Easy, Affordable, and Safe! A Simple Guide to Laundry Detergents by Stain Type + Smart Ways to Save Money

Every day, on the official Mams Nakatsugawa Instagram Stories, we share information about the hidden risks of synthetic detergents and fabric softeners.

We often hear people say: “I know I should switch to safer products—for my kids and for others—but I’m too busy. I don’t have time to research what’s actually safe.”

First Things First: The Golden Rule of Safe Laundry

If you want safer laundry habits, there is one rule you must follow:

That’s it. By following this one rule, you can avoid most problems related to “fragrance pollution 香害- KOGAI,” which affects many people without them realizing it.

Everyday Laundry: 「酸素系漂白剤」参考価格4.5kg 1480円（ニチガ） Oxygen-Based Bleach, Approx. price: 4.5 kg / ¥1,480

Just dissolve it in warm water and soak your clothes to remove yellowing and built-up residue from past detergents. It actually works great as a “washingmachine cleaner.” For daily laundry, simply add 1 tablespoon (so called “Oo-saji”) directly into the washer and run as usual—easy!

It is effective for

✔ Deodorizing

✔ Sanitizing

✔ Beginner-friendly

Tip: Start with the 950 g size (free shipping) to try it out.

• 酸素系漂白剤：参考価格950g598円 Oxygen-Based Bleach: Approx. price 950 g / ¥598

If you buy the 4.5 kg size (¥1,480), it will last about 10 months with one load per day.

Oil & Blood Stains: 「セスキ」参考価格5kg 1755円（ニチガ）Sesqui (Washing Soda) Approx. price: 5 kg / ¥1,755

Sesqui is said to have 10 times the cleaning power of baking soda.

It dissolves easily in water, making it perfect for laundry.

• Add 1–2 tablespoons directly to your wash
• Dissolve it in water to make a spray for general cleaning

Best for:

• Oily stains
• Work clothes
• Heavy sweat

セスキ送料無料参考価格950g748円Sesqui: Approx. price 950 g / ¥748 (free shipping)

To try, small packs at 100-yen shops even!

「石けん」参考価格4L　2556円（ミヨシ石鹸）Mud Stains: Soap-Based Detergent Approx. price: 4 L / ¥2,556

For kids’ outdoor clothes, sports uniforms, or gardening wear, soap-based washing works best. Tap water today contains higher chlorine levels, which can cause soap residue buildup.

To avoid this:

• Use oxygen bleach or sesqui for daily laundry
• Use soap only when dealing with mud stains

This keeps your washing machine clean and saves money.

※When buying Miyoshi Soap, avoid scented versions! It’s strong!—always choose unscented.

• ミヨシ石鹸お得な大容量参考価格4L 2556円（ミヨシ石鹸）Miyoshi Soap (large size): Approx. 4 L / ¥2,556
• シャボン玉スノール大容量参考価格5L4510円（シャボン玉石けん）Shabondama Snowl (large size): Approx. 5 L / ¥4,510

Although Shabondama soap is slightly more expensive, many users choose it out of a desire to support Shabondama Soap’s environmental initiatives.

As simple and safe fabric softener: 「クエン酸」参考価格120ｇ 108円（DAISO）Fabric Softener Alternative: Citric Acid Approx. price: 120 g / ¥108 (DAISO)

Add about ½–1 teaspoon of citric acid to the fabric softener compartment. It neutralizes alkalinity and naturally softens clothes.
If towels feel stiff, you may be using too much sesqui—reduce the amount and adjust. Try using about half the usual amount first, and see how well your clothes come out.
The level of dirtiness varies from person to person. Adjust little by little until you find the amount that works best for you.

There’s also a large, free-shipping size available!

• Citric acid (value size): 1 kg

You can also make a citric acid spray for kitchen cleaning and toilet scale removal

「スピカココ」参考価格620ｇ1089円（Yahoo!ショッピング）Delicate Clothing: Neutral Detergent “Spicacoco”, Approx. price: 620 g / ¥1,089

Many people ask: “Can I wash delicate clothes with sesqui or oxygen bleach?”
I usually wash delicate clothes with a small amount of sesqui. But many people hesitate because the labels say “neutral detergent only”. This leads them back to synthetic, scented products—and regret it later because strong fragrances often remain even after multiple rinses, and end up washing them again with oxygen-based bleach.
To avoid this, we recommend Spicacoco, a safe neutral detergent: Gentle on wool and silk and no harsh synthetic surfactants
It may not be as cheap as the products already mentioned above, but for occasional use, it’s worth it

(Nowadays, most jumpers are made of synthetic fibers rather than wool, so many items actually don’t require delicate washing)

Safe for delicate fabrics like wool and silk.

Final Thoughts.
Laundry can be simple:
Everyday clothes → oxygen bleach
Mud stains → soap
Blood or oil → sesqui
That’s all you need.
By switching based on stains, your washing machine stays cleaner, and laundry becomes easier overall.

Finally, a few simple tips.

If you use only soap for laundry, the higher chlorine levels in today’s tap water can cause soap scum to build up more easily.
By using oxygen-based bleach in your regular wash—which can also works as a washing machine cleaner—you can help keep both your clothes and your machine clean.

If you’ve already been separating your delicates and using a special detergent, switching to a safer product is easy—you’re just changing what you use.

And if you’ve been washing everything together because it’s simpler, you can just use oxygen-based bleach for the whole load.

If you mainly use oxygen-based bleach or sesqui for your regular laundry, each wash helps keep your washing machine clean as well.Over time, the drum stays cleaner, and you’ll hardly need to do those deep cleaning cycles anymore.

I wash my clothes this way myself, and even when I occasionally run a cleaning cycle with oxygen-based bleach, I’ve never seen that slimy, seaweed-like buildup (in short, mold and chemicals combined) come out of the drum.

A kitchen essential! Sesqui is great for washing dishes.

Sesqui is especially effective on greasy stains, so it’s a highly effective cleaner in the kitchen. If you keep a sesqui spray bottle ready, just give surfaces a quick spritz at the end of the day and wipe them down. It helps keep your stove and sink area clean every day with minimal effort.

Sesqui can actually be used to wash dishes, too. Just don’t use a sponge. Sponges are designed for foamy detergents, so they’re not a good match for non-foaming cleaners like sesqui.

So what should you use instead?
We recommend keeping small cloth scraps on hand—cut-up old towels or worn-out clothes work perfectly. Cut them into easy-to-use sizes and keep a small stack ready in your kitchen.

Here’s the simple method: spray sesqui directly onto the dishes, wipe them with a cloth scrap, and then rinse under running water. That’s it.The dishes come out clean and smooth with very little effort. And even if you wash them with bare hands, you don’t have to worry about harmful chemical residue that can build up with synthetic surfactants.
If food has dried and hardened on the dishes, you’ll need to soak them first—just like you would with any detergent.
Since sesqui is alkaline, it can remove natural oils from your skin and cause dryness for some people. If needed, wear gloves to protect your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions on Choosing Safe Household Products

We’ve put together some of the questions and answers we’ve received through the official Mams Instagram here.
We reply to each message individually, but if you still have questions or concerns that aren’t covered in this post, feel free to reach out anytime—either on Instagram or by email

Q: What should I use for bath and personal care? I’ve heard that the surfactants used in shampoos and body soaps—like those used in laundry products—can include quaternary ammonium compounds.

A: Yes, some shampoos and body soaps use quaternary ammonium compounds as surfactants.
It can be difficult to tell at a glance at the label whether a product uses naturally derived ingredients, especially without expertise. That’s why we recommend using simple soap—it’s an easy way to choose safer personal care products without needing to worry about complicated ingredient lists.

Also, when choosing soap-based products like shampoo, there’s just one thing to keep in mind: make sure no unnecessary additives are included.
Fragrance is especially important to watch out for. Often, a label simply says “fragrance,” and there’s no way to tell whether it’s safe or not, since the exact ingredients don’t have to be disclosed.

Because we can’t fully know what’s inside, the safest choice is simply to avoid it.

You don’t have to buy from companies that do not disclose their ingredients. Thankfully, there are brands that clearly list what’s in their products and focus on safer options—so it’s best to choose from those instead.

• シャボン玉石けん公式Yahoo!店Shabondama Soap Official Yahoo Store
• ミヨシ石鹸シャンプー一覧ページMiyoshi Soap Shampoo Product Page

If you’re looking to keep costs down, solid bar soap is your best option.
Personally, I use a bar soap from シャボン玉石けん for bathing because it’s budget-friendly and simple.

• シャボン玉石けん固形浴用100g159円Shabondama bar soap (100 g / ¥159)

I used to wash my hair just with warm water, but lately I’ve found that fragrances from other people’s heavily scented products can cling even to my hair and don’t come out with water alone. So I started using soap when needed.
On days when I don’t meet anyone, I still stick to just water—so I only go through about three bars of soap a year.

You can use just one bar to wash everything—from your hair to your face and body.

There are also liquid soap options that can be used for your whole body—from hair to face.
In our home, the kids use this type. They weren’t used to bar soap and found it a bit hard to use, so we buy a large refill size online and use it that way.

• Body care liquid soap from シャボン玉石けん (570 ml / ¥1,370)

If ease of use is your priority, a liquid soap shampoo is a great choice.

• 全身ケアソープ詰め替え用4L6898円Refill size (4 L / ¥6,898)

And once your child can wash their own hair, I recommend a foaming soap shampoo.

• 泡タイプの石けんシャンプーシャボン玉せっけん参考価格520ml1122円Foaming soap shampoo from シャボン玉石けん (approx. 520 ml / ¥1,122)
• 詰め替え用泡タイプの石けんシャンプーシャボン玉石けん参考価格420ml803円• Refill (approx. 420 ml / ¥803)

They also offer a conditioner from シャボン玉石けん—if you have long hair, it’s worth trying.

• シャボン玉石けんリンス参考価格520ml1103円Conditioner from シャボン玉石けん (approx. 520 ml / ¥1,103)
• シャボン玉石けんリンス詰め替え用参考価格420ml803円Refill (approx. 420 ml / ¥803)

Some synthetic surfactants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds, are known to damage cell membranes.
This means that even expensive facial cleansers may contain these ingredients, sometimes combined with added natural extracts to help balance their effects.
Once you’re aware of this, you may start to question whether it’s really worth using products that could be harsh on your skin—especially if you’re trying to avoid dryness or skin concerns.

Q: I recently learned about a fatal case involving the accidental ingestion of Lipon F detergent. It also made me wonder—if dish detergents are labeled as “antibacterial,” does that mean they leave harmful residues on dishes? What should I use to wash dishes safely and still get them clean?

A: We do dishwashing every day, and we use those dishes for every meal, so it’s especially important to avoid potentially harmful substances. When using hot water, more substances can become airborne as steam and be inhaled as a mist, and some doctors have raised concerns about this.
So, what can you use that’s both safe and still cleans effectively?
Let’s take a look.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, sesqui (washing soda) is a great choice.

Sesqui is a powerful alkaline cleaner, well known for tackling stubborn grease—especially in places like range hoods.

It dissolves easily in water and is great for laundry, but since it’s affordable and available in large sizes online, using it for dishwashing is also effective and helps save money.

For a small number of dishes, spray sesqui directly onto them, wipe with a cloth scrap (like an old towel or clothing), and then rinse under running water.

If you have a large number of dishes, fill a basin with water and add about 1 teaspoon of sesqui, then let them soak.
After that, wipe them with a cloth scrap (like an old towel or clothing) and finish by rinsing under running water.

You can also find easy-to-follow instructions for using sesqui at the bottom of the product page.

• Buying in bulk can help you save money

For heavily greasy items like curry pots or frying pans, if they’re not non-stick coated, spray with sesqui and scrub with a metal scourer to get them clean.

Since then, we’ve been able to scrub pots and pans with metal scourers, which makes cleaning much easier. They also last much longer, so we don’t have to replace them as often like we did with non-stick cookware.

Liquid Soap for Dishwashing

If you feel like dishes aren’t really clean without foam, there are also soap-based dishwashing options available. For example:

• ミヨシ食器洗い洗剤参考価格350ml159円詰め替え用Miyoshi dishwashing liquid (approx. 350 ml / ¥159, refill)
•  シャボン玉石けん参考価格300ml550円泡タイプFoaming dish soap from シャボン玉石けん (approx. 300 ml / ¥550)

Both are available at drugstores.

If you’re looking to save money, larger refill sizes can be purchased online.

• シャボン玉石けん台所用泡タイプ2.1L 2123円Foaming dish soap from シャボン玉石けん (2.1 L / ¥2,123)
• ミヨシ石鹸台所用4L2350円Miyoshi kitchen soap (4 L / ¥2,350)

A good approach is to try a regular size first from a drugstore, then switch to a larger refill size online once you find one you like.

Unlike synthetic detergents, soap-based products don’t leave behind residues that build up in the body, and their wastewater can be broken down by microorganisms, making them more environmentally friendly.

In contrast, some synthetic surfactants can negatively affect microorganisms, which may interfere with water treatment processes,

including septic systems. Our daily lives depend on these microorganisms to help purify water—something worth keeping in mind.