashers are considered more sustainable and energy-efficient. Get this: hand washing one load of dishes can use 20 gallons of water, as opposed to dishwashers operating with as little as 4 gallons. 

When handwashing, it’s important to use enough natural dish soap, hot water, and contact time to achieve the best results. Use the hottest water you can stand. Either soak in hot soapy water for at least five minutes or apply a natural dish soap directly to a sponge and then scrub individually. Leave in the empty sink for a few minutes before rinsing with hot water. 

Conclusion

Like it or not, washing dishes is part of daily life. Now that you know more about the best natural dish soaps, it’s time to start cleaning! Visit the Public Goods blog for more product inspiration.