Short answer: yes, you can wash cloth diapers with natural detergents, you just need the right ones and a slightly bigger dose. Here's everything you need to know to keep your cloth diapers clean, absorbent, and leak-free while sticking to your family's detergent preferences.
Why Families Ask This Question
A lot of parents assume cloth diapers need a special "diaper-only" detergent. They don't. What they do need is a detergent strong enough to fully break down waste and oils, otherwise you're left with buildup, repelling, and leaks.
That's why we usually point people toward commercial detergents like Tide Original. It's affordable, widely available, and has the cleaning power to knock out everything a diaper throws at it (literally).
But we know that's not the right fit for every household. Common reasons families look for a natural alternative include:
-Skin sensitivities or allergies: yours or your baby's
-Environmental preferences: fewer synthetic ingredients, less packaging waste
-Fragrance sensitivities: some households need fragrance-free everything
-Already using natural detergent for the rest of the laundry: and don't want to run two systems
All valid. All doable, as long as you choose the right detergent and adjust your amounts.
The Catch: Not All "Natural" Detergents Are Created Equal
Here's where things get tricky. Some "natural," "gentle," or "free & clear" detergents simply don't have the cleaning strength to fully remove waste from cloth diapers. When that happens, two things can go wrong:
*Buildup: residue coats the fabric, causing ammonia smells and repelling (moisture beading up instead of soaking in)
*Reduced absorbency: your diapers stop doing their one job: absorbing
The good news? Some plant-based detergents perform well if you use enough of them. The key is knowing which ones actually work — and skipping the ones that don't.
Natural Detergents That Work for Cloth Diapers
Based on extensive testing and research from Fluff Love University, the leading independent resource on cloth diaper laundry, these plant-based and natural detergents have a strong track record:
Not HE safe just means don't use it in a high-efficiency machine, it'll oversud. It still works fine in a standard top loader.
There are other plant-based detergents that can work too, this list simply reflects the ones with the most consistent success rates.
Detergents to Avoid on Cloth Diapers
These natural and "eco" detergents tend to lack the cleaning power needed for cloth diapers and are known to cause buildup, repelling, or reduced absorbency over time: Molly's Suds, Ecos, Nellie's, Crunchy Clean, Honest Co, Tiny Bubbles, BumGenius, Rockin' Green, Soap Nuts, Eco Nuts, Soap Berries, Charlie's Soap, Country Save, Ecosprout, and Allen's Naturally.
If you're currently using one of these and noticing leaks or smells, that's likely your culprit, not your diapers.
How to Wash Cloth Diapers with Natural Detergents
Natural and free & clear formulas are gentler by design, which means weaker cleaning power than their full-strength counterparts (Free & Clear All, for example, is noticeably weaker than regular All). To compensate, use more than the bottle recommends:
*Prewash: 1–2x the recommended amount
*Main wash: 1.5x the recommended amount
*Always use a water softener if you have hard water
This ensures the detergent has enough cleaning power to fully break down waste, even with a gentler formula.
Keep Your Wash Routine on Track
Not sure your routine is dialed in? Our free Wash Routine Help tool walks you through a personalized routine based on your water type, machine, and detergent, so you're never guessing.
The Bottom Line
You don't have to choose between your detergent preferences and clean, leak-free diapers. Stick to a detergent from the recommended list above, use a little extra in your prewash and main wash, and manage hard water with a softener, and your Lil Helper diapers will stay just as absorbent and effective as they would with any commercial detergent.
Special thanks to the team at Fluff Love University for their extensive, ongoing research into cloth diaper laundry care. Most of the detergent testing referenced in this post comes from their work.
