Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear Liquid includes a multi-surfactant system and basic builders, but it does not contain any enzymes, which are essential for breaking down biological diaper soils. While it may work for general laundry, it lacks the full cleaning system needed for thoroughly cleaning waste out of cloth diaper.
Borderline ranking results: This formula is ranked "Avoid" with a 6 out of 26 on the Dynamic Scoring System for international detergent quality standards, and ranks "Problematic" with a 3/5 on the Quick Score based on the inclusion of a strong surfactant system, builder and chelators. However, this detergent does not contain Enzymes which are a requirement for thoroughly cleaning waste and bacteria out of cloth diapers, therefor this detergent is not recommended for cloth diaper washing.
Even with a gentle detergent, your wash routine plays a major role in cloth diaper success. If you are new to cloth diapering, we recommend reviewing our Cloth Diaper FAQ and our step-by-step Wash and Care Guide. These resources explain proper load sizing, water levels, and cycle structure to help prevent buildup, odors, and leaks. Choosing a detergent with a complete cleaning system and pairing it with a consistent routine will provide the most reliable long-term results.
QUICK SCORE
★★★☆☆3.0/5
Problematic: May be used for short periods of time, but more sensitive to hard water, dosing, and rinse performance.
Surfactants:Â Pass. Strong primary surfactant signal found.
Enzymes:Â Not found. No enzyme signal found. Some powders can still work, but this is often a performance gap.
Builders:Â Pass. Builder or alkalinity support signal found.
Chelators:Â Pass. Strong chelator signal found (real mineral control for hard water).
Oxygen system:Â Not found. For tougher stains and odor control, consider adding an oxygen bleach booster (sodium percarbonate).
Red flag ingredients detected:Â None detected.
26 POINT DYNAMIC SCORING SYSTEM
6/26
The Kanga Care 26 Point Dynamic Scoring System evaluates how well a detergent is likely to clean cloth diapers without causing buildup or repelling. Each formula is reviewed across five key areas including surfactants, enzymes, builders, chelators, and oxygen bleach based on the maximum number of ideal ingredients a detergent can contain, and awarded 1 point each for a maximum score of 26. Higher scores indicate stronger cleaning systems and fewer risk factors.
Most US detergents score well below the top range. Scores above 22 are considered extremely high performance, often found in EU detergents.
Is Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear safe for cloth diapers?
No. It is not recommended for cloth diapers because it does not contain enzymes. Without enzymes, biological soils like urine and feces are not effectively broken down.
Does this detergent contain enzymes?
No. This formula does not include enzymes, which are a key component for proper cloth diaper cleaning.
What are enzymes and why are they important for washing cloth diapers?
Enzymes are specialized cleaning proteins that break down different types of organic soil in the wash. In cloth diaper detergents, they help target the real sources of stains and odors such as urine, feces, milk, and food residues.
Each enzyme has a specific job. Protease breaks down protein-based waste, amylase targets starches, lipase helps with fats and oils, and mannanase helps remove plant-based residues. Protease is especially important for cloth diapers because it helps fully remove human waste from the fabric.
Without enzymes, detergents must rely much more heavily on surfactants and mechanical action alone, which can make it harder to fully clean heavily soiled diapers. This can lead to lingering odor, staining, or gradual buildup over time.
While some enzyme-free detergents can work in strong wash routines, enzyme-containing detergents generally provide more reliable and consistent cleaning performance for cloth diapers, especially for families dealing with heavy wetters or solid food stages.
Can this detergent work in hard water?
It contains builders and chelators that help with mineral control, but without enzymes, overall cleaning performance for diapers is still limited.
Is Arm & Hammer Free & Clear good for sensitive skin?
Yes. It is designed to be fragrance-free and gentle, which many sensitive-skin households prefer, but cleaning performance for cloth diapers is poor. This detergent should only be used for low soil, general laundry items. Not suitable for cloth diapers.
Restore your cloth diapers with Mighty Bubbles. Learn the exact step-by-step stripping method, when to strip, and why it outperforms RLR for modern cloth diapers.
