PFAS in Dish Soap, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst

Based on available materials and public disclosure data, six widely sold dish soap and dishwasher detergent products reviewed for this guide all land in the "Excellent" tier, meaning our model found no evidence of PFAS found in reviewed sources for these formulas. The clearest standout is Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods, which posts the highest model-based estimate in the set at 100 out of 100, tied with two other products discussed below. None of this amounts to a lab certification that a product is free of PFAS; it reflects ingredient disclosure, packaging data, and manufacturing claims as assessed by our scoring model.

If you are shopping today and want the shortest path to a lower-concern pick, start with the three products that tied for a perfect model-based score Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods Blueland Dishwasher Tablets, and Grove Collaborative Dish Soap. A second tier of strong performers, each scoring 85 out of 100 in our model, includes Blueland Dish Soap Powder Cleancult Dish Soap Refill Lemon Verbena, and Biokleen Dish Liquid Lemon Thyme. All six are reasonable starting points for a lower-concern kitchen routine, but read the pros, cons, and sourcing notes below before you decide which fits your household.

Summary Comparison Table

Product	PFAS Grade (Model Estimate)	Verdict
Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods	Excellent, 100/100	Top-scoring pick in our database for dishwasher pods, lower concern based on reviewed materials.
Blueland Dishwasher Tablets	Excellent, 100/100	Tied for the highest model-based score, solid choice for plastic-reduction households too.
Grove Collaborative Dish Soap	Excellent, 100/100	Highest tier among liquid hand-wash soaps reviewed here.
Blueland Dish Soap Powder	Excellent, 85/100	Strong score, slightly behind the top tier in available disclosure depth.
Cleancult Dish Soap Refill Lemon Verbena	Excellent, 85/100	Refill-focused liquid soap with a comparable score to Blueland's powder.
Biokleen Dish Liquid Lemon Thyme	Excellent, 85/100	Long-running plant-based brand, consistent with the second-tier score.

Every grade above is our model-based estimate from materials and public disclosure, not a lab test. Scores can change if a brand updates its formula, its sourcing disclosure, or if new third-party testing data becomes available.

How We Graded These Products

Our scoring model weighs ingredient transparency, packaging type, brand disclosure practices, and any available third-party testing data. A product earns a higher score when a brand publishes a full ingredient list, discloses manufacturing location and surfactant sourcing, and has no flagged fluorinated compounds in its stated formula. None of the six products in this guide have undergone the kind of third-party laboratory PFAS testing that would let us state a confirmed result; what we have is brand-stated formulation data and public disclosure records. Where a brand claims its product is "PFAS-free," that is a brand claim, not a verified lab finding, unless we explicitly note otherwise.

Product-by-Product Breakdown

Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods

Materials and format. A single-dose dishwasher pod sold in a dissolvable pouch, marketed around a plastic-reduction, subscription-refill model.

Brand claims. Dropps states its formulas are built around plant-based and biodegradable ingredients and markets the pods as free from several categories of harsh chemicals. These are brand-stated claims, not independent lab certifications.

Pros. Highest model-based score in our dish category dataset at 100/100. Minimal plastic packaging compared to jug-style detergents. Pre-measured dosing reduces overuse.

Cons. Pod-style detergents generally cost more per load than bulk liquid. Subscription model may not suit infrequent dishwasher users. As with all entries here, the absence of PFAS is based on reviewed disclosure, not a lab certificate.

Blueland Dishwasher Tablets

Materials and format. Tablet-form dishwasher detergent, part of Blueland's refill-focused product line that also includes reusable dispensers.

Brand claims. Blueland publicly states its formulas avoid PFAS and several other chemical classes, and promotes its tablets as free of single-use plastic packaging. Again, this is a brand-stated position rather than a confirmed third-party laboratory result in the materials we reviewed.

Pros. Tied for the top model-based score at 100/100. Reusable tin packaging appeals to households reducing plastic waste. Widely available through retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

Cons. Tablets can be less effective on heavily baked-on food residue than gel formulas, according to general consumer feedback. Price per load runs higher than bulk powder detergents.

Grove Collaborative Dish Soap

Materials and format. A liquid hand-wash dish soap sold in both plastic and refill-pouch formats through Grove's retail platform.

Brand claims. Grove markets this line as plant-derived and states it is formulated without a list of chemicals of concern, including PFAS. This is a brand claim based on formulation disclosure, not an independently published lab result in our source review.

Pros. Matches the top model-based score of 100/100 among all products reviewed here. Refill options reduce packaging waste over time. Scent and foam profile are comparable to major conventional brands.

Cons. Full ingredient transparency is less granular than some direct-to-consumer competitors. Refill pouches require enrollment in Grove's membership-style ordering system for the best pricing.

Blueland Dish Soap Powder

Materials and format. A powder dish soap concentrate designed to be mixed with water in a reusable bottle, sold as part of Blueland's broader refill system.

Brand claims. Blueland states the powder formula avoids PFAS and other flagged chemical categories, consistent with its dishwasher tablet line. Brand-stated, not independently lab-verified in the sources reviewed.

Pros. Strong second-tier model-based score of 85/100. Powder format ships with a lighter carbon footprint than pre-mixed liquids. Reusable bottle reduces long-term plastic use.

Cons. Requires mixing with water before use, an extra step some households find inconvenient. Scored slightly below the top tier, reflecting gaps in available disclosure depth rather than a confirmed detection of concern.

Cleancult Dish Soap Refill Lemon Verbena

Materials and format. A liquid dish soap sold in a paper-based refill carton, designed to pour into a reusable glass or aluminum dispenser.

Brand claims. Cleancult states its cleaning products are made with naturally derived ingredients and are formulated without a list of synthetic additives, including PFAS. This is a brand position, not a third-party laboratory confirmation in the materials reviewed.

Pros. Matches the 85/100 model-based score tier. Paper refill cartons generate less plastic waste than typical jug refills. Scent is naturally derived according to brand materials.

Cons. Refill cartons are less widely stocked in brick-and-mortar stores, limiting easy in-person restocking. Like all products here, the score reflects disclosure review, not lab testing.

Biokleen Dish Liquid Lemon Thyme

Materials and format. A plant-based liquid dish soap from a long-established eco-cleaning brand, sold in standard bottle format with some bulk refill options.

Brand claims. Biokleen states its dish liquid is made from plant and mineral-based ingredients and does not contain a range of synthetic additives, including fluorinated compounds. Brand-stated, not independently lab-certified in the sources we reviewed.

Pros. Consistent 85/100 model-based score, in line with other second-tier entries. Long market history with repeated formulation disclosure over time. Concentrated formula means less product needed per wash.

Cons. Bottle packaging is less refill-focused than Blueland or Cleancult's systems. Scent and viscosity differ from mainstream dish soaps, which may require an adjustment period for some users.

What to Avoid

Based on available materials and data, a few patterns consistently correlate with higher PFAS concern across cleaning product categories, including dish soap.

• Vague or absent ingredient lists. Brands that disclose only "surfactants" or "cleaning agents" without further detail make it harder for any model, including ours, to rule out fluorinated additives.
• Grease-cutting claims paired with no sourcing data. Extremely aggressive "cuts grease instantly" marketing with no formulation transparency is a pattern worth treating with caution, not an automatic red flag, but a reason to dig further before buying.
• No brand statement on PFAS at all. Many legacy dish soap brands simply do not address PFAS in their public materials one way or the other, which means our model has less to work with and defaults to a more conservative score.
• Unverified "PFAS-free" claims treated as fact. A brand saying its product is PFAS-free is useful information, but it is not the same as a third-party lab report. Treat it as one input, not a guarantee.

If you are also auditing other parts of your kitchen for PFAS exposure concerns, non-stick cookware and food packaging are common sources. See our guides to non-stick knife sets grease-resistant napkins and paper towels for related comparisons.

Our Pick

Based on available materials and data, the three products tied at the top of our model Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods Blueland Dishwasher Tablets, and Grove Collaborative Dish Soap, represent the lowest-concern options among the dish soap and detergent products in our database. Which one is the better fit depends on your dishwashing setup, choose a pod or tablet format if you run a dishwasher regularly, and choose the liquid hand-wash option if you wash by hand or want a refillable bottle system. The second-tier group Blueland Dish Soap Powder Cleancult Dish Soap Refill Lemon Verbena, and Biokleen Dish Liquid Lemon Thyme, remain reasonable choices and score only slightly behind on our model, generally due to less granular public disclosure rather than any confirmed detection of concern.

None of these scores should be read as a guarantee. They are model-based estimates built from the materials, packaging data, and brand disclosures available at the time of review. If you want to compare dish soap against other PFAS-relevant product categories in your home, our product finder tool lets you search graded items across categories, and our whole-house filter roundup is a useful next step if you are concerned about PFAS in drinking water as well as in household products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a high PFAS grade mean a dish soap is guaranteed free of PFAS?

No. A high grade in our system reflects a model-based estimate built from ingredient disclosure, packaging data, and brand-stated formulation claims. It means our review of available materials and data found no evidence of PFAS found in reviewed sources, not that a laboratory has certified the product as free of PFAS. Treat high grades as a lower-concern signal rather than a certainty.

Is PFAS exposure from dish soap a proven health risk?

Research has associated certain PFAS compounds with a range of health concerns, but association is not the same as causation, and exposure levels, routes, and individual circumstances vary widely. Dish soap is one of many potential sources of PFAS exposure in a household, alongside cookware, food packaging, and water supply. If you have specific health questions, consult a medical professional rather than relying on product grades alone.

Why do brand PFAS-free claims differ from your model-based grades?

Brand claims are statements companies make about their own formulations, and they are not automatically backed by independent laboratory testing. Our grades combine those brand statements with other public disclosure data to produce a model-based estimate. When a brand's claim and our score align, that is a reasonable signal, but it still falls short of an independently verified lab result, which is why we consistently describe these as estimates rather than guarantees.