Zum Laundry Soap (Sweet Orange)

Important note on laundry detergents

Laundry detergent is something I think about carefully because it sits on fabric that touches your skin every day — towels, sheets, underwear, socks, and kids’ clothes. Many conventional detergents rely on fragrance systems, optical brighteners, or “boosted” additives to signal clean, but those extras aren’t necessary and can linger in fabric over time.

I prefer laundry options that clean effectively and rinse clean, without unnecessary ingredients that build up on clothes.

What I avoid in laundry detergents

In this category, I avoid optical brighteners, undisclosed or toxic fragrance blends, harsh surfactants like SLS/SLES, ethoxylated ingredients (such as PEGs or ingredients ending in “-eth”), quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), and formaldehyde-releasing preservative systems. I also exclude solvent-based additives and fillers that don’t contribute to cleaning and can leave fabrics feeling coated.

Product description

Zum Laundry Soap (Sweet Orange) is a plant-based liquid laundry soap made with saponified coconut oil, baking soda, vegetable glycerin, and orange oil scent derived from essential oil. The scent source is clearly disclosed, which matters to me when choosing scented laundry products.

It’s designed to clean everyday loads without relying on optical brighteners or heavy detergent additives.

What I like

I like that the ingredient list is minimal and transparent, including a clearly identified essential oil rather than an undisclosed fragrance blend.

The formula avoids optical brighteners and other additives I avoid in laundry care, while still working well for routine washing.

The sweet orange scent is fresh and light, not overpowering or perfume-like.

Things to keep in mind

Because this is a soap-based detergent, hard water can impact performance. Adjusting the amount used and rinsing well can help.