I was told when I got it that I would not need to use any fabric softener with it. So, I tried it, even though I was skeptical.
I was pleasantly surprised, no extra softener was needed. The smell is very nice too, not too overpowering and the scent isn't strange smelling either.
It works well at removing stains, and doesn't seem to negatively impact the fabric of any clothes, towels, or sheets that I've washed with it.
I have sensitive skin, so I typically try to get laundry detergent without scents or dyes. However, ECOS detergent doesn't bother my skin at all, which is great.
I also like that fact that I can use a laundry detergent with a pleasant scent.
It has cleaned well and I am very satisfied with it. I cannot think of any complaints that I have about it, and I have washed a variety of different fabrics and colors with it and it has done well.
While my new white socks are still quite bright ones, I have some older ones that are not nearly as bright, as they are older.
This detergent is not bleach, it won't make older, dingier, whites bright again, so add bleach for that if you want that.
In the past I bought several different types of detergent, not really preferring one brand to another. I like ECOS so much that I plan on buying it from now on for my laundry needs.
Whites Turn Yellow and Colors Fade When I Use ECOS Laundry Detergent
by Sue
(Virginia)
Sue has shared her experience with this detergent.
Sue says:
I've been using this detergent for about 6 months.
Now, I'm searching for a new green laundry detergent. This detergent made my whites turn yellow and faded my dark clothes.
Taylor says:
Thanks for sharing your opinion and experiences Sue.
As you can see, I've gotten several good reviews of ECOS detergent (see above and below), but no detergent works well for everyone.
I would love to hear from even more people, sharing their experiences with this, or any other natural or eco-friendly laundry detergent, since I know lots of people are searching for one that works well for them. (If you find one you really like Sue I would love it if you shared an update!)
I've created a comprehensive list of available brands of natural laundry detergent here that you can check out to try to find something new. I've also added links to any reviews I have of these products to help you make a good decision for which might work best for you.
I have been using the Ecos HE detergent for the last few months, as I purchased a 210 load container from Costco.
We have a top of the line LG front loader washer.
This detergent does a very poor job on food stains and has left yellow blotches on most of my white tee shirts and numerous stains have been burnt into the fabric by the drier.
I may need to use bleach to try to get the stains out.
I think that the detergent has too much flowery scent added too.
I have bought Purex to start using once the Ecos is finished and I hope that this will give me better results.
Taylor says:
Thanks for sharing your experience Edward. Hope your next detergent works better for you!
Making Sure To Pretreat & Add Oxi Bleach Now With This Green Detergent
by Heidi
Heidi has shared some proactive steps she's taking when she uses this green detergent, because of the complaints some other readers have shared about its effectiveness.
Heidi says:
Thank you for posting your review and how it effected your whites.
I picked up a jug of the Ecos to give going green a try again. I'm making sure to pretreat and add oxi bleach to all my white of heavily soiled loads.
So far so good, but I probably wouldn't have done so from the get go without your review, so thank you again.
Taylor says:
Glad to hear with these additional steps it is working well for you so far Heidi. As you continued to use it, please keep me updated on how its going for you!
Update From Heidi After Over A Year
I really like the fact it's green and so gentle on just about everyone and everything, which is important because we have winter skin sensitivities in my home, so unscented and/or hypoallergenic laundry products are a must.
Anyway, adding the oxi bleach and pretreating stains does help. However, if you wash in cold, you end up having to pre-dilute the oxi bleach in warm water. (I've switched to mostly cold water washes, as it's easier on our gas bill and the clothes.
But the pre-diluting is kind of a pain in the buttookess if you have a lot of laundry to get done, so I've switched to other brands that work better in cold without having to add anything.
Despite that, I still use this detergent for the loads that are not so bad because it is so environmentally friendly and so gentle on everything. Plus, it's reasonably priced at Walmart for a green detergent.
Overall, it's lousy for seriously soiled clothes on it's own, but perfectly fine for everyday laundry if you want to go green and stay economical about it.
Above Heidi had promised to provide a more thorough review of this detergent after she used it for a while, and here it is.
Heidi says:
As promised, I am giving my review of Ecos Unscented Liquid Laundry Detergent.
I like the fact that it is unscented and all natural. It seems to be wonderful for sensitive skin and does clean...to an extent.
However, if you have kids or are active and get dirty yourself, you either have to add oxi bleach or buy a different brand. This detergent just doesn't have the oomph an active family needs.
This detergent is very gentle and pH balanced so it would be really good for high end clothes that need a delicate wash or lingerie.
Otherwise, be prepared to buy oxi bleach or a different brand. I won't be repurchasing this.
Ecos Lavender Detergent Not A Keeper In The Beauty School Laundry Room
by Bridget
(California)
When I went to beauty school before we graduated we had to spend two weeks in the laundry room.
We had the HE washers and this detergent replaced Tide.
Wow, did the customers complain!
Not only did it not get the towels clean, it still left the chemical smells., etc in towels.
This school also taught esthetics, they had their own washer and dryers on their side, but laundry detergent was shared and their customers also complained about the feel and smell of the supposedly "clean" towels since they constantly used towels on face and body areas.
It was not a "keeper," and we had 30 bottles to dispose of.
We had to wash with it, to use it up, but for every one wash we did we poured several caps down the drain to get rid of it faster!
I can't respond to the other comments about fading/turning whites yellow since most of our towels were stained already (the school had both white and teal towels).
We had many regular customers, it was a very large school, and the customers really noticed the difference.
This Laundry Detergent Made My Clothes Feel Greasy
by Crystal
(Las Cruces, NM)
Crystal says:
When purchasing this product we were very excited about using a natural product.
However, over time we noticed that it made our clothes very greasy.
Several items became so greasy they were stained and nothing got it out.
We had to switch and buy several items of new clothes. We were very disappointed.
Taylor says:
Sorry to hear you had such a negative experience. I actually got another review from another reader complaining about how this product was leaving oil looking stains on clothes. Here's what she said:
Since I started using Ecos I noticed oil looking stains on clothes. I blamed it on the washing machine so I bought a new one, but the clothes were still coming out stained! Brand-new clothes ruined with oil looking stains. Since I change laundry detergent have not had a problem. This is the worst laundry detergent ever. I do not recommend this detergent to anyone.
Has this happened to anyone else when using this brand? I'd love to hear your experiences.
ECOS Magnolia and Lily Scent Laundry Detergent Review
by Keri Payne
(Washington)
Keri has provided her ECOS laundry soap review, in the Magnolia and Lily scent.
Keri says:
After reading an article on the chemicals in our household cleaners and, particularly, how potentially dangerous fragrances are, I was on the lookout for a completely natural laundry soap.
With a baby and a toddler, I didn’t want to expose them to harsh chemicals. However, laundry soap made specifically for babies is outrageously priced and I simply can’t always separate the baby’s clothes from everyone else’s.
I wanted laundry to be simple. We were using a heavily scented laundry soap previously and when used on the toddler or baby’s clothing they would sometimes get a rash from it.
I found ECOS liquid laundry soap (Magnolia and Lily scent) at Costco. I couldn’t believe the ingredients list- everything in it is natural! And the price was awesome! Especially when you compare it to other natural laundry products.
I have been using it now for several months with no problems whatsoever. It gets clothes clean. It has a slight (natural) fragrance, but I don’t really smell it after the clothes are cleaned. (Though they do smell clean.)
It has never given my kids a rash like the old soap did.
I’ve used it on cloth diapers with no problems.
The only issue I have had is when I have a load of wet towels (perhaps some covered in old spilled milk). In that case I do add some bleach to the load. However, with my old, heavily-scented brand, I had to do this also.
Taylor says:
Thanks Keri for your ECOS detergent review.
Has anyone else used ECOS brand, from Earth-Friendly Products, to wash their clothes, in either this or any other scent, or scent free? If so, you can share your review of this brand here.
There are affiliate links on this page, and if you purchase a product through them I receive a small commission. Purchasing through my links costs you nothing extra, but helps support the free information provided on this site and my family. To learn more please see my product review disclosure statement.
Comments for ECOS Magnolia and Lily Scent Laundry Detergent Review
Absolutely wonderful! Makes the laundry so soft. Both the free and clear and the baby detergent is wonderful. Great for those with sensitive skin...a real winner.
Terrible stuff by: Anonymous
This is the single worst laundry detergent I've ever used. It turned every light colored item of clothing (EVERY ONE) a dingy gray. The colors of the darker clothes faded visibly after just a couple of uses. Before the bottle was empty, I knew I had a loser.
Save your money. Do NOT use this product. Period.
allergy symptoms by: Toronto ON
I too have been using Ecos (Magnolia and Lily scent) without an issue until very recently. Now it makes me very itchy.
baby version gave an allergic reaction by: Anonymous
The baby version is lavender and caused an allergic reaction, rash. The free and clear non scented one is awesome. Cleans well and no scent and NO reaction!
Allergic Reaction by: Anonymous
We have used the Magnolia and Lily Scented version for a very long time with no complaints. Now, I consistently get a bad rash the day after laundry day, and itchy skin all over. There must have been a formula change. I did notice the label has changed too.
Fades my clothes by: Anonymous
I googled 'Ecos detergent fades clothes' and found this site. I've been using this detergent for 5 plus years and have noticed over the years it always fades my colors and doesn't remove stains well. I don't know why I haven't tried a different Eco friendly detergent. I think I assume they'll all do the same, and I'm not willing to buy conventional laundry detergent. I've stopped buying nice clothes because they'll look like crap soon after. I think I'll try something new after this bottle
Oil spots on my clothes too! by: Taylor
I am having oil spots on my clothes too and am wondering if it is the coconut oil in the soap. I am not sure what to do because I've had several shirts ruined at this point.
Spots on towels by: Anonymous
I have grey oil like spots on towels and other items.
Grease spots on colors by: Lisa
YES! I thought it was my HE machine also. I ran a cleaner through it, and tried again. It has ruined many of our colored clothing. I don't recommend this detergent. It's only safe on towels.
slow acting rash by: Anonymous
I tried the magnolia and lily ECOS detergent but noticed after a few days I was getting small itchy bumps on my arms and ankles. I scratched them and now they're big red spots. After switching detergent the problem seems to have dissipated. Not sure if I'm allergic to the coconut ingredients or the preservatives listed on the label. Either way I know to stay clear of it myself.
Black spots by: Sarah
I bought this at Costco. It turned everywhere there was a stain black. I am hoping some other product will fix virtually all my shirts and my kids clothes which are now ruined.
turned my whites yellow by: Lee
I have been using this product for over 2 years now.
My Mum came to visit who is sensitive about her whites.
Within days she pointed out how all of her whites were turning yellow, and then took me through my closet and sure enough, all of my whites were yellow - I just hadn't noticed.
Needless to say my love affair with ECOS has ended as from what I can see this is not a new problem and they have failed to resolve it.
Now I need to go buy new whites for me and my Mum.
Anyone got any organic replacement recommendations?
Skin reaction to laundry soap by: Anonymous
I've used this soap from Costco for probably a year now. About 3 months ago had to get more. Formula must have changed or something. Seemed almost immediately I ended up with lots of itchy bumps all over. Hopefully a different soap will make them go away.
Itchy bumpy rash here too by: Anonymous
I purchased the Ecos Magnolia and Lily scent laundry detergent from Costco about 2 weeks ago, in an effort to switch over to a more environmentally friendly soap with less damaging chemicals. I did find the cleaning satisfactory. About a week into using the product, my daughter came to me with an itchy, bumpy rash on her arms and legs. Then a few days later my husband mentioned he'd been really itchy too. Then shortly after, I broke out in an eczema rash on my legs, bumps on my upper chest and neck, and just a general itchy all over. This never happened with the more mainstream detergents that I've used in the past. Looks like I'm going to have to return the Ecos on my next trip to Costco. Very disappointed! I am going to have to rewash our clean laundry in order to get rid of the Ecos irritant now. How is that eco friendly? Just a note to others, that I found it took a few washes to start affecting us so just be aware of that.
Itchy rash by: Anonymous
I bought the magnolia and lily product from Costco about a month ago. I have developed an itchy, burning rash on neck, chest, back, and arms. I went to the doctor this morning and the first question asked was about a change of laundry detergent. I had hoped this supposedly environmentally friendly product would allow me to stop buying. Very disappointed because the label states "hypoallergenic." Just wondering how often many times I need to re-wash my clothes and linens to get rid of the problem.
Fades clothes! by: Jean
All my darks and colors faded after only using it once!!!!
Grease Spots by: Deborah
I was disappointed to read about the oil spots from ECOs detergent. I had the same issue with Tide so I am trying ECOs hoping this would solve the problem. These "oily" spots happened with my old Maytag and now my new LG (both front load). I did find that if I pretreated the oil spots (created by the washing machine/detergent) with Dawn dishwashing liquid and washed the shirt again, I could sometimes get the oil spots out. I had written Maytag customer service about this, asking for advice, but they gave me a form-letter response that was not helpful.
beware of this product by: Anonymous
Beware of this product if you are allergic to MCI (Methylchloroisothiazolinone). This chemical is found in many other detergents and soaps claiming to be "green".
Oil looking stains on white clothes by: Anonymous
I have had the same oil looking stains on white clothes.
Faded my towels by: Anonymous
I’ve been using this for several years from Costco and when they run out I use the Costco version of the natural detergent they carry. Just put a brand new load of four lavender towels in the wash last night and used Ecos, 1/2 cap. Just took the towels out of the dryer and every towel has faded spots all over them, they’re brand new towels! Needless to say these towels are going back to Costco today and so is the jug of laundry soap. I replaced my old beat up towels that I’ve had which also kept getting spots all over them but I just attributed that to them being old towels. Now I know why. I will not use this soap ever again. Now that I’m thinking about it, our whites are also dingy, yellowish, instead of white and now I know why. We have had other clothing with fading spots on them as well in the past I just never put two and two together until this happened with these brand new towels. Thumbs down to this Ecos laundry soap.
Worst laundry detergent ever by: Traci
Do not buy this detergent! It will leave greasy brownish stains on your white clothes and bleach will not get the stains out. I’m so disappointed in what it has done to my laundry.
Sour smell by: Anonymous
I used lavender scented ECOS laundry detergent and after using about half the container, my clothes began to smell sour and a film was left on my clothing. Thought it was my 3 month old machine which I clean monthly, but the horrible scent continued. I switched to Persil and the problem is solved.
Yellow stains by: Brian
My wife purchased this detergent at Costco about two months ago, and I am also getting very bright yellow stains on my clothes. White tee shirt, navy blue J Crew shorts, and gray Lululemon shorts.
What is the cause and solution?
no allergic reaction by: Anonymous
This one did not cause any allergic reactions for me. It has a natural scent which is not offensive. They have a new one out with fabric softener included which I have not tried.
This detergent has been a lifesaver for us by: Amy
I’ve always had sensitive skin and have a daughter with severe eczema. This detergent has been a lifesaver for us. Her eczema doesn’t get worse with this and I don’t itch like crazy. I also suffer from migraines and I really like that it doesn’t set off a migraine for me. In the two years of using it, it does a good job at getting stains out.
Best Cruelty-Free Option I've Found by: Bridget
I started using Ecos detergent a few years ago when I became aware of the horrible treatment of animals in labs where companies test their products on them. At my local stores I have very few cruelty-free options, and Ecos is the best price. I am also very interested in "natural" products, so the fact that this fits both bills is an added bonus.
As for stain removal, it's not the best. I know that more traditional detergents perform much better in this area. Some ladies and I just performed a test on stain removal with 3 different types of washers and 3 different types of detergents, and Ecos didn't pull its weight. It also does not leave my clothes smelling particularly fresh, even when I use one of the scented varieties (I usually just buy whichever scent is available/on sale at the time, so I switch between unscented, lavender, and magnolia & lily scent at random). The unfresh scent is mainly an issue with my towels, but I think that's a problem with some other detergents as well. I've got some new jeans that I can't seem to get the "new jean" smell out of either, and I've washed them 4 times or so.
Despite my somewhat negative sounding review above, I really do feel like my clothes get pretty clean with this. Sure, I'll supplement some particularly dirty loads with some vinegar and/or essential oils, but that seems to be just part of doing laundry for me at this point. This detergent is *by far* the best priced natural and cruelty-free detergent I can find, so I'll keep using it until that changes.
My Favorite Laundry Detergent by: Kathleen
I discovered this detergent years ago at my local Sam's Club. Not only was it one of the few (sometimes only) free and clear detergents they stock it is also one of the least expensive of all the detergents. I decided to try it since my girls tend to break out in hives from other soaps causing me to constantly try new brands. I love that the lavender scent is pleasant without being overpowering. I often have hay fever type reactions to strong scents. My girls haven't broken out in hives from their clothes since I started using it. I also like that the coconut based soap means I don't have to bother with fabric softener, saving even more money. It cleans very well, getting out most stains and leaving my clothes soft and without a cloying scent. I use a homemade stain remover for tougher stains.
has worked well by: Dawn
The reason I searched for and purchased Ecos laundry detergent liquid was I have recently tried to purchase only cruelty free products. Now before purchasing anything for laundry, home, etc. I look for the cruelty free symbol of the the jumping bunnies on the back and/or do a quick Google search to see if a particular brand is cruelty free. Just because items are natural products does not mean they are cruelty free. I can no longer purchase products that are tested on animals. Once you see the horror of what things we're buying does to these innocent animals, it's no longer worth it. I have tried several brands of cruelty free detergent as well as a couple different versions of the homemade brands. I like Ecos detergent. It has done a very very good job, the clothes come out super soft and fluffy without any softer or fabric sheets. When I'm doing a light load, especially whites, I always add baking soda and/or borax to the load. And I try to pre-treat as much as possible if there are particular stains or rings around the collar, even when using non cruelty free detergents.
I encourage you to check for cruelty free products as well. If you can buy something that's not tested on an animal why not do it?
do they still make without fabric softener? by: Barb Clyde
I used to buy this without added softener. Now that is all I can find. Do they still make the plain formula?
Ok if not too soiled by: Anonymous
Does not clean work clothes. Sometimes the clothes come out of the laundry almost as dirty as they were before washing.
Ecos makes my skin red and itch like crazy. Awful! by: Anonymous
I thought a grey water recommended, "all natural" detergent would be fine for my skin. When my skin started itching every time I put on clean clothes, I could not figure out what was going on. Finally one night when I was scratching my back and legs raw, it dawned on me the itching started when I began using Ecos detergent. I switched to a different brand, and itching went away. I still had the Ecos on my machine, and one night I accidentally used it in a load. I figured it would not be a big deal, but the itching was so bad with the first shirt I put on from the load, I had to re-wash everything and rinse twice. Awful detergent.
works well for ring around the collar by: Anonymous
The soap is great I used it on my work shirts. It's hard to get the ring around the collar out my shirts but with just one washing with Ecos my shirts collars are clean.
Oil stains on clothing by: Anonymous
ECOS ruined an entire wardrobe of laundry. Not high dollar clothing, but left oil stains everywhere. Yes, multiple people have had this issue. I don't have a lot of money to buy new clothing. I'm a teacher. This is seriously disappointing.
Thanks For Visiting My Website: Grab Your Free Gift!
Hi, I'm Taylor, a busy mom with 3 kids, so I have lots of hands on experience with house cleaning, laundry and my fair share of spots, spills and other messy catastrophes. Thanks for visiting my site.
I update the website all the time with tips, tutorials, cleaning recipes, reviews of products from readers like you, and tests I've done on various cleaners, removers and laundry supplies.
I'd love to give you a gift! When you subscribe to my free weekly newsletter you will receive a free printable laundry stain removal chart that you can reference as needed.
I hope you enjoy this gift, and stop by again soon!
CAUTION: This website is provided for informational purposes only. It is provided as is, without warranties or guarantees. Some stains and messes just won't come out, and are permanent. Further, some cleaning methods can harm your item, so if what you want to clean or launder is sentimental or expensive call a professional. See disclaimer of liability for more information.