Caring for your new baby is one of life’s greatest joys…and a huge responsibility. As a parent, you want to keep your baby happy, healthy, and loved beyond measure. And that means using only the purest, safest, most gentle products on your precious little one. But sometimes it can be hard to decipher which brands are actually the best.

When it comes to laundry detergent, Heritage Park makes it easy. Even the most sleep-deprived parents can quickly read and understand the list of water plus nine simple ingredients in our Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent. Sure, we’re in the detergent business, but first and foremost, we’re parents. That’s why we created a detergent made to tackle tough baby stains while being gentle on delicate baby skin.

As we say in our stewardship guidelines, we are totally transparent about our ingredients; how our detergent is made; and the safety of our product. We welcome comparison against any other baby detergent in the marketplace, including those brand names that have become synonymous with “baby laundry.” Today we’re going to compare Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent with Dreft (Stage 1 and 2) with a deep dive into everything from ingredients to cleaning enzymes and beyond.

Dreft Stage 1, Newborn

Dreft is a household name in baby detergent. According to the manufacturer, the Newborn Liquid Detergent is “specially made for newborn babies’ delicate skin.” Dreft detergent is hypoallergenic and claims to be gentle on baby’s skin while effective at stain removal; it can be used in either a standard or high efficiency (HE) washing machine. The cost of Newborn Dreft is $0.77 a load and it is not tested on animals. Newborn Dreft is dye-free, septic and and greywater safe; and claims not to be tested on animals (no third-party certification).

Newborn Dreft does have a light fragrance, which we find odd for a detergent made for newborns, as any type of fragrance can be an irritant. Newborn Dreft also contains fluorescent brighteners; these are common in “commercial” detergent but can leave fabric stiff and uncomfortable on skin. It is also not noted whether the detergent is a neutral pH, which is essential not to irritate skin and to help preserve fabrics. Newborn Dreft also contains just two cleaning enzymes (protease and cellulase) which feels somewhat limited and may account for the cheaper price point. What the label and bottle DON’T say is also significant; the ingredient list for Newborn Dreft is quite extensive (see table below) and can only be found by consulting the company’s website. Dreft is distributed by consumer products conglomerate Procter & Gamble but it is unclear where the product is made; this makes us think that the hefty ingredient list and possible offshore manufacturing are cost-saving measures related to mass production. It is concerning that all ingredients are not listed on the bottle. Also absent is any mention of environmental friendliness.

• Hypoallergenic
• Standard and HE
• Low price point
• Only two cleaning enzymes
• Fragrance (potential irritant?)
• Fluorescent brightener
• No third-party verification for cruelty-free claims
• Long list of ingredients
• Mass produced by consumer products conglomerate
• Unknown pH, unknown environmental friendliness, unknown manufacturing site

Dreft Stage 2

Meant for cleaning the clothing and linen of an older, more active baby, Dreft Stage 2 appears to be exactly the same formula as Dreft Newborn but with the addition of a third cleaning enzyme. This detergent contains protease, cellulase, and amylase. Amylase is actually a great addition to a detergent for babies and toddlers because it targets starch, which is often used to thicken baby foods. As older babies begin to eat solids, these types of stains are going to be frequent. In its smallest size, the Dreft Stage 2 is a few pennies more affordable per load than the Newborn variety. In our opinion, and having closely examined the ingredient list, it might make sense just to skip Dreft Newborn and use Stage 2 to get the benefit of that third enzyme.

As with Newborn Dreft, Stage 2 has a light fragrance, an unknown pH, and fluorescent brighteners, all of which can potentially irritate skin. Similarly, the extensive list of ingredients is not on the bottle, nor is any verification of environmental friendliness. We cannot tell where the product is made and there is no third-party verification of claims of environmental friendliness.

• Hypoallergenic
• Standard and HE
• Low price point
• Only two cleaning enzymes
• Fragrance (potential irritant?)
• Fluorescent brightener
• No third-party verification for cruelty-free claims
• Long list of ingredients
• Mass produced by consumer products conglomerate
• Unknown pH, unknown environmental friendliness, unknown manufacturing site

Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Detergent

As we said earlier, quite a few of us at Heritage Park are parents. We understand firsthand how messy babies and toddlers can get. We also know that harsh detergents can irritate and inflame a baby’s delicate skin, while the typical “gentle” or “baby” detergent formulas don’t get the job done. With that in mind, we locked ourselves in the lab until we refined a formula that could clean effectively, tackle tough stains and odors, and protect babies’ delicate skin. The result is Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent: a hypoallergenic, pH neutral, baby-safe laundry detergent for use on clothing, bedding, toys, and more.

Most importantly, Heritage Park Laundry Essentials is free from the harsh chemicals or cleaning agents that can irritate a baby's sensitive skin in traditional laundry detergent. Instead, we've harnessed the cleaning power of a five-enzyme blend to clean and tackle the toughest stains (baby food stains, biological stains, and diaper residue).

We’re beyond proud of Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent for so many reasons. It’s hypoallergenic and pediatrician and dermatologist approved; free from dyes, toxins, chemicals and brighteners; and completely fragrance free. The only scent is the natural, clean scent left-behind by our plant-powered ingredients. Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Detergent is a concentrated formula that works in all temperatures; is completely biodegradable; and is safe for septic and greywater systems. Our detergent is cruelty-free; we’ve taken the extra step of being independently certified by Leaping Bunny as not using animal testing through any phase of production. Our detergent is more costly, but it is made with a short list of simple, natural ingredients that are safe, healthy, and effective. We make our products in small batches in the USA; you can be sure that our detergent is not sitting on a shelf in a warehouse for years before you use it. Lastly, we are a family-owned business headquartered in Connecticut. Give us a call any time and speak to our owner or one of our team members.

• Hypoallergenic, pediatrician, dermatologist approved
• Standard and HE
• Five powerful cleaning enzymes
• No harsh chemicals, dyes, or brighteners
• Fragrance free and neutral pH
• Biodegradable, septic/greywater safe
• Water plus NINE simple ingredients
• Small batch produced in USA for freshness and quality control
• Family business headquartered in CT
• Independently certified cruelty free

Your Best Pick: Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent

While Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent is more costly than Dreft, it is a far better value for your money. With a powerful blend of five-enzymes, a simple list of plant-based ingredients, and a commitment to being fragrance- and chemical-free, you can count on Heritage Park to clean baby clothes, bedding, and toys and protect your baby’s skin from allergens and irritants. We are pediatrician and dermatologist approved, and safe for people, pets, and the planet.

As a new parent, there’s going to be a lot that keeps you up at night. But we firmly believe you don’t need to lose a minute of sleep worrying about the best and safest detergent for your precious little one.

If you have any questions, please give us a shout at 800-977-1841. We’re here to help.

Comparison of Heritage Park Baby and Toddler Laundry Detergent and Dreft Laundry Detergent