Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (2024)

Table of Contents
Washing Your Hands Lessens Your Exposure to Hormone Disrupting Chemicals & Several Illnesses Actions That Spread Germs and Cause Disease Best Time to Wash Your Hands with Non-Toxic Hand Soap Watch Out For These Problematic Ingredients in Hand Soap Mamavation’s Investigation of Non-Toxic Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps Basic Tips on What to Look For When Eyeballing The Best Hand Soap Products Not Our Favorite Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps Better Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps Best Non-Toxic Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps

Which brands of liquid hand soaps and bar soaps are a non-toxic and healthy way to scrub your hands? Cleansing from germs with a liquid hand soap that lathers with natural ingredients is important. Mamavation looked at about 130 different hand soaps to determine the safest products based on ingredients. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like the best non-toxic dishwashing soap, the best non-toxic dishwashing detergents, safest disinfectants, & best organic mattresses, now join us for the best non-toxic hand soaps.

Disclosure: This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. This post also contains affiliate links.

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (1)

Table of Contents

See Also
13 Best Non-Toxic Hand Soaps for Healthier Living - The Eco EditI Tried Non-Toxic Hand Soap (here's what I liked best!) - ORGANIC BEAUTY LOVERThe Best Non-Toxic Hand SoapTop 9 Best Natural Hand Soaps (And Which Ones to Avoid!)

Washing Your Hands Lessens Your Exposure to Hormone Disrupting Chemicals & Several Illnesses

It’s important to wash your hands. According tothe Center for Disease Control (CDC), because we can prevent several illnesses and diseases. In fact, hand washing is one of the most important tools you have in your modern toolbox to prevent disease.

Washing hands is also an effective way to lessen exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals. Hormone disrupting chemicals like fire retardants, phthalates, and PFAS are attracted to household dust. Dust with particles of fire retardants, phthalates and other nasties settle on surfaces. Your hands come into contact with those dust particles as you do your daily routines. When hands are washed, that exposure is lessened.

Here are some examples of chemicals that disrupt hormones that are lessened with handwashing:

The other way to lessen this exposure is to dust weekly starting with the top of the room (like the fan) and doing the floors last. Wearing a mask while dusting is also recommended. We also recommend checking out to keep dust at a minimum, especially in the family room where you have the most of your electrical equipment.

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (2)

Actions That Spread Germs and Cause Disease

Washing your hands is a great tool in stopping the spread of disease, but germs can be spread in several ways. It’s important to be informed of how this happens around your home and in the community to protect yourself and your family.

  • Touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Preparing or eating food and drink with unwashed hands
  • Touching a contaminated surface or objects
  • Blowing your nose and then
  • Coughing into hands,
  • Sneezing into hands,
  • Touching someone else or another common object

This is how disease is spread, so be mindful especially around more vulnerable people in the population.

See Also
Best Chemical Free Soap Brands to Make Your Life More Eco Friendly

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (3)

Best Time to Wash Your Hands with Non-Toxic Hand Soap

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are very particular times of the day when it’s the best time to wash your hands. We’ve pulled this list together for you of all the times we recommend you using non-toxic liquid hand soap, especially the kind we have at the bottom of this post.

So please wash your hands when you do these things:

  • Before, during,andafterpreparing food
  • Beforeandaftereating food
  • Beforeandaftercaring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • Beforeandaftertreating a cut or wound
  • Afterusing the toilet
  • Afterchanging diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • Afterblowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Aftertouching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • Afterhandling pet food or pet treats
  • Aftertouching garbage

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (4)

Watch Out For These Problematic Ingredients in Hand Soap

We evaluated the ingredients of about 125 liquid hand soaps to determine what types of ingredients you should be on the lookout for when purchasing these products. We found lots of allergens, hormone-disrupting chemicals, and carcinogens and put together a list for you.

  • Parabens — are preservatives that are used in a wide array of different personal care products in the United States, including hand soaps. They mimic the behavior of estrogen in the body and are associated with endocrine disruption,cancer, anddevelopmental toxicity. They are alsotoxic to the environment.To avoid parabens, avoid hand soap containing ingredients ending in –paraben.
  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)— These chemicals are surfactants and emulsifiers used to create foam. They are also linked to toxic effects like organ toxicity, and irritation to skin, eyes, & lungs. This product also has issues with contamination–ingredients derived from ethoxylated lauryl alcohol may be contaminated with toxic 1,4-dioxane & ethylene oxide, both carcinogens. Additional health effects are organ system toxicityandirritation of the skin, eyes, and lungs.TheCDClinks sodium lauryl sulfate with several negative health effects that can occur as a result of exposure.
  • Cocamidopropyl betaine — This ingredient is a synthetic detergent and surfactant used to increase the foam. Health concerns linked to cocamidopropyl betaine include higher risk of allergic skin reactions, contact dermatitis, and environmental toxicity. It was named “Allergen of the Year” in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. This chemical can show up under different names so to avoid it, look for a toxic chemical-free hand soap that doesn’t have these ingredients listed: CADG, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Cocamidopropyl dimethyl glycine, Cocoamphocarboxypropionate, Cocoamphodiproprionate, and Disodium cocoamphodipropionate.
  • Undisclosed Fragrance — Fragrance smells great, but it’s not as innocent as it may seem because it’s linked to allergies, respiratory irritation, or even worse, they can hide hormone-disrupting chemicals like phthalates, which help the fragrance stay longer in the environment. The word “fragrance” or “perfume” on a bottle hides numerous ingredients under the guise of “trade secrets” and none of these secrets are good for the consumer. The chemicals inside fragrances can be absorbed through the skinand into the bloodstream where they posehealth risks including endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, allergies, asthma, neurotoxicity and cancer. Synthetic fragrance ingredients especially can be problematic.
  • Methylisothiazolinone & Methylchloroisothiazolinone—these preservatives are used to inhibit bacteria inside hand soaps, but they are also a major allergen. A combination of Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinine (MCI/MI) is one of the most frequent causes of preservative contact allergy in personal care product. They are also problematic linked toskin irritation, lung and respiratory issuesandneurotoxicity. This study found a brief exposure to this widely used industrial and household biocide, is highly toxic to cultured neurons. The Environmental Protection Agency has also ruled it is toxic to aquatic life. It’s also a skin irritant and many have allergic reactions to this chemical.
  • PEGs (polyethylene glycols) — are petroleum-based compounds that are widely used in personal care products as solvents, thickeners, softeners, & moisture carriers. PEGs may be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, both carcinogens. 1,4-dioxane can be removed from cosmetics during the manufacturing process by vacuum stripping, but it’s hard to ascertain which products are which. How often is 1,4-dioxane in raw materials of personal care products? This study says very often.
  • Polysorbate 20 — This ingredient is treated with ethylene oxide (or is “ethoxylated”) so that it then becomes contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. It has also been linked to skin allergies.
  • Artificial colors — most artificial colors are derived from coal tar or petroleum. Several artificial colors, especially when used in combination, are associated with hyperactivity in children, however, very little published research exists on artificial colors being mixed, which is very common. We do know that artificial colors are linked to hypersensitivity, allergic reaction, increased dermal absorption in skin, genotoxicity, and brain, bladder, and testes tumor growth. The use of Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 account of 90 percent of all dyes used in commerce and can be contaminated with carcinogens.
  • Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) — BAK is an antimicrobial agent, deodorant, surfactant, and preservative also known as alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. Other names used to hide BAK are Quaternary ammonium compounds, benzyl-C8-18-alkyldimethyl chlorides; CAS # 63449-41-2; alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl); quaternary ammonium chloride; ammonium alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) chloride; and ammonium alkyldimethylbenzyl chloride. This chemical is linked with antibiotic susceptibility of methicillin-resistantStaphyloccocus aureus according to the CDC.

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (5)

Mamavation’s Investigation of Non-Toxic Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps

Mamavation evaluated the formula ingredients of over 125 different liquid hand soaps–liquid hand soaps, powders, and bar soaps used for sink washing. To create categories we ranked them based on ingredients linked to hormone disruption, carcinogens, and environmental impact.

Brands may have parabens, harsh preservatives, undisclosed fragrances, surfactants, or harsh allergens. The Not Our Favorite products had between 2 or more problematic ingredients. The “better” products contain at least 1 ingredient that is problematic. And the “best” brands do not have any problematic ingredients that we are aware of.

Please note: We did not test any of these brands for contaminants like phthalates, bisphenols of PFAS “forever chemicals.” We are only evaluating based on ingredients that are available to the public on the best foaming hand soap.

Basic Tips on What to Look For When Eyeballing The Best Hand Soap Products

  • Look for disclosure of fragrance, even if they are essential oils.
  • Look for essential oil fragrances like lavender, thyme, peppermint, and lemon. These fragrances also naturally aid and help kill bacteria in a safe way.
  • When you opt for natural oils and fats such as organic coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and hemp oil, these ingredients are less likely to dry out your hands.
  • Light preservatives like sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate or phenoxyethanol are preferable to harsh preservatives like methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazaolinone, or Benzalkonium chloride.

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (6)

Not Our Favorite Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps

This category represents products that we do not recommend. We found 3 or more problematic ingredients that were listed above in this post.

  • Aesop Reverance Aromatique Hand Wash Vetiver Petitgrain Bergamot
  • Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Kitchen Lemon
  • Better Life Hand & Body Soap Naturally Skin-Soothing Scent Free
  • Better Life Hand & Body Soap Citrus Mint
  • Caress Daily Silk Bar Soap
  • Dial Gold Hydrating Hand Soap Liquid
  • Dionis Goat Milk Hand Soap Lavender Blossom
  • Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
  • Dove Caring Hand Wash Liquid
  • Dove Foaming Hand Wash Lavender & Yogurt
  • Equate Liquid Hand Soap Clear Original
  • GreenerWays Antibacterial Soap Unscented
  • Jergens Extra Moisturizing Hand Wash Cherry Almond
  • Jergens Mild Soap Bar
  • Love Beauty & Planet Argan Oil & Lavender Hand Wash
  • Method Foaming Hand Wash Lemon Mint
  • Method Hand Wash Free + Clear
  • Quinn’s Eucalyptus Hand Wash
  • Raw Sugar Moisture Loving Hand Wash Watermelon + Fresh Mint
  • Raw Sugar Simply Hand Wash Sensitive Skin
  • Sapadilla Hand Soap Rosemary & Peppermint
  • SoftSoap Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap Fresh Citrus
  • SoftSoap Oh Joy Juicy Grapefruit
  • SoftSoap Gently Lavender Liquid Hand Soap
  • Tone Cocoa Butter Original Bar Soap
  • Trader Joe’s Foaming Apple Cider Hand Soap

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (7)

Better Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps

This section contains ingredients of concern that we discussed above. Here you will find lots of nondisclosure of fragrances or other ingredients with 1 -3 ingredients of concern. Please note that some brands may have products in different sections: with some in the “best” category and some products in the “better” category.

  • A La Maison de Provence Gentle Hand Wash Fresh Sea Salt
  • A La Maison de Provence Liquid Soap Sweet Almond
  • Blueland Foaming Hand Soap
  • Caldrea Tangelo Palm Frond
  • Clearly Natural Unscented Glycerin Bar Soap
  • DoTerra On Guard Foaming Hand Soap
  • Etee Lavender Lime Foaming Hand Soap
  • Etee Lemongrass Liquid Hand Soap Concentrate
  • Everspring Free & Clear Foaming Hand Soap
  • Everspring Lavender & Bergamot Liquid Hand Soap
  • Grove Hydrating Hand Soap Lavender & Thyme
  • Grove Hand & Dish Bar Soap Ginger & Lime
  • Hand in Hand Hand Soap Cactus Blossom
  • Hello Foaming Hand Wash Tablets Lavender + Eucalyptus
  • Hello Aloe + Sea Minerals Foaming Hand Wash
  • Hippie Butter Hippie Soap
  • J.R. Watkins Foaming Hand Soap Ocean Breeze
  • J.R. Watkins Hand Soap Rosewater
  • Jason Purifying Tea Tree Hand Soap
  • Kirk’s Hand Soap Rosemary & Sage
  • Kiss My Face Coconut Moisture Hand Soap
  • Live Clean Hydrating Liquid Hand Soap
  • Live Clean Coconut Milk Moisturizing Hand Soap
  • Mrs. Meyers Rainwater
  • Puracy Cucumber & Mint Natural Gel Hand Soap
  • Raw Sugar Foaming Hand Wash Rosewater & Kombucha
  • Safe Haven Farms Hand Crafted Bar Soap
  • Seventh Generation Zero Waste Lathering Cleanser Powder Hand Soap Fragrance-Free
  • Simple Truth Pure Castile Soap (Coconut Vanilla)
  • Shea Moisture Coconut Oil Shea Butter Bar Soap
  • Thrive Market Foaming Hand Wash Coconut Vanilla
  • Tom’s Prebiotic Hand Soap Orange
  • Tom’s Creamy Coconut Bar Soap
  • Trader Joe’s Lemon Kitchen Hand Soap

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (8)

Best Non-Toxic Liquid Hand Soaps & Bar Soaps

These products do not contain problematic ingredients according to what has been disclosed. Please note we did not send any of these products to the lab to test for contaminants. Purchases of these types of products support better non-toxic and transparent brands.

Liquid Hand Soaps RANKED: Best Non-Toxic Liquid & Bar Soaps for Hand Washing 2021 (2024)
Top Articles
Harry Kane Wallpaper 2024 for PC / Mac / Windows 11,10,8,7 - Free Download - Napkforpc.com<
How to ss on Dell Latitude: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners - Cybertechnosys
How to Screenshot on Dell - 3 Easy Ways to Screenshot on Dell Laptop
Latest Posts
Guitar Supakorn Kantanit Movie Stars
Harry Kane Wallpapers for PC / Mac / Windows 11,10,8,7 - Free Download - Napkforpc.com<
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6027

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.