Your New Favorite Plant Based Laundry Detergent: Eco Friendly, Unscented and Plastic Free
Looking for an unscented laundry detergent? Try ZWS Essentials plant based, vegan laundry sheets that make your routine simple, effective, and plastic free.
You might have been led to believe that for laundry to be fresh and clean, it has to smell like lilacs or a “fresh breeze.” The truth is, clean laundry doesn’t have to smell like anything at all!
When laundered correctly, your clothes will naturally come out smelling fresh even without the need for added fragrance.
While there are options for eco-friendly and non-toxic fragrance to be added to plant based laundry detergent, some people prefer no scent to be added at all. That’s where an unscented laundry detergent sheet is the right choice for you and your family.
If you’re looking to make more natural, eco-friendly choices in the laundry room, then you may as well ditch the plastic jug traditional laundry detergents come in too and opt for a laundry detergent sheet.
ZWS Essentials Laundry Detergent Sheets are a lightweight, mess-free alternative to traditional liquid detergent. While they're available in both Fresh Linen and Unscented, we're focusing specifically on the Unscented Laundry Detergent Sheets and why they’re a great eco-friendly choice for people who want to switch to a scent-free laundry detergent.
Why Choose an Unscented Laundry Detergent?
You might notice that unscented and fragrance free laundry detergents are quite rare to find at traditional big box stores. There’s nothing wrong with fragrance in laundry detergent, but if you’re someone who wants to avoid fragrance for allergies or personal preference reasons, it can be limiting!
An unscented laundry detergent simply skips the added scent while still using cleaning ingredients to remove everyday dirt and grime from your clothes. If you prefer your clothing, bedding, and towels without a lingering fragrance, choosing an unscented option gives you that option in a convenient package.
Fragrance Free vs. Unscented Detergent
You've probably seen both the terms “fragrance free” and “unscented” while shopping for personal care and cleaning products. Although these terms can sometimes have different meanings depending on the product formulation, the important thing is to check the actual ingredient list rather than relying only on the front of the package.
For the ZWS Laundry Detergent Sheets, the Unscented variety is the option without added fragrance. The Fresh Linen version of the same product does contain fragrance, so be sure to select Unscented when shopping if your goal is specifically to avoid added fragrance.
You Have More Options
Unscented laundry detergent sheets are great for washing your everyday clothes, sheets, towels, workout gear, and other household laundry when you'd rather just rely on them being clean, as opposed to smelling like something else!
Choosing unscented also leaves you with the option of adding your own essential oils to your laundry or wool dryer balls to add your own preferred fragrance. This way, you’re able to control the amount of fragrance. Maybe you want a little fragrance on your bedding, but not your everyday clothes. Starting with an unscented option gives you the freedom to customize every load!
What to Look for in a Plant Based Laundry Detergent
Fragrance is only one aspect of your laundry routine to consider when you're shopping for a more sustainable detergent option. Take a look at the ingredients, packaging, and how to dispose of the packaging once you've used up the last of your detergent.
Plant Based Cleaning Ingredients
A natural, eco-friendly laundry detergent will rely on plant-derived ingredients to do the cleaning rather than relying entirely on conventional synthetic formulations.
ZWS Unscented Laundry Detergent Sheets use sodium dodecyl sulfate as a plant-derived cleaning agent and fatty alcohol polyglycol ether (which is biodegradable) to help tackle grease.
The unscented formula is also vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil-free, and made without phthalates or phosphates. For even more peace of mind, these detergent sheets are not only good for the environment, but hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, meaning they are also kind to your skin!
Plastic Free Packaging
Say goodbye to the big, bulky jug.
Laundry detergent sheets offer a much more compact and environmentally friendly alternative. ZWS packages its sheets without plastic, and the packaging can be composted at home or through an industrial composting facility at the end of its life.
The sheets themselves completely dissolve during the wash, so there's no bottle, pod casing, scoop, or other piece of packaging left behind after each load.
The sheets themselves completely dissolve during the wash, so there's no bottle, pod casing, scoop, or other piece of packaging left behind after each load.
Concentrated Without the Mess
One of the easiest aspects of switching to detergent sheets is it takes the guesswork out of measuring. You can just pop one sheet in for regular loads and know that your clothes will come out degreased, soft, and clean!
They dissolve completely in water, unlike other laundry powders, so they leave no residue on your clothes or in your machine.
For extra tough stains, we suggest pre-treating the area with your preferred stain remover.
How to Use Laundry Detergent Sheets
There's no complicated new laundry routine to learn when swapping from traditional liquid laundry detergent to a more environmentally friendly detergent sheet.
For a regular-sized load, add one detergent sheet to your washing machine along with your laundry. If you're tackling an extra-dirty load, ZWS recommends using two sheets. For extra-large loads such as bedding, you can use two to three.
Sheets take the measuring and pouring out of the equation. They're lightweight, compact, and already portioned, which can make laundry day just a little easier. The sheets are safe for front-loading and top-loading machines, including HE machines, and can even be used for hand washing.
They also dissolve in both hot and cold water, making them an easy addition to the laundry routine you already have.
Great for Small Spaces and Travel
If you’re someone who travels a lot and stays in lots of hotels or rentals, laundry detergent sheets are also incredibly convenient when you don't have much storage space.
If you're living in an apartment, dorm, RV, or another small space, a slim package of detergent sheets is much easier to store than a large jug. They're also lightweight enough to pack for a road trip, vacation, or extended stay when you know you'll need to do laundry along the way and need to grab just a few sheets!
Package them up in a reusable silicone bag if you don’t want to bring your entire box, and you’re set!
No liquid also means no worrying about measuring out enough detergent ahead of time or opening your suitcase to discover a sudsy leak.
More Ways to Make Your Laundry Routine Eco Friendly
Switching from liquid detergent to a plastic-free detergent sheet is a great start, but there’s even more ways to create a more sustainable laundry routine in your everyday life.
Try washing full loads whenever possible rather than running the machine for just a few items. Using cold water when you can (for dark colors or lightly used items, especially), as this will reduce the energy needed to run your machine.
When it's time to dry your clothes, consider reusable wool dryer balls in place of disposable dryer sheets. Dryer balls tumble between your clothing to help separate fabrics and improve airflow while your clothes dry, and they can be reused load after load! This is where you can also add your favorite essential oil to add fragrance if desired.
You can also air dry clothing when practical, especially delicate items that don't necessarily need to go through the dryer every time.
Bonus tip: one of the most sustainable things you can do is take good care of the clothing you already own. Follow garment care instructions, wash items only when needed, repair clothing when possible, and treat stains before giving up on an otherwise perfectly wearable piece of clothing.
A Scent Free Laundry Detergent Without the Plastic Jug
Choosing an unscented laundry detergent gives you the cleaning power you need without intentionally adding fragrance to your clothes.
Detergent sheets offer an easy opportunity to eliminate the bulky plastic jug, making them an overall eco-friendly swap!
If you’re looking for more plant-based ingredients, plastic-free compostable packaging, and a lightweight, mess-free format, be sure to give laundry detergent sheets a try!
One sheet, one load, and no measuring, pouring, or plastic jug required.