Truly Free Home Non-Toxic Laundry Wash Review: Does It Actually Work?

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Truly Free Home laundry wash promises non-toxic cleaning without sacrificing performance. Our honest review covers stain removal, cost, and real results…

I switched to Truly Free Home Laundry Wash about 3 years ago, as I was looking to reduce plastic waste at home. I had been using non-toxic laundry and other cleaning products for many years already – some of which had variable results – so I was used to paying higher prices than drugstore brands, but I was tired of throwing away so many plastic containers, especially with the problems with recycling that have come to light in recent years.

One of the homesteading blogs that I follow recommended Truly Free Home as a lower-waste alternative. The refillable bottle thing seemed interesting, and the reviews looked pretty solid.

But I’ve been burned before by “natural” cleaning products that smell like hippie dreams but don’t actually clean anything.

So I grabbed a starter kit and figured I’d give it a test for myself. I’ve been using it ever since, without any regrets, though I did make some adjustments to my subscription, as I discuss below. Here’s a deep dive into the Truly Home Brand, and their non-toxic Laundry Wash in particular.

Brand Overview and History

Truly Free Home started as one of those direct-to-consumer brands focused on reducing single-use plastic in your cleaning routine. The whole concept centers around concentrated products you mix at home instead of buying pre-diluted stuff in huge plastic jugs.

They make laundry detergent, dish soap, all-purpose cleaners, and a bunch of other household products. Everything uses plant-based ingredients and skips the typical chemical offenders like phosphates, chlorine bleach, and synthetic fragrances.

The company markets itself heavily to parents with sensitive kids, people trying to reduce plastic waste, and anyone dealing with chemical sensitivities. Their big selling point is that you can get effective cleaning without the harsh stuff.

They’re pretty transparent about ingredients compared to mainstream brands. You can actually find out what’s in the bottle without needing a chemistry degree to decode the label.

Product Range Analysis

The Truly Free Home laundry wash comes in a few different versions.

Signature Scent uses essential oils (mostly citrus-based) for a fresh smell. However, personally, I find it too strong for my taste, so I switched to the unscented version instead soon after subscribing.

Unscented has zero fragrance at all. It’s good if you react to scents or just prefer your clothes to smell like nothing. However, I actually like to add a few drops of essential oils to each jug to tailor the scent to what my family likes.

Stain & Odor is their heavy-duty version with extra enzymes for tough jobs.

Each pouch makes 50 loads of detergent. You mix the concentrated powder with warm water in their reusable bottle, shake it up for like 30 seconds, and you’re done.

The bottle itself is about half the size of those giant Tide jugs, so it takes up a lot less space under the sink.

Product Type	Loads per Pouch	Key Features	Best For
Signature Scent	50	Essential oil fragrance, 4 enzymes, plant-based surfactants	Everyday laundry, families with kids
Unscented	50	Zero fragrance, same cleaning enzymes	Scent sensitivities, babies, eczema-prone skin
Stain & Odor	50	Extra enzyme concentration, tougher formula	Heavy soil, athletic wear, work clothes

They also make a separate stain stick for pre-treating tough spots. I haven’t tried that one yet, but it’s on my list.

The subscription model sends you refill pouches automatically. You can also just buy them one-off whenever you need them. No pressure either way – and it’s nice that you can change your subscription shipment anytime if you aren’t ready for a refill yet – or if you need one sooner.

Quality and Performance Testing

This is where the rubber meets the road.

I’ve tested the Truly Free Home laundry wash on pretty much everything. Regular clothes, towels, sheets, muddy outdoor wear, workout gear – the full range of household laundry chaos.

Everyday cleaning: Works great. Normal dirt, body oils, light food stains, sweat… all came out clean without any issues.

Clothes smell fresh but not overpowering. The scent fades pretty quickly after drying. (I usually prefer less scent, so I use the Unscented version and add my own essential oils, which is also a great option.)

Tougher stains: Here’s where you need realistic expectations. Grass stains mostly came out, but sometimes needed a second wash. Spaghetti sauce disappeared completely if I caught it the same day.

Set-in red wine needed pre-treatment with a stain remover before washing.

Lab testing data shows Truly Free performs about 5% better than other eco-friendly brands like Molly’s Suds or Charlie’s Soap. That’s a meaningful difference if you’re comparing natural options.

But it falls about 10-16% short of Persil Free & Sensitive on stain removal. So you’re giving up some cleaning power compared to the strongest conventional detergents.

For me, that trade-off is worth it because I don’t have to worry about chemicals that cause rashes or problems with the septic tank.

For someone dealing with mechanic uniforms or constant heavy staining, maybe not.

The detergent works in cold water, which saves energy. I haven’t noticed any performance drop using cold versus warm. It also works fine in HE machines (that’s what I have).

One weird thing… there are barely any suds when you wash. At first, I thought something was wrong. Turns out that’s intentional.

Truly Free skips sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which creates foam but doesn’t actually help with cleaning. Your brain just expects bubbles because that’s what conventional detergent does.

After a few loads, I stopped caring about the lack of suds. The clothes come out clean regardless!

Customer Service Experience

I’ve only dealt with their customer service a couple of times when a reusable container arrived damaged during shipping. I messaged them through their website chat, got a response within a few hours, and they sent a replacement immediately at no cost. No hassle.

Their FAQ section actually answers most questions pretty well. Shipping has been consistent, usually arrives within 5-7 days.

The subscription is easy to pause, cancel, or reschedule through your account. I’ve rescheduled mine several times when I didn’t need a refill yet, or when I needed one a little sooner.

Some people on Reddit mentioned longer response times during the holidays, but I haven’t experienced that personally.

Pricing and Value Assessment

This is probably the biggest consideration for most people.

One pouch costs about $5-$10, depending on whether you subscribe or buy one-off. That works out to roughly 10-20 cents per load. (You also get free refills with subscription orders, depending on how much you order each time, so this brings the cost down for sure.)

Compare that to:

• Store-brand conventional detergent: 5-7 cents per load
• Tide or Persil: 8-10 cents per load
• Seventh Generation: 12-15 cents per load
• Molly’s Suds: 13-17 cents per load

So Truly Free sits in the middle. More expensive than basic conventional options, but cheaper or comparable to other eco-friendly brands – especially with the subscription.

The question is whether you’re already spending money on premium detergents for sensitive skin, dealing with rashes that need doctor visits and special creams, or rewashing clothes because your current detergent isn’t cutting it.

For me, the cost makes sense because I was already buying Seventh Generation at the grocery store. Switching to Truly Free Home actually saved me about $3-4 per month while improving performance – and there’s WAY less plastic to throw away!

If you’re coming from the absolute cheapest store-brand detergent, you’ll  feel the price increase. That’s something like an extra $30-40 per year for a typical household.

The refillable system also reduces plastic waste, which has value beyond just the price tag. I’ve only bought one bottle in 3 years instead of going through 12+ plastic jugs.

Want to check current pricing? Grab a starter kit here and see what subscription discounts they’re running right now.

The Ingredient Situation (Being Honest Here)

Truly Free markets itself as non-toxic and eco-friendly, but the ingredient list has some things worth knowing about.

The detergent contains sodium polyacrylates, which are petroleum-derived polymers with microplastic concerns. These are the same things used in disposable diapers to absorb moisture. They don’t biodegrade.

Since detergent washes down drains and ends up in waterways, this creates environmental persistence issues.

They also use sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, a synthetic surfactant that carries potential concerns for aquatic toxicity. It’s less harsh than what conventional detergents use, but it’s not purely plant-based either.

One reviewer found that Truly Free had previously misprinted their ingredient list, creating confusion about what was actually in the product. They corrected it later, but that raised some transparency questions.

This doesn’t mean Truly Free Home laundry wash is secretly dangerous or fake. The reality is more nuanced than “100% natural and eco-friendly.” They’ve made different trade-offs than conventional detergent makers, prioritizing stain removal performance and convenience over being completely plant-derived and biodegradable in every single component.

The formula still skips phosphates, chlorine bleach, optical brighteners, and synthetic fragrances. That eliminates most of the common irritants in regular detergent.

Just go in with realistic expectations about what “non-toxic” actually means here.

Who Truly Home Laundry Wash Actually Makes Sense For

Parents with kids who have sensitive skin. If your children deal with eczema, rashes, or respiratory reactions to fragrances, this is worth testing. The essential oil scent and plant-based formula eliminate most irritants.

People already buying eco-friendly detergent. If you’re paying for Seventh Generation or similar brands, Truly Free probably offers better performance at a lower cost.

Anyone trying to reduce plastic waste. The refill system legitimately cuts down on packaging compared to buying new bottles constantly.

Households with normal to moderately dirty laundry. If you’re washing regular clothes, towels, sheets, and typical kid messes, this handles it well.

People with limited storage space. The compact bottle and refill pouches save room under the sink or in the laundry closet.

Who Might Want Different Options

People with very hard water. If your water hardness is significantly above average, performance drops. You might need a water softener or a different detergent.

Families with heavily soiled workwear. If you’re dealing with grease-stained mechanic clothes, constant grass and mud, or set-in stains, you’ll probably be happier with Persil or a heavy-duty conventional option.

Strict budget shoppers. If you’re comparing purely on cost per load and conventional detergent works fine for you, the premium doesn’t make financial sense.

Zero-plastic households. The bottle is reusable, but you still receive plastic pouches with each refill. If you want completely package-free, this doesn’t get you there.

People with extreme chemical sensitivities. Some guys react to specific plant-derived surfactants. Test a small amount first if you have severe sensitivities.

Pros and Cons Summary

What Works:

• Actually cleans everyday laundry effectively
• Gentle on sensitive skin and eliminates most rashes
• Works in cold water and HE machines
• Refillable system reduces plastic waste significantly
• Compact storage compared to giant detergent jugs
• Unscented version available for fragrance sensitivities
• Cheaper than most other eco-friendly brands
• Easy subscription with no commitment

What Could Be Better:

• Tough stains sometimes need pre-treatment or rewashing
• Performance drops 10-16% compared to heavy-duty conventional detergents
• Contains some synthetic ingredients despite eco-friendly marketing
• More expensive than basic store-brand detergent
• Reduced effectiveness in very hard water
• Still uses plastic pouches for refills
• Limited availability (online only, basically)

Final Recommendation

After three years of using Truly Free Home laundry wash, I’m sticking with it.

The performance is solid for everyday laundry. The refill system cut down on the plastic bottle clutter under my sink. The cost is reasonable compared to what I was spending before.

Is it perfect? No. Some tough stains need extra attention. The ingredients aren’t as purely natural as the marketing suggests. You’re paying more than the absolute cheapest conventional options.

But the trade-offs make sense for my household.

If you have kids with sensitive skin, you’re already buying premium laundry products, or you care about reducing plastic waste, this is worth testing for a few months. The bottle system doesn’t lock you in, and plenty of people find the performance justifies the price once they see how well it works.

If you’re switching purely for cost savings or you deal with extremely heavy staining, you may want to look at other options first.

For most households doing regular laundry without wanting harsh chemicals, Truly Free Home hits a good middle ground between effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and gentler ingredients.

Ready to test it yourself? Check their current starter bundles here and grab the unscented version if you have fragrance sensitivities.

Quick Comparison: Truly Free vs Other Options

If you’re still deciding, here’s how it stacks up against similar products.

Truly Free vs Seventh Generation: Truly Free performs slightly better on stains and costs less per load. Seventh Generation has wider availability in physical stores.

Truly Free vs Molly’s Suds: Truly Free wins on stain removal (about 5% better in testing). Molly’s Suds uses simpler ingredients if you want the most natural formula.

Truly Free vs conventional Tide/Persil: Conventional heavy-duty detergents remove stains 10-16% more effectively. Truly Free causes fewer skin reactions and uses gentler ingredients.

Truly Free vs Tru Earth strips: The refillable liquid works better for pre-treating stains. Tru Earth wins on travel convenience and zero-plastic packaging.

The right choice depends on what you prioritize. For me, the balance of cleaning power, skin gentleness, and reasonable cost makes Truly Free Home laundry wash the winner.

Want to browse their full product line? Check out all their non-toxic cleaning products here, including dish soap, surface cleaners, and stain removers.

Prefer a subscription for automatic delivery? Set up monthly refills here so you never run out and usually get loyalty discounts.

For more eco-friendly laundry detergent options, be sure to check out this post.

 

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