How many ingredients does it take to make a natural laundry detergent? For us, four. Water, sunflower soap, soda crystals, and the lavandin essential oil we distill every summer on the Valensole plateau. Nothing else.
As lavender growers for 4 generations and organic since 2002, we wanted a laundry detergent whose label you can read all the way through. Here’s what it contains, who makes it, how to dose it to the nearest milliliter, and how much a wash really costs.
➡ Discover our organic lavandin laundry detergent, scented with our Valensole essential oil.
What is a natural laundry detergent?
Turn over a bottle of conventional laundry detergent: synthetic surfactants, optical brighteners, enzymes, preservatives, fragrance… The list is long, and often hard to understand.
A natural laundry detergent is based on a plant-based soap, a few simple minerals, and a naturally derived scent. The word “natural” has no legal definition for laundry detergents: the only real benchmark is the composition and the labels printed on the bottle. So here is ours, ingredient by ingredient.
Our natural laundry detergent: 4 ingredients, not one more
- Cold-saponified sunflower oil. The heart of the formula. Turned into soap through cold saponification, with 8% surfat, it forms the washing base. Palm oil free.
- Water, less than 30%. While a conventional liquid laundry detergent is mostly made of water, ours contains less than 30%. That’s what makes it ultra-concentrated.
- Soda crystals. Extracted in France, they support the soap: they remove stains, cut through grease, help whiten fabrics, and limit the effects of limescale.
- Our organic lavandin essential oil. Grown, harvested, and distilled right here, in Valensole. It alone gives your laundry its scent. No synthetic fragrance.
Composition: water (less than 30%), 5 to 15% anionic surfactants (cold-saponified sunflower oil), soda crystals, organic lavandin essential oil (naturally contains linalool, a potential allergen). Certified organic ingredients.
Lavandin, the signature scent of the Valensole plateau
Every summer, when the plateau turns purple, we harvest our lavandin and distill its flowering tops. This fresh, slightly camphorous essential oil is the one you find in your laundry detergent.
Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia) is a natural hybrid between true lavender and spike lavender. Richer in essential oil than fine lavender, it is ideal for the home and laundry. Its scent remains delicate on clothes: it smells like clean laundry drying in the sun, not like detergent.
➡ Still mixing up the two plants? Read Lavender or Lavandin: We Bet You’ll Get It Wrong.
Made in France, Nature & Progrès certified
We grow and distill; manufacturing is entrusted to Savons Arthur, a French soap-maker that produces our entire cosmetics range and holds the Nature & Progrès certification.
Founded in 1964, Nature & Progrès is an association-led certification whose standards go further than European organic rules for processed products: organic ingredients, controlled manufacturing processes, and social and environmental commitments. Inspections bring together producers and consumers.
The right dosage for an ultra-concentrated natural laundry detergent
An ultra-concentrated laundry detergent requires roughly three times less than a conventional one. This is the question we get asked most, so here are the exact guidelines.
Dosage guidelines
- 4 to 5 kg load, normally soiled laundry: 10 to 20 ml.
- Simple rule of thumb: 4 ml per kilo of laundry.
- Hand washing: 15 ml in 5 liters of lukewarm water.
- Hard water or heavily soiled laundry: a little more, gradually.
Tip: no measuring cup on hand? A tablespoon is about 15 ml. Always start with the lowest dose, then adjust: using more doesn’t wash better, and excess soap can make laundry less soft. For everyday laundry, a cycle at 30 or 40 °C is enough.
How much does a wash cost with our lavandin laundry detergent?
Being concentrated, it costs very little per load, especially in larger sizes. At 20 ml per wash:
- 1 L bottle (€9.50): 50 washes, or €0.19 per wash.
- 5 L canister (€39.50): 250 washes, or €0.16 per wash.
- Pack of 3, 5 L canisters (−10%, €35.55 per canister): €0.14 per wash.
At 10 ml per load, you double the number of washes. The 5 L canister can also be used to refill your everyday bottle, and delivery is free in France from €59 of purchases.
What our customers say
Our natural laundry detergent is rated 5/5 by customers who purchased it on our site. Two reviews among many:
“My laundry always smells wonderful, no fabric softener needed.”
Joëlle, who discovered it on a visit to Valensole.
“We found the product wholesome, natural, and from a short supply chain.”
Alexandre, a customer since a holiday market.
Natural laundry detergent: your questions
Do I need to add fabric softener?
No. The lavandin essential oil already provides softness and fragrance. Some customers add a little white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment, but it isn’t necessary.
Is it suitable for sensitive skin and baby clothes?
Yes, its short formula makes it a detergent suited to sensitive skin and baby clothing.
Can it be used on all fabrics?
Yes: cotton, linen, synthetics, and even wool and delicate fabrics, by machine or by hand.
Is it effective at low temperatures?
Yes, it washes at any temperature, including 30 °C.
How can I make my laundry smell even better?
Add 5 to 10 drops of organic lavandin essential oil to the fabric softener compartment.
⚠️ Our laundry detergent naturally contains linalool, derived from the lavandin essential oil. If you have a known allergy, please consult your doctor. Store in a cool, dry place away from light, and avoid contact with eyes; in case of contact, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Tonight, start a load
Four organic ingredients, our Valensole lavandin, French manufacturing certified Nature & Progrès, and about €0.16 per wash. Hang up your laundry, and let the scent of the plateau do the rest.
➡ Discover our organic lavandin laundry detergent in a 5 L canister.
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Lavender detergent 5 L
39,50 € -
Lavender detergent 1 L
9,50 € -
Lavandin essential oil 125 to 500 ml
From 13,50 € This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
