Purell ES8 Healthy Soap
Low-medium concern; no red flags in standard liquid soap formulations.
This foaming hand soap concentrate needs no water-repellency, stain resistance, or nonstick coatings that would require PFAS. Liquid soaps typically pose lower PFAS risk than water-resistant products.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Water-based foaming soap concentrate
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Purell ES8 Healthy Soap is made of, ingredients and materials
Purell ES8 is a water-based foaming soap concentrate designed for automatic dispensers. The formulation relies on surfactants and water rather than alcohol (unlike Purell hand sanitizers) to remove soil and pathogens. Foaming soaps are mechanically gentler on skin than traditional liquids because air is incorporated before application, reducing surfactant contact time. No ceramic, enamel, or polymer coating hazards apply to a liquid soap product.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Surfactant skin irritation
All foaming soaps contain anionic or amphoteric surfactants that can irritate broken or extremely sensitive skin with prolonged contact. Purell ES8 is formulated to be mild, but concentrated foaming soap in undiluted form may cause temporary dryness or redness in vulnerable populations.
Fragrance or preservative allergens
ES8 contains fragrance and preservative systems typical of commercial hand soaps. No specific allergen recalls are on record, but individuals with contact dermatitis or fragrance sensitivity may experience localized reactions. The product is not fragrance-free.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Antimicrobial compound accumulation
Purell ES8 relies on mechanical soap action rather than persistent antimicrobial agents like triclosan (banned in the US as of 2016). No bioaccumulation or environmental persistence hazard is established for this water-based formula.
Microplastic contamination
Foaming liquid soaps do not typically contain microbeads or microplastics. No microplastic content has been reported in Purell ES8 formulations.
Heavy metals
Purell ES8 is a clear or lightly tinted liquid soap. No lead, cadmium, or other heavy-metal colorant hazards are documented for this product class or brand.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Purell is owned by GOJO Industries, a company with public commitment to safety transparency and ingredient disclosure. The brand has not faced major product safety recalls or toxicity controversies in the hand soap line. Purell publishes Safety Data Sheets for ES8 and maintains FDA compliance for antimicrobial claims. No pattern of undisclosed formulation hazards has been documented for this product.
How it compares in its category
Foaming hand soaps typically present lower concerns by hazard profile; ES8 sits squarely in the mainstream. Unlike bar soaps, liquid concentrates eliminate dust inhalation and surface contamination between uses. Compared to alcohol-based sanitizers, water-based soap poses lower respiratory and skin-sensitization risk. Cost per use is lower than many branded alternatives due to the concentrate format and automatic dispensing control.
If you buy it
Use only in compatible automatic dispensers to prevent over-concentration or waste. Store concentrate bottles in cool, dry conditions away from direct sunlight; shelf life is typically 2-3 years unopened. Do not ingest; keep out of eyes during dispensing setup. Hands should be wet before using foaming soap to allow proper lather and contact time (15-20 seconds minimum for efficacy).
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Purell has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Purell ES8 Healthy Soap?
- soluble tablet, plant-based surfactants
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- water, plant oils, potassium hydroxide
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Fragrance allergens (peppermint essential oil)
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- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Fragrance allergens (lavender fragrance)
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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.