The Best Nontoxic Cleaning Products That Actually Work: Truly Free Honest Review

I’ve always tried to use clean ingredients to clean my house (pun intended?) since my babies were babies.

Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of natural cleaning products…

…and I’ve also lived through the trauma of ones that absolutely did not work.

If you’ve ever tried switching to nontoxic laundry detergent or dishwasher detergent, you probably know exactly what I mean.

Oh the streaks.
Oh the smells that won’t come out.
Oh the rewashing. 😩

That’s why finding Truly Free felt like such a win!

Why I Love Truly Free

At this point, we’ve used Truly Free laundry detergent for at least five years, and that alone tells you something – because I am NOT loyal to products that don’t perform.

1. It Actually Works (Even for Sensitive Noses)

I’ve been wondering lately if my “clean” radar is off since it’s been so long since I used conventional products.

But here’s what I do know:

• I can barely walk down the detergent aisle without feeling like my head is going to float off my body
• I really dislike the smell of flowery chemicals on other people’s clothing
• My daughter is just as sensitive—maybe more
• AND she’s very picky about clean smelling clothing!

A few years ago, she decided that Truly Free laundry soap + fabric softener was the best we’ve ever used. She will literally do her own laundry just to make sure she gets “the good stuff.”

That says everything.

Keep scrolling for more on how the dishwasher detergent works…

2. Clean Ingredients (Without the Ingredient Overwhelm)

If you’re trying to avoid:

• Synthetic fragrances
• Hormone-disrupting phthalates
• Harsh chemicals

…Truly Free is a breath of fresh air. No “Mr. Yuk” stickers needed. No trying to memorize which multisyllabic words you have to avoid and which are ok. And the best for us — no overwhelming chemical smells.

💡 That said: even natural scents can feel strong if you’re sensitive, so I always recommend going unscented if needed.

3. It Reduces Waste (and Microplastics)

One thing that really matters to me is cutting down on waste where I can.

Truly Free uses:

• Concentrated formulas
• Refill packets instead of big plastic jugs (they say you’ll get “the last jug you’ll ever need!”)
• Minimal packaging overall

That means heavy water isn’t being shipped all around the country, reducing exhaust into the air big time.

And one up from that is that you can avoid the pods. In both dishwasher and laundry detergent, convenient plastic pods are all the rage, aren’t they? It’s almost hard to find non-pod dishwasher options, even in the natural category. But they’re NO GOOD.

Dishwasher pods might look like they dissolve, but that plastic is still ending up in our water. We don’t know how to filter it out yet, and once I learned about microplastics, I couldn’t unlearn it. I was totally using the pods for a while in our dishwasher, but I just can’t knowingly contribute to that anymore.

How I Save Money with Truly Free

Let’s talk practical life for a minute: laundry is never-ending over here. I don’t know what happened recently, but the Kimball laundry loads seems to double in the winter. Maybe it’s the bulky sweaters or matching sets…

Either way, I’m always doing laundry math.

Do the Laundry Math

Instead of looking at the upfront price, I always ask: How much does this cost per load?

That’s where Truly Free shines! Between:

• Concentrated formulas
• Bulk ordering
• Refill systems

…it ends up being very competitive (and often cheaper than you’d think).

The $5 Laundry Soap Trial (Best Place to Start)

If you’re not sure about switching, Truly Free has a $5 trial on their laundry detergent.

This is the easiest way to:

• Test performance
• See how your family tolerates it
• Try it without a big commitment

Saving with Your Subscription

I always want to be up front with my community when something comes by subscription. Truly Free is one of those. I feel like it’s one of the good ones because you can choose how many months apart things come, and it’s very easy to skip or cancel. (Also when you grab one of the deals like the 300 loads, they don’t require a subscription at all!)

Here’s how I squeeze every penny out:

1. Choose at least five products to be shipped at once. The more you buy, the more you save, so it’s very worth playing that game!
2. Because getting fewer shipments with more products is a win for you and for the environment, I would recommend going with a six-month subscription. If you end up running low, you can always hit the ship now button and get what you need faster.
3. Avoid surprise: Put a reminder in your calendar a week or two before your next shipment date so you can adjust as necessary.
4. One thing I don’t recommend: canceling and restarting. The problem there is that you may end up with a new laundry jug, which sort of defeats the purpose. :p The dishwasher detergent always only comes in bags.

Our Favorite Truly Free Products

Here’s what we actually use in our home:

Laundry Detergent (Our #1 Favorite)

• This is the product that keeps us coming back!
• Works consistently
• Gets smells out (which not all natural brands do!)
• Gentle enough for sensitive users
• Even after testing other brands recently, we keep circling back to this one.

Fabric Softener

• If you like a light scent in your laundry, this is where it shines.
• Scent sticks here more than the detergent
• A good “bridge” away from conventional products
• Loved by my daughter
• If you’re sensitive → go unscented
• If you enjoy scent → this is the one to try

Dishwasher Detergent (No More Natural Product Nightmares)

I still have memories from over 10 years ago testing natural dishwasher detergents.

It was…not pretty! Streaky glasses, food still stuck on, entire loads needing to be rewashed by hand. By hand with soaking because no dishwasher can rewash stuck-on-by-the-dishwasher unidentified schtuff! Ew!

When the non-toxic dishwasher soap I used for that decade was discontinued, I thought I might cry having to go through it again. Thankfully I found Truly Free’s dishwasher detergent on the third try and OH what a relief!

We’ve had great results:

• Clean dishes (even guacamole, IYKYK)
• No streaking issues
• Good results even with harder water (one of my team members has used it for years and it’s the ONLY product she found that works in her super super hard water)
• And best of all—no plastic pods, no microplastics.
• 💡 Tip: Store the powder in a hard-sided container so you don’t have to fuss with the bag each time.

Hand Soap Concentrate

I use a variety of hand soaps and often refill with diluted castille soap, but for company, this is our “feels like real soap” option. 😀 Super easy to refill:

• Mix a small packet with water
• Use in a foaming dispenser
• Saves money and packaging

Great for:

• Sensitive skin
• Dry hands
• Families trying to reduce waste

OxyBoost (For Laundry Problems)

When I run into issues like smells that won’t come out (I have boy athletes who might leave nasty shirts in a pile too long!) or stains, soaking is my go-to. I use Truly Free’s OxyBoost for that deeper clean.

(And yes, if you have tips for a dirty machine, I’m all ears. 😄)

Dryer Angels (Best Gift Idea)

These are one of my favorite “meaningful” products.

• Replace dryer sheets
• Light natural scent
• Support women globally

I had gotten out of the habit of using the dryer angels and just bought some new ones. My husband walked into the office with a quizzical look on his face. “Is our laundry okay?” he said, concerned. “It smells… different?”

I nearly fell over laughing! He’s not used to our laundry having any scent at all, and this light scent made him think I had accidentally bought some normal product from a normal store!

He thought I was offended at first: “No, no, it actually smells really good!”

So there’s that. 😉

Dryer angels make:

• Great stocking stuffers
• Thoughtful teacher gifts
• Perfect “person who has everything” option

Although Truly Free is a Michigan company local to me, the dryer angels are made by women in need around the world, lifting many out of poverty and human trafficking, and by the deaf community in Jamaica. I discovered such an incredible connection once – one of my own reader’s mothers started the program! What a small world!

What About the Other Truly Free Products?

You can clean just about everything with various products at Truly Free. Here are a couple quick thoughts:

• The all-purpose and bathroom cleaning concentrates are nice, but if you know how to make homemade cleaning spray, you really don’t need it. Save money on this one unless you would buy more expensive cleaners elsewhere.
• The dish soap is fine, but we go through so much that I get a big jug at Costco. That’s just me.
• The carpet cleaner powder really isn’t worth it. Just use baking soda!
• I’ve tried the washing machine cleaner and the dishwasher deep clean, and I feel that they’re too expensive for a single use. The washing machine product didn’t really do anything for me. The good news on that is that I got to test out Truly Free’s customer service. They gave a refund for that product, and the process wasn’t difficult at all!

Final Thoughts: Is Truly Free Worth It?

If you’re trying to:

• Switch to nontoxic cleaning products
• Avoid synthetic fragrances
• Reduce plastic and microplastics
• Still have products that actually work

Truly Free is absolutely worth trying.

If you can, grab their best deal on laundry detergent or dishwasher detergent! If you aren’t ready for that investment, you can try out the laundry soap for just $5.

Truly Free is also available on Amazon, although you’re probably going to pay more than you would on their site, especially with the deals!

Because at the end of the day, we’re all just doing our best to:

• Keep our homes clean
• Take care of our families
• And make a few better choices along the way

And this is one switch that’s been worth it for us.

Unless otherwise credited, photos are owned by the author or used with a license from Canva or Deposit Photos.