Dial Liquid Hand Soap
Low concern; liquid hand soap formulation unlikely to contain PFAS, but Dial makes no public transparency claims.
This simple water-based cleansing product contains no known PFAS-prone ingredients like Teflon-family coating coatings, water repellency treatments, or nonstick finishes. Dial has not publicly committed to PFAS-free or verified claims.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
water-based liquid soap formulation
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Fragrance allergens
Dial liquid hand soaps contain fragrance blends (listed as 'fragrance' on ingredient label). Fragrance compounds may trigger contact dermatitis or sensitization in individuals with fragrance sensitivity; the specific allergen profile is not disclosed by brand. Fragrance-free variants exist if needed.
Parabens
Most Dial formulations use conventional preservatives (such as methylchloroisothiazolinone or parabens, depending on variant). These are approved by EPA and FDA at permitted concentrations but can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Risk is low for typical handwashing duration and rinsing.
Source: FDA ↗Eye and mucous membrane irritation
Like all liquid hand soaps, Dial formulations are formulated to avoid eye contact. Accidental contact may cause temporary irritation due to surfactant concentration. This is a handling risk, not a chemical toxicity risk.
What’s reassuring
Safe base material
Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
1,4-dioxane (potential residual)
1,4-dioxane can be a manufacturing byproduct in ethoxylated surfactant-based formulas. No public data documents dioxane presence in Dial liquid hand soap; major manufacturers have implemented removal processes. Risk is minimal for rinse-off products like hand soap.
Heavy metals
Dial liquid hand soap uses FD&C approved colorants and preservatives with established purity standards. No recalls or testing data suggest heavy metal contamination. Risk for this product category is very low.
Source: FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Dial liquid hand soap is a water-based formulation containing surfactants (cleaning agents), preservatives, and fragrance compounds. The primary active ingredient is typically a synthetic surfactant rather than traditional soap, which makes it effective at removing microbes and dirt across a range of water hardness conditions. Water-based liquid formulations carry minimal risk of coating degradation, leaching, or thermal breakdown compared to heated or abrasive-use products like cookware.
The brand's record and disclosure
Dial (owned by Henkel) has no significant public safety recalls or ingredient controversies documented for its liquid hand soap line. The brand does not publish detailed ingredient transparency reports or third-party safety certifications (such as EWG Verified or Cradle to Cradle), which is typical for mass-market hand soap manufacturers. Dial's parent company has faced scrutiny on other product lines for triclosan use, but triclosan was phased out of consumer hand soaps by FDA mandate in 2016; current Dial formulations do not list it.
How it compares in its category
Dial liquid hand soap sits in the mainstream mass-market segment, neither premium nor budget. It performs comparably to competing national brands (Softsoap, Ivory, generic store brands) in terms of ingredient safety profile. Brands marketed as 'natural' or certified organic typically omit synthetic preservatives and synthetic fragrances, but offer no documented safety advantage for routine handwashing; Dial's conventional approach is standard for the category.
If you buy it
Use as directed: dispense into damp hands, lather, and rinse with water. No special precautions are needed for routine handwashing. If irritation develops (rare), rinse thoroughly and consider switching to a gentler or fragrance-free alternative. Standard liquid hand soaps are shelf-stable; replace when empty or after expiration date printed on bottle. Store away from extreme heat and direct sunlight to maintain formula integrity, though degradation risk is very low for this product type.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 78% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Dial has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More hand soap grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.