By PFAS Authority · Updated September 5, 2026
Top grades to buy
Dr. Bronner's
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Body Wash
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SKIN RELIEF BODY WASH
Model-based grades, not lab tests. We flunk more than we pass. How grading works
PFAS in Body Wash, 90 Washes and Why They All Grade the Same
We graded 90 body washes and shower gels from Dial, Dove, Old Spice, Irish Spring, Suave, Zest, Palmolive, Radox, Cetaphil, Eucerin, Kiehl's and Molton Brown. All 53 grade 75 out of 100. None has a coating or treatment of concern on record, and none of their makers has a PFAS statement on record.
That makes body wash one of the lower-concern categories we grade, and it also means our grade will not pick one bottle over another. If you want to go further, the ingredient list is where a fluorinated ingredient would appear.
Summary comparison table
| Product | PFAS grade | Formula as recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Dial Advanced Clean Body Wash Gold | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Old Spice Body Wash | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Irish Spring Body Wash | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Suave Body Wash | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Cetaphil Moisturizing Relief Body Wash | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Eucerin Advanced Cleansing Body and Face Cleanser | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Kiehl's Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
| Molton Brown Bath and Shower Gel | Excellent, 75/100 | Water-based surfactant cleanser |
How we graded these
Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from publicly available product information and manufacturer disclosures, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. All 53 body washes grade 75, the baseline of 20 for this kind of product, plus 15 because no maker here has a PFAS statement on record, minus 10 for a water-based formula not linked to PFAS. Our records do not include an ingredient-by-ingredient check for fluorinated compounds. Look up any body wash in our PFAS product finder.
Why every body wash grades 75
A body wash is water, surfactants, glycerin, conditioning agents and fragrance, and it rinses off within a minute. Nothing in that list is a water-repellent treatment or a non-stick coating, which is what moves grades most in other categories. The one thing that could lift a body wash above 75 is a published PFAS statement or a certification that restricts PFAS, and no brand here has either on record. Dial and Molton Brown grade the same for the same reason.
What to look for on the label
PFAS in personal care show up as named ingredients. In a December 2025 report, the FDA said 51 PFAS were listed as ingredients in 1,744 cosmetic formulations. On a body wash label, look for PTFE or any ingredient whose name contains perfluoro, polyfluoro or fluoro. A label without them does not list a fluorinated ingredient.
If you are deciding where to spend your attention, leave-on products matter more than rinse-off ones. Our moisturizer guide and cosmetics guide cover products that stay on skin for hours.
A correction to this guide
An earlier version of this guide ranked body wash brands from best to worst and described some as cleaner than others. Every body wash in our data grades the same, and on 16 and 17 September 2026 we rewrote this guide to say so plainly and to point to what does separate them, the ingredient list.
What to avoid
- Body washes or shower gels whose ingredients include PTFE or a name with perfluoro, polyfluoro or fluoro, if avoiding PFAS is your aim.
- Reading natural, clean or dermatologist tested on the bottle as a PFAS statement.
- Choosing a body wash on our grade alone. Every one here grades the same.
Our pick
Based on available materials and data, every body wash here grades 75 out of 100, so choose the one you like and check its ingredient list for PTFE or fluoro names. If you want a short, fragrance-light formula that is easy to read Cetaphil Moisturizing Relief Body Wash is one option at the same grade. These grades are estimates built from disclosed materials, not laboratory proof, and nothing here is being called PFAS-free or safe by us.
FAQ
Does body wash contain PFAS?
None of the 53 body washes we graded has a fluorinated ingredient or coating on record, but our records do not check every ingredient. Some personal care formulas do list fluorinated ingredients, so read the label for PTFE or names containing fluoro.
Is Dove or Dial body wash PFAS-free?
Neither brand has a PFAS statement on record for the body washes we graded, and our records show no fluorinated ingredient. They grade 75, the same as every other body wash here. We do not call any product PFAS-free ourselves.
Is bar soap better than body wash for PFAS?
Our data does not separate them. Neither format needs a fluorinated ingredient, so the ingredient list matters more than the format.
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