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Looking for a cruelty-free & vegan dish soap made with plant-powered ingredients that cut through grease yet is gentle enough for handwashing?
In this guide to vegan dish detergents, we’re sharing some of the best and most-recommended vegan dish soaps that can tackle the dirtiest dishes.
What To Look For:
Let’s first begin by asking what is vegan dishwashing detergents. Some dish soaps contain animal-derived ingredients and by-products, including animal-based surfactants, glycerin, stearic acid, or some other animal-derived additives.
In addition, most dish soaps are from brands that still test on animals like Dawn, Palmolive, Gain, Joy, Sunlight, Ivory, Ajax, 9 Elements, and Dreft, and should be avoided when looking for a cruelty-free and vegan dish soap.
Best Vegan Dish Soaps in 2023
Below is a list of the best-rated and best-selling vegan, cruelty-free dish soaps and their product claims.
All of the dish detergents mentioned in this post are from brands that have been verified as being truly cruelty-free and don’t test on animals. Note that I’ve included some options from cruelty-free brands that are owned by an animal-tested parent company. If you choose not to purchase from these household cleaning brands, avoid the ones marked with an * asterisk.
And all of the cruelty-free dishwashing soaps have been verified as being vegan-friendly and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, always check the manufacturer’s website for the most up-to-date information as ingredients and formulations may change.
*Seventh Generation Vegan Dish Liquid
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Biodegradable, USDA Certified Biobased Product 95%, Formulated with no dyes or synthetic fragrances
“You’ll love the way our premium, plant-based dish soap formula saves you time as it fights grease and powers through tough, dried-on food. Our dish soap formulas help remove dried on foods and are biodegradable.”
Buy on Amazon
*Note: Seventh Generation is cruelty-free, but Seventh Generation is owned by Unilever, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.
*Method Vegan Dish Soap
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Biodegradable, Refillable
“with a sleek new silhouette, on-trend colors and fabulous fragrances, these soaps help you step up your sink-side style. made with plant-based cleaning ingredients and an array of fresh, kitchen-inspired scents, these counter-worthy beauties are a mini remodel in a bottle.”
Buy on Amazon
*Note: Method is cruelty-free, but Method is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.
*Mrs. Meyer’s Vegan Dishwashing Soap
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Biodegradable, Recyclable Packaging, Refillable
“Our biodegradable dish soap cuts through grease yet is gentle enough for hand washing dishes, pots, and pans. The dishwashing liquid contains plant-derived cleaning ingredients that keep dishes clean and bright. Made without parabens, phthalates, animal derived ingredients, and always a cruelty free dish soap”
Buy on Amazon
*Note: Mrs. Meyer’s is cruelty-free, but Mrs. Meyer’s is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.
*Ecover Liquid Dish Soap
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Biodegradable Formula
“Packed with more cleaning power than ever before, our liquid dish soap cuts through grease for spot-free, sparkling clean dishes. Made with plant-based & mineral ingredients, our biodegradable formula is tough on stuck-on food, but gentle on your skin and the planet. One squeeze is all you need for a sink full of dirty dishes.”
Buy on Amazon
*Note: Ecover is cruelty-free, but Ecover is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.
ATTITUDE Vegan Dish Soap
Vegan, ECOLOGO Certified, Biodegradable, Made in Canada, Recycled & Recyclable Packaging, Refillable
“Our unique formula is made with deep-cleansing and antibacterial agents like saponin, and uses natural, plant-based and hypoallergenic ingredients. Plus, it’s ECOLOGO® Certified, sustainable and biodegradable, with foaming action that is tough on grease but soft on hands, so you can use it daily, worry-free!”
Buy on Amazon
Puracy Natural & Vegan Dish Soap
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Naturally-derived, Hypoallergenic, Non-toxic, Gluten-free, Biodegradable, Refillable
“Puracy Natural Dish Soap is a sulfate-free, grease-cutting, skin-nourishing cleanser made from plants, minerals, and water. The biodegradable ingredients were carefully chosen and developed into a premium solution by Puracy, a trusted source for natural and organic, plant-based, child and pet safe, hypoallergenic, and effective household essentials. The proprietary blend of renewable ingredients is safe to use around your family and free from harsh chemicals and fumes. The concentrated formula requires only a teaspoon to do a sink full of dishes. Our dish soap is tough enough for pots and pans, gentle enough for natural wood cutting boards, and pure enough to wash your hands with.”
Buy on Amazon
Nature Clean Dishwashing Liquid
Vegan, ECOLOGO Certified, Biodegradable, Dermatologist Tested, No Potentially Dangerous Sulphates (SLES), No Synthetic Perfumes, No Dyes
“Nature Clean® Dishwashing Liquid provides a healthier clean without the use of potentially dangerous sulphates (SLES), alcohol ethoxylates, phthalates, parabens, synthetic perfumes, dyes or petroleum ingredients. This product is gently scented with Mandarin and Grapefruit essential oils and is clinically tested to be non-irritating. Perfect for anyone who wants to protect the look and health of their hands.”
Buy on Amazon
ECOS Dishmate Vegan Dish Soap
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Hypoallergenic, Made in the USA with Plant-Powered Ingredients, No Dyes, Parabens, Phosphates or Phthalates
“One of our most popular products, Dishmate Almond is concentrated with powerful, plant-powered cleaning agents; a few drops on your sponge can clean a whole sinkful of dishes! And that’s not all -Dishmate doubles as a hand soap too! Plus, our natural almond fragrance is one of the freshest and most unique scents available today.”
Buy on Amazon
Clean Cult Liquid Dish Soap Refill
Vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified, Refill, Paper-Based Recyclable Packaging
Clean Cult’s classic, coconut-powered soap is tough on mess but gentle on your skin, cutting through grease and grime to reveal clean, bright dishes—all while leaving your hands soft and smooth.
And while dirty dishes may pile up fast, unnecessary waste won’t. That’s why Clean Cult’s signature formula is shipped sustainably in recyclable milk cartons and kept fresh with our plant-based resealable cap.
Buy on Amazon
Zero-Waste Vegan Dishwashing Block
Vegan, Palm-Oil-Free, Biodegradable, Fragrance-Free, SLS-Free
For a zero-waste & plastic-free option with minimal packaging, try this vegan dish soap bar instead! “The Dish Block® dishwashing soap is a cleaning powerhouse with a rich, sudsy lather. Cuts stubborn grime and grease on dishes, pots and pans. With added aloe vera to be gentle on your hands. Completely unscented and fragrance-free.”
Buy on Amazon
Cruelty-Free Dish Soap Brands
When looking for cruelty-free & vegan dish soap, you want to find one from brands that don’t test on animals at any stage of product development and manufacturing.
And the most frequently asked question I get is whether Dawn dish soap is cruelty-free or not? And unfortunately, the answer is: Dawn dish soap is not cruelty-free or vegan. Dawn allows its products or ingredients to be tested on animals when required by law. Dawn is also owned by Procter & Gamble, a parent corporation that is also not cruelty-free and tests on animals.
Other brands of dish soap to avoid that DO test on animals include Palmolive, Joy, and Gain.
Using an online searchable database, like the Leaping Bunny, you can easily one which dish detergent brands are cruelty-free or not. Additionally, you can email the company and ask them about their animal testing policy. We check a company’s cruelty-free status using our Cruelty-free Checklist.
In addition to buying cruelty-free dish soap that wasn’t tested on animals, you’ll also want to ensure it doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products and is 100% vegan or made with plant-based ingredients. It is best practice to ask the company directly whether their dish soap is vegan-friendly or not than trying to make sense of the source of each ingredient listed on the bottle.
1 thought on “The Best Cruelty-Free & Vegan Dish Soaps To Try”
Thank you for helping me know about the parent companies. I really would like to buy more actually cruelty free products.