Our top choice is ECOS Hypoallergenic Dish Soap with Natural Grapefruit because it’s a strong cleaning product free of harmful ingredients. It’s also EPA-certified and affordable. Here are the best dish soaps you can buy. Cut through grease and grime without harmful chemicals with this ECOS strong-yet-gentle dish soap. With natural, dirt-busting citrus ingredients, ECOS Hypoallergenic Dish Soap is incredibly effective at cleaning dishes and doesn’t contain any ingredients that give us pause. It’s free of parabens, phosphates, and dyes, so we are confident in awarding ECOS dish soap our top overall pick. An affordable, top-quality choice, ECOS dish soap is a plant-based and eco-friendly product. Both vegan and kosher, the soap contains ingredients like coconut to ensure effective yet safe cleaning of your dishware. This product is also pH-balanced and dermatologist-tested hypoallergenic, so it’s safe for those with sensitive skin. ECOS products are all sustainably produced, and the company is water neutral, carbon neutral, and Platinum Zero Waste certified. It also created a 100 percent Climate Positive factory in 2021, so it’s really earning brownie points with us. ECOS is also a majority woman-owned company that does no animal testing. All of that sounds great, but if you can’t back that up with a stellar product, it’s not worth much. But this dish soap is a stellar product, so we can get behind the ECOS mission and their dish soap, too. Price at time of publish: $9 While it costs slightly more than other budget brands, keep in mind that dish soap is often wasted with some of the bargain options in an attempt to get dishes thoroughly clean. Palmolive will save you more than a few bucks in the long run. It’s also 100 percent biodegradable and made with recycled plastic packaging for environmentally conscious consumers. Price at time of publish: $15 Containing no sulfates, parabens, phosphates, dyes, or other toxic ingredients, Puracy dish soap is a favorite among parents and eco-friendly shoppers alike. The formula was even developed by doctors and is hypoallergenic and vegetable-based. Plus, while you can opt for the single bottle, the three-pack of dish soap lets you stock up a bit, so you don’t have to worry about running out soon. The only downside reported is that it sometimes struggles to clean extra-greasy dishes. Price at time of publish: $23 To use this dish soap bar, wet a washcloth or sponge and massage it into the soap before cleaning your dishes. For soaking in the sink, just hold the bar under running water for a few minutes. You can feel good about using Meliora’s earth-friendly dish soaps, as they’re all graded A by the Environmental Working Group. Their light lemon scent is also free of synthetics, and the formula is both cruelty-free and vegan. Price at time of publish: $15 Having served the earth well for 25 years, Seventh Generation has perfected eco-friendly, effective cleaning products. Their packaging even consists of 100 percent recycled bottles, and they proudly list all their ingredients. No animal testing is done or needed, and they are a Certified B Corporation to boot. Price at time of publish: $21 This soap is also remarkably versatile: It can be used on grilling surfaces, automobiles, and more. It’s available in three different sizes and two scents, so you can choose the right one for your household. On top of that, the spray bottle container makes it so convenient to use. Price at time of publish: $14 Using nothing derived from formaldehyde nor any preservatives, dyes, or phthalates, this soap’s power lies in its natural bacteria-fighting ingredients. It’s also biodegradable, gentle on hands, and made in the USA. Price at time of publish: $6 Kris Jenner and Emma Grede launched Safely in 2021, and we thought their cleaning products looked beautiful and might make the chore a little more fun. They recently added a new calming scent to their products and expanded retail availability to Walmart stores across the nation. This product is affordable, gentle on your hands, and smells like a vanilla-lavender candle in dish soap form. If you are extra worried about sensitive skin issues, Dr. Nazarian recommends that anyone with sensitive skin, eczema, or atopic dermatitis consider wearing gloves while washing dishes, as exposure to water can remove necessary moisturizers and flare up underlying skin conditions. Price at time of publish: $5 Word to the wise: Dr. Nazarian says that while washing baby bottles, extra water should be used to dilute dish soap. This ensures that only a small amount of product reaches the dishes, so it reduces the risk of leaving residue behind. A bottle brush should also be used to avoid as much direct exposure to the cleaner as possible. Price at time of publish: $26 You’ll get your whole place setting clean with this Grove Co. set without drying out your hands in the process. When you’re done washing, just tuck the bamboo brush into its ceramic base for storage. Delivered in plastic-free packaging, this product is in line with Grove Co.’s commitment to sustainability. Price at time of publish: $12 Free of parabens, phosphates, dyes, and phthalates, this soap is a win for both the environment and household safety. Certified by the EPA Safer Choice plan, it’s biodegradable and pH-balanced as well. Its lemon scent is refreshing and brisk to boot. Price at time of publish: $17
Scent
Many dish soaps come with a built-in scent that can be synthetically engineered or naturally made. Scents are a matter of preference, so while some may love washing dishes with a light lavender scent in the air, others may prefer a fragrance-free option. Keep in mind not all fragrances are safe since the chemical industry is not required to label them as anything other than “fragrance.” Additionally, nationally recognized cleaning expert and The Spruce Review Board member Melissa Homer says it’s important to find dish soaps that rinse all fragrance and soap away without residue, leaving your dishes thoroughly clean.
Ingredients
Ingredients vary substantially by dish soap formula, but it’s important that your dish soap strikes a balance between powerful cleaning agents and ingredients that won’t harm your hands. “The hands are incredibly sensitive. They lack the high density of oil glands that exist in other parts of the body, which makes them likely to dry out—especially when they’re exposed to strong cleansers such as those found in dish soap meant to rinse away greasy, high-oil-content dirty dishware," says Dr. Nazarian. Dr. Nazarian recommends looking for dish soaps that don’t contain perfumes, parabens, or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Instead, look for pH-balanced formulas and calming ingredients such as aloe or vitamin E.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This guide was written and researched by KJ Callihan. She has been writing for The Spruce since 2021. She enjoys spending hours researching products to ensure readers make the right choices for their homes. You may have also seen her writing on sites such as CNET, AAA Northeast magazine, Bob Vila, Outward On, Oh My Veggies, and more. For guidance on this story, Callihan consulted dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD, and Melissa Homer, chief cleaning officer at MaidPro, and member of The Spruce Cleaning Review Board.
