13 Of The Best Non-Toxic, Plastic-Free Alternatives To Liquid Dish Soap

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Your kitchen is only as clean as your dishes are, but if you have been turning to harsh, conventional liquid dish soaps, you could be faced with another problem: dangerous chemicals and toxins in your soap pump. While mainstream liquid dish soap does a superb job cutting through grease and rinsing away food residue, it does so at a price. You may unwittingly be exposing your entire household to substances that are known hormone disruptors, carcinogens, and dangerous preservatives. Then there's the issue of plastic waste to contend with — most liquid dish soaps you will find at the store are sold in plastic bottles that are convenient to use but also wind up in landfills at the end of their short life.  Fortunately, you don't have to resign yourself to having a kitchen free from chemicals and plastic or one with clean dishes — you can have both with the right knowledge about which products to buy.

When it comes to making the switch away from normal liquid dish soap, you might be overwhelmed by the difference in product form. Instead of large, squeezable plastic bottles of liquid dish soap, you will more often than not find solid dish soap bars, which are designed to lather up like your body washing bar soap. These bars of soap are meant to use alongside of a scrubbing brush or dish scrubber. There are also novel versions of dish soap, like the Blueland Dish Powder, which you shake onto your dishes and work into a sudsy foam. If you're not ready to depart entirely from liquid dish soap, there's always Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap.

If you're worried that Castile soap can't cut through the toughest of grease, think again. The original in non-toxic, plastic-free soaps, Dr. Bronner's has long been loved for its versatile castile soap formula. This 18-in-1 Pure Castile Magic Soap Refill in Citrus is ideal for washing a wide range of items, from laundry to dishes, and can be diluted to go further. You can use it when washing your dishes, with the assurance that it's made from all-natural ingredients that aren't harmful to the environment and are skin friendly for long cleaning sessions. 

While you might not initially think of reaching for a bar of soap when it's time to scrub dishes, Meliora is changing that with their Plastic-free Dishwashing Soap Bar. Customers praise the product for being effective against caked-on food residue, as well as lasting a long time compared to plastic bottles of liquid dish soap. Since it is not in liquid form, some customer reviews mention pairing it with a scrubbing brush. Consider purchasing a plastic-free one to help work up a good sud or using it with your favorite environmentally-friendly scouring pad

If you like to experience the finer things in life (including signature dish soap scents), the Homecourt Steeped Rose Dish Soap Refill might be for you. This highly reviewed product was the 2022 winner of the Good Housekeeping Cleaning and Organizing Awards, and it features an irresistible scent that might just change your relationship with dishwashing. Customer reviews rave about how far a little bit of this soap goes (which could help to justify the higher cost of $46.80), as well as how pleasant it smells, which can make a mundane chore feel more like self-care. 

For a non-toxic and plastic-free dish soap that works well and comes in beautiful packaging, check out Rustic Strength Dish Soap. The product description states that you need only a little amount of soap in order to wash your dishes and that it will lather up well for an effective clean. It is free from many ingredients that natural-living enthusiasts avoid, including SLS, parabens, sulfates, palm oil, and hormone disruptors. Customer reviews praise the soap for its effective performance, as well as its clean ingredient lineup.

Shipped in a convenient squared box that allows for straightforward stocking of your cleaning essentials (goodbye to unstable plastic bottles getting knocked over), ATTITUDE Dishwashing Liquid is a customer favorite. It boasts certifications like EWG Verified, a vegan ingredient list, and being a heavy hitter when it comes to washing away food residue. Customer reviews share a number of praiseworthy aspects of the soap, including the great scent of the formula and how it leaves behind no residue — just clean dishes. Plus, the 2-liter box ensures that you won't have to purchase more anytime soon.

Sold in a carton that probably reminds you more of your morning coffee creamer than your conventional dish soap dispenser, Cleancult's Dish Soap is loved by customers who prefer more natural ingredients. It comes in a number of scents that are pleasant to use and if you're trying to cut unnecessary plastic from your life, then this product may fit the bill. Some customer reviews do mention that the product can leave a residue at times and might not always clear away greasiness completely. You can find this product at a number of retailers.

Similar to Meliora Dish Soap, this vegan Dish Washing Block by Zero Waste Outlet is priced reasonably at $8.99 and has glowing reviews from customers who have tried it. Reviews mention that a little bit of the soap suds up significantly, making it easy to get dishes clean. If you're making the switch to solid dish soap, you'll need a good scrubbing brush or scouring pad to go along with it, like this one from Seek Bamboo. Remember that bar dish soap also needs a good tray so it won't get squishy between uses.

This dish soap alternative to conventional liquid soap is an innovative but simple idea: You get a box of Dish Soap Powder that you mix with water to create your own liquid dish soap. While the box of concentrate costs $27, it works itself out to under $3 per bottle of soap, which is cheaper than most dish soap (especially when comparing it to other eco-friendly options). Customers are overwhelmingly pleased with this product, saying that it works well, but be sure to fully dissolve the powder for best results. Use with your favorite soap pump.

If you love the idea of using a bar soap to wash your dishes, but want to keep things super affordable then it's worth checking out this product from Dr. Bronner's. The bar soap version of Castile soap costs a mere $4.99 and is highly reviewed by hundreds of customers who praise how gentle and effective it is. A quick search online will also show all-natural lifestyle content creators presenting the simple bar as a great dish cleaning product — pair with a soap dish and scrubbing brush and you're all set.

For a beginner-friendly introduction to using solid dish soap, this Dish Butter setup by Nellie's has everything you need: a dish bar and soap dish. You can also go the extra mile and purchase the matching Forever Brush. Customers say that the Dish Butter is cute to look at and also effective for cleaning dishes and other surfaces, too. You might also enjoy that the product is said to not be drying for sensitive skin. For the best results, remember to drain any sitting water from the bar of soap.

Sold as a complete set with a scrubbing brush and tin of tallow soap, the Titus 2 Tallow set is a natural solution to cleaning your dishes. Costing only $8.95 for brush and soap, you'll find that this is an affordable option to add to your kitchen. Since it is made with skin-friendly ingredients, you won't get dry skin when handwashing dishes with this product, either. 

Blueland is a well-loved brand when it comes to non-toxic, plastic-free dish soap alternatives. This starter pack receives some mixed feedback from customers, with some saying that it cuts grease exceptionally well and others claiming that the powder gets into the air and makes them cough. In order to get the best results, sprinkle the dish powder carefully rather than dumping a lot all at once (you pour the powder directly onto dishes or a sponge and then lather it with water instead of mixing it into a liquid soap).

If you're tired of needing a separate cleaning product every time you have to wash something, you might enjoy the Branch Basics Concentrate. This liquid is a highly concentrated replacement for nearly all of your household cleaners, including dish soap. Instead of mixing it with water and placing it into a soap pump, you dilute it in a spray bottle, then spray it directly onto your dishes. Scrub the food residue away, rinse the dish and you're done. Despite being a pricey concentrate at $55 a bottle, this product is one of the best dish detergents according to customers.