Who doesn't love Costco? Shopping at the store is an experience in and of itself. Far beyond samples, the warehouse store offers highly affordable deals and bulk products that last for ages. But even the best of companies is bound to have a fail at some point, and for Costco that would have to be their Ultra Clean Free & Clear Premium Laundry Detergent. As Business Insider shares, the free and clear detergent rates a 2.8 out of 5 on Consumer
Reports. The lower rating has little to do with the cleaning power and performance of the detergent, but rather it appears to be based on claims that the soap has been known to cause contact dermatitis in some users. This is a particular concern considering free and clear detergents (this one included) are typically marketed for people with sensitive skin. Kirkland's product even claims to be hypoallergenic on the bottle. Unsatisfied customers claim the skin issue is
attributed to changing ingredients in the detergent, with one Redditor saying, "It seems the rash issue is down to Costco constantly changing their formula. Which begs the question: why don't they list the ingredients? I can't find them anywhere."
Shutterstock While the ingredients may be hard to find on the bottle, the current formula is listed on Costco's website. Nevertheless, customers are concerned; contact dermatitis is no small issue. The Mayo Clinic describes symptoms as typically including an itchy rash occurring within minutes or hours of exposure that can last two to four weeks. In severe cases, this irritation may
cause sleep loss, pain, or infection. There are some easy ways to help identify if you are being irritated by laundry detergent. Allergist Tania Elliot told Allure, "If the rash is present on one side of your face and you're a side sleeper, detergent could be the culprit." Changing ingredients in laundry detergent are a common cause of skin irritation, but Elliot reminds
readers that an allergy can develop at any time, even without changes to the product. Additionally, the use of too much detergent can also cause a rash, especially in high-efficiency washing machines. It's tough to say whether Costco's detergent itself is the culprit of the complaints, but if
you're one of the customers who has been unhappy, it can't hurt to try switching detergents. Always check with your doctor for concerning or lasting symptoms.Costco's Kirkland Ultra laundry detergent users commonly report dermatitis
Product ingredients
Known Ingredients
Ingredient
Health, Environment,
and Disclosure Concerns
Score
Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage, acute aquatic toxicity, respiratory effects, biodegradation; Disclosure Concern: non-specific ingredient
Moderate Concern: biodegradation
High Concern: acute aquatic toxicity; Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage
High Concern: acute aquatic toxicity; Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to DNA, general systemic/organ effects, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects
Moderate Concern: biodegradation
Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage
Some Concern: chronic aquatic toxicity, acute aquatic toxicity
Concerns from [ETHYLENE OXIDE]: Some Concern: cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to DNA, general systemic/organ effects, respiratory effects, nervous system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision
Concerns from [1,4-DIOXANE]: Some Concern: cancer, digestive system effects, respiratory effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage
Some Concern: chronic aquatic toxicity, acute aquatic toxicity, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision
Moderate Concern: acute aquatic toxicity; Some Concern: chronic aquatic toxicity
Moderate Concern: acute aquatic toxicity; Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, biodegradation
Moderate Concern: chronic aquatic toxicity; Some Concern: acute aquatic toxicity
Concerns from [ETHYLENE OXIDE]: Some Concern: cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to DNA, general systemic/organ effects, respiratory effects, nervous system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision
Concerns from [1,4-DIOXANE]: Some Concern: cancer, digestive system effects, respiratory effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage
Some Concern: chronic aquatic toxicity, acute aquatic toxicity
Some Concern: respiratory effects
Some Concern: developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects
Some Concern: respiratory effects, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage
Concerns from [ETHYLENE OXIDE]: Some Concern: cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to DNA, general systemic/organ effects, respiratory effects, nervous system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision
Concerns from [1,4-DIOXANE]: Some Concern: cancer, digestive system effects, respiratory effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage
Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to vision
Concerns from [FORMALDEHYDE]: Some Concern: cancer, general systemic/organ effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, respiratory effects, acute aquatic toxicity
Some Concern: developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects
Some Concern: respiratory effects
Some Concern: damage to vision
Some Concern: damage to vision
Some Concern: respiratory effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage
Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage
Animal Testing
Unknown:
Leading international certifiers PETA and Leaping Bunny have no information concerning this company’s use of animal testing.