Have you ever wondered if household cleaners are gluten free? You know, detergents, soaps, sprays … and does it matter? It’s an interesting question, and one I chose to tackle during the busy holiday season, for some reason.
Are Your Household Cleaners Gluten Free? Does it Matter?
The holidays are a crazy time for everyone, and now that January is here (ok, it’s already mid-January, but I’m doing the best I can!), I am hoping that I can make serious headway into the stacks of papers covering my desk. I got a new computer (mine was threatening to die at any moment) and two giant (to me) monitors, so I thought I was set – ready to tackle the backlog of work and resolved to have a clean desk!
Did I mention we also got 2 kittens for Christmas? Yeah.
So, one or the other of them is now on my lap, lying across my typing arms, and the other is invariably sitting smack dab in the middle of my desk, right in front of my monitor! Not the picture of efficiency I’d envisioned, but at least someone’s happy!
Well, all this brings me to one of these stacks of paper — one I’ve been working on for awhile and could never seem to get all the way through. I picked the stack to tackle after I read a recent post from my friend Linda over at The Gluten-Free Homemaker, challenging everyone to do a really thorough cleaning of their kitchens.
I had started a post to answer questions on gluten-free cleaning agents last year, but had never gotten around to finishing it, so I figured, I’m leaving on a plane in a few hours and haven’t packed, so this is the perfect time to scratch this off my to-do list, right?
A few readers have inquired about rumors they’d heard that dishwashing detergent contains gluten. This could be a problem for anyone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. I’m not so concerned if there was gluten in my laundry detergent, as I don’t typically lick my clothes, but my forks? Yes. (Note- if you are gluten sensitive or have other allergies, you could have issues with gluten-containing soaps, shampoo, laundry detergent, lotions and the like – you’ll know because it will bother your skin; celiacs must ingest gluten to get sick from the contamination). I highly recommend Molly’s Suds laundry products for gluten-free and chemical-free products. See my review here.
While we’re on the subject, what about our counters? I’ve been known to put food on my counters now and again, I don’t want to clean those surfaces with a cleaner containing gluten either (and with cats now, I’ll be washing my counters even more frequently!). If you have a kitchen that still has gluten in it, this is another concern as well. Amy at the Savvy Celiac wrote an interesting post on “washing away” gluten in your kitchen. Comparing some studies done on removing peanut protein, she speculates that some household cleaners would do better than hand sanitizer or even soap and water to wash surfaces clean of gluten.
Bottom line though: if you have celiac disease, you must INGEST a.k.a. EAT gluten for it to trigger the autoimmune reaction that is celiac (dermatitis herpetiformis also manifests topically and some say they also have reactions to topical exposure, but experts differ on identifying these triggers). If you have gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy or would just prefer that wheat, barley and rye not enter your life in any form, you may want to look deeper into what’s in your cleaning products. Anyone can have a topical reaction to just about anything — that’s what makes us unique. So, if you’ve noticed you’re breaking out after cleaning the kitchen or doing laundry washing the car … consider that there may be an ingredient in your cleaning agents that is bothering you. But unless you’re putting it in your mouth, experts agree that it will not cause a celiac reaction.
If you’re also looking to reduce or eliminate animal products or shop cruelty-free, here’s a good article detailing how to do it. While cruelty-free and vegan products are often identified on the labels, those certifications don’t necessarily mean that the products are gluten free — you may still need to check with the manufacturers if it’s not clear from the label or their websites.
Household Cleaners Without Gluten
With that in mind, and for those of you would like to avoid gluten in your cleaning products, I have done some dirty work for you (see the pun I used there?) and found several products which do not contain gluten. Ingredients change, so when in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly.
I started my search and emailed many companies for answers. (I always suggest that folks do this about any product – food or otherwise – if they have questions. You will get a satisfactory answer from the companies, or you won’t, and that’s your answer.)
By way of example, here are a couple of helpful emails I received from companies in response to my inquiries:
Dear Jules,
Thank you for your interest in Mrs. Meyer’s, and for taking the time to write us. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you. Our products are wheat and gluten free. That being said, the equipment used to manufacture our products is not dedicated equipment, so there is a very slim chance of cross contamination. Good sterilization and separation practices are employed to avoid cross contamination.
Because our products are richly fragranced, and comprised of plant sourced ingredients, we would not say that our products are “allergy free”. While allergic responses to our products are rare, people can be allergic to anything. We are happy to provide dish soap samples of our different fragrances for you to try before you buy if you are interested. I hope that this information is helpful. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
With clean and kind regards,
Krista Yurik-Zientara
Customer Service Representative
Toll free at: 877-576-8808
Caldrea / Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day
T 612-436-7309
F 612-371-9995
www.caldrea.com / www.mrsmeyers.com
Hi Jules,
I’m glad you reached out about Cascade! If we add gluten, wheat or wheat extract directly to a product, it will be listed in the ingredients on the label.
Still, we cannot give a 100% guarantee that trace levels of gluten are not present. Many ingredients used in our products are purchased as a raw material and we do not have information on the make-up of these raw materials or if they have been in contact with other materials before they arrive at the plant.
Also, if it has been added to the perfume (at a very low level) by one of our suppliers, this will not be listed in the ingredients. Like many companies, we often purchase the scents for our products from external suppliers, and the components of these scents are proprietary information belonging to the suppliers. As a result, it is possible that a very small amount of gluten may be present in our products which contain fragrances.
Kind Regards,
Samantha
P&G Team
Hi Jules,
Thanks for writing to us.
I’m happy to say that all our cleaning products are gluten free. The only products that we have with any gluten ingredients would be our Feminine Care pads (pantyliners and maxi pads). They use an absorbent material derived from wheat. Please know that the Feminine care products are made in a different facility all together.
Hopefully this can help you find the right products for your home. Please let me know if I can do anything further to help.
Sefton Hirsch
Customer Service
Seventh Generation
The gist of what I’ve learned is that there are some really good, gluten-free options for cleaning agents out there. As with any product, formulas can change, so to be doubly sure, check for yourself before purchasing. Below is a partial list of gluten-free cleaners — when it comes to my counters and my dishes, these are the ones I’ll be choosing.
(Note: if you’d like to MAKE YOUR OWN gluten free cleaning products, here’s a great article with recipes from Rodale). One reader commented on my Facebook post that she uses orange peels soaked in white vinegar to clean everything…even as a fabric softener. So get creative and make your own if you’re concerned about reactions to any store-bought cleaner.
Gluten-Free Cleaning Products (gathered from company websites and direct responses to my inquiries):
- All BioKleen products are gluten-free
- All Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products are gluten-free
- All Seventh Generation cleaning products are gluten-free
- All Molly’s Suds laundry products are gluten-free
- All Aunt Fannie’s cleaning and pest products are made with gluten-free ingredients like vinegar & essential oils
GF Proctor & Gamble products (check package label to be sure there are no changes to ingredients first):
- Cascade Complete® Gel with and without bleach
- Cascade Complete® ActionPacs
- Cascade Complete® Powder
- Complete® with Bleach Powder
- Crystal Clear® Rinse Aid
- Cascade with Dawn® ActionPacs
- Dawn® Gel
- Dawn® Powder
- Dawn® Dishwashing Detergent
- Tide® Laundry Detergent (liquid or powder)
GF Colgate Palmolive products:
- Crystal White Octagon Lemon Dish Liquid
- Ajax Cleanser with bleach
- Murphy’s Oil Soap
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Seventh Generation dish soap states on bottle Gluten Free!
I have friends with Celiacs. One of my friends only got diagnosed about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Her physician watched her numbers closely, and while she was avoiding EATING anything with gluten in it, her numbers were still too high! Her physician told her to get rid of everything in her house that contained gluten. He said you can absorb it through your skin and, breath it in -when its airborn. He told her to switch laundry soap, dish detergent, lotion, shampoo, cleaners, vitamins, everything!! (Although you don’t lick your clothing… When you wash it with gluten-containing soap, then sweat while wearing it… This will allow it to be absorbed into your skin. It’s what also causes allergies and we absorb about 40% of everything we put on our skin).
So… I know there is condescending views on whether folks with Celiacs are only in trouble if they ingest gluten… But this physician said otherwise.
After removing ALL gluten from her home…. Her numbers (blood work) plummeted drastically into a safe range!
If any of you are interested… I own my own marketing business, and I advertise for an AMERICAN company (unlike Other companies that outsource production oversees….Colgate Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, proctor & Gamble, etc).
I’m not a consultant and I don’t sell anything. I just advertise.
I wanted to mention this, because over 220 of their products are GLUTEN FREE. Including shampoo, lotion, deodorant, laundry products, dish soap, vitamins, exercise & weight loss products, cosmetics, cleaners, (also all chemical-free)! They work. They’re safe! They’re green & Eco-friendly! They’re better value than grocery store brands, and I would never ever use anything else in my home again. Both of my celiac friends have converted their homes, as well!
PM me if you’d like more information.
I am interested in what your company sells. Please contact me with more information.
I was just diagnosed with celiac I know a lot about it because I have 3 kids gluten & dairy free…We still use normal products…My numbers were over 300 and I was told to get gluten out of every thing…I also have a cleaning business…help…where to start…Dena
I am interested in what company this is you have mentioned. Could you please contact me?. Thank you!
Hi Angela, which company are you asking about?
~jules
Could you email me. My doctor told me the same thing as your friends. And my number also have gone down. I was using seventh generation but honestly it wasn’t cleaning my dishes well. I need more information
Tonya, I too am interested in which company you work for and which products are gluten free. Please contact me.
My 8 yo daughter has just been diagnosed Celiac. I would be very interested in you company!
Of this is still valid and relevant I’d love more information about the companies you represent.
*if
Thank you for posting. I was just diagnosed Celiac by liver biopsy due to symptoms and my AST and ALT were over 1500. It is not curable. It can be put into remission and managed well. Same advice from my doctors about zero gluten, which has my current levels at the 300s and still dropping. Skin is the biggest bodily organ. Absorption through skin often produces a higher efficacy for metabolizing substances than ingestion. As Science catches up with Celiac, there will be more to learn.
I would like more information as well
I am also in retested to know Tanya, please contact me for more information, thanks!
hi! i just wanted to share that i am a Marketing Executive with Melaleuca:The Wellness Company and our laundry and cleaning products are gluten free & use no toxic chemicals. just a fantastic company with a fantastic business model that rewards customers for sharing about the product they love with others. i’m so thankful for my ability to work from home & that our family has started dreaming again. and we’re healthier too! Melaleuca has over 350+ consumable products that we’re all already buying somewhere. ~georgeanne
Thanks for the information on Melaleuca, Georgeanne!
I just called Proctor and Gamble to check on a new formulation of Cascade being sold at Costco. I was told they no longer consider ANY product they sell to be gluten free. I was read a formal statement about ingredients being sourced from all over the world and the company having no idea of the sources or conditions.
Wow, Christine, that’s mighty disappointing! Thanks for the heads-up.
Yes, we are porous. Ha. Recently an infant was washed with a certain brand and the urine tested positive for marijuana, now it was an infant care product line…we can absolutely inhail and be affected vis the cell lining in the nasal passages or via and opening in the skin. Doctors… do not know everything… and are on a learning curve, we are the guniea pigs… we have to do most of our own sleuthing here if we want longevity. That’s reality.
christine yes yes yes!
I do have one thing to say about celiacs having to ingest the gluten. My daughter has celiac with dermatitis herpetiformis. She does not have to ingest the item before she breaks out terribly with a rash and welts. Please, if you’re celiac, be careful. You do not have to ingest it to have a reaction.
Just re-checked the Seventh Generation website before buying more cleaner and noticed they no longer state their products are gluten free. Darn! I will be trying Mrs. Meyer’s products now.
Christine – that’s odd, and too bad! I wonder why? Thanks for the info, though!
Seventh Generation is stating on their website that they are indeed gluten free. They finally caught up with the program!
good for them! Thanks for the update, Diane!
~jules
I had been using Ecover dish soap for at least a year, because my husband, who does the dishes, was having trouble with the scents in the supermarket brand-name dish soaps.
ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO I finally looked at the lable and saw that Ecover includes wheat protien!! Actually, I really think I read the label when I started buying their products, because ‘plant based’ is pretty vague.
I bought 7th generation last week, and just caught dh sneezing in the dishes. He says it could be a cold . . but maybe i’ll try mrs meyers unscented?
Wow Cara – guess it goes to show that it does matter to many folks whether gluten is in their household cleaners! Thanks for sharing your experiences! Hope your hubbie is feeling better with other products – we can’t have him quitting dish-duty now!!!
Whenever I see an article like this, that lists the products verified to be gluten-free, I can’t help but want to know which ones DID have gluten! Thanks so much for this article. I’ll have to check on some of mine.
Michelle – I just met with Mrs. Meyer’s and BioKleen at Natural Products Expo East and they both confirmed that ALL of their products are gluten-free. Hope that helps!
I never heard of gluten free household cleaners before. Great article.
another chemical-free cleaning product is called NORWEX. There are actual cleaners (unsure of their gluten status) but they have numerous microfiber clothes that are actually antibacterial and for every use imaginable, from cloths for your body, to countertops, bathrooms, floors. I use them, and they are EXCELLENT! They are also one of those home party things, and I’m so happy I got their products!
Oops – meant to add that Method brand cleaners and toiletry items are all gluten free also! Love their stuff — less expensive than Mrs. Meyers!
Just wanted to add another note on the pet food — the Diamond Pet Food plant has been under a lot of scrutiny for their quality control issues. I quit buying anything made at that plant. They make a lot of different brands — Wellness was the one we used most often, which I always thought was a high quality food, but then they were bought out by a larger corporation. Hate it when that happens! A completely grain free/gluten free pet food is Orijen. It is a very high quality food. Made in Canada with only local ingredients — NOTHING comes from China! Which is extremely rare! Now I don’t have to worry about when our dogs – or cats — lick our faces! We won’t get any gluten kisses! Stinky kisses – but at least they’re gluten free stinky kisses!
Thanks much for sharing all your research, Leslie!
Well, I just called the manufacturer of the StayFree products. I can at least say that their ultra thin with wings (both regular and long) are gluten free. I went to their website and sent them my question via their web form. They emailed me back and said, “Our line of products is quite extensive, and we do not have a specific list. If you would like to discuss a specific product’s ingredients in detail, please contact us at 1-800-582-4048 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, Eastern Time. Any of our specialists would be happy to assist you with your inquiry.”
BTW, the parent company of StayFree is Neutrogena. When I called the 800 number, I found that most of their menu options relate to skin and hair products. But if you select 0, it will take you to a live person who can answer your question. You need to provide them with the specific type of sanitary pad and they can look it up for you.
I checked with the manufacturer of the Cascade dishwasher detergent I use after someone made a blanket statement that powdered detergents have gluten. I was assured that their products (or at least the ones I was interested in) were gluten free.
I had switched my cat’s food to a grain free kibble even before being diagnosed because cats really shouldn’t be getting grains. It’s not something they would normally eat (though they do occasionally eat fresh grass leaves). Sources have stated that both corn and other grain products are bad for cats. They are full of empty calories and contributes to them being over weight. Regardless, I always wash my hands after handling their food.
Sanitary pads? Really? Guess I need to go contact the manufacturer about the brand I’ve been using.
Re: Cats and computers
One of my cats, Galen, likes to lie across my arms as I type. I have found smothering him with kisses, particularly on his nose, helps dislodge him from my lap. He also likes knocking small items off the desk and turning them into “cat toys”.
Our household consists of me, my 89 year old mother, and my husband. I have a ‘split kitchen.’ Jules’ flour is the only flour in my house, so when I cook from scratch we all eat GF. However, my husband and mother still eat many store-bought ‘prepared’ foods, including cookies,bread, and bagles. I have my own toaster and waffle iron. We’re all careful with food handling. My husband usually prepares any gluttened food they eat (ie. Stove Top Stuffing) but not always. I always wash my hands one last time before eating, just in case I might have contaminated my hands with gluten from their food or the kitchen counter etc. So here’s my question….how worried should I be about shared hand towels or washcloths that people may have used to dry their hands or wipe down gluten exposed countertops? As Jules pointed out, I don’t put these cloths in my mouth and I wash my hands just before I eat anyway, so am I probably ok? If I feel well in spite of my split kitchen, is it necessary to ban all non-GF foods for the rest of my family? Is my lack of abdominal symptoms proof enough that I’m not being cross contaminated, or am I kidding myself? Some days I am more paranoid than others. One day I was dumping store bought cookies (my mother’s favorites) into ‘their’ cookie jar, and I found myself wondering if I could be INHALING unseen gluten particples from the cookie dust!!
Celiacs only have an autoimmune reaction to gluten exposure if it’s ingested, so while inhaling gluten might cause some folks other problems, it’s not celiac. We can’t live in a bubble and we also can’t drive ourselves crazy thinking that we’re being contaminated every which way we turn. It sounds like you’re doing a darn good job of preventing contamination in a kitchen that still has gluten in it. Keep up the good work, and just make it as easy on yourself as possible… maybe you could treat yourself to some special GLUTEN-FREE only dish towels! : )
Jules, I beg to differ on your comment about inhaling gluten. I used to think the same, but think about this: When you inhale something (dust, etc.), what happens? It goes into your nose, and any particles are caught on your mucus membranes. Then what happens? After awhile, the mucus buildup is either expelled by blowing your nose, or it is SWALLOWED. Then it ends up in your digestive tract, thus causing a gluten contamination. Maybe not a really big deal for some, but I have heard of someone who had to quit their job in a bakery or factory or something (it’s been a long time since I read the article) because of the airborne wheat particles constantly making them sick.
Shannon, yes, there are lots of instances of folks having to quit their jobs due to “baker’s asthma” and dermatological sensitivities as well. Physicians will tell you though, that the wheat must be ingested to cause a celiac reaction and that what you are describing wouldn’t cause that. I see your point though, and I would never dispute that individuals may have reactions — be they celiac or not — to inhaled wheat, and regardless of the reason for the reaction or discomfort, for them, it can be very real and hazardous.
Ive learned the hardway Doctors dont know it all! anything is possible!
I was diagnosed with celiac 2 yrs ago. Never even knew what that was or going gluten free? For 21 yrs I worked in a school cafeteria, most of that time was as a cashier. The last 1 1/2 yrs was with the b’fast food products ( wheat biscuits). I stayed sick. The Doctors aren’t up to date w/this disease here in my small town. I’ve learned by trial & error & still learning everyday about this disease. The Internet has been my greatest teacher. I gave up my job due to inhaling all that wheat flour, my health improved drastically. This is a true case of My Job was Killing me. I wish my Doctors & Dentist were more informed about Celiac Disease and the toll it can take on ones entire body & well being. Instead your told you have this disease YOUR BASICALLY ON YOUR OWN, YOU FIGURE IT OUT.
I beg to differ about the “if you inhale” statement. If you breathe in particles containing gluten (i.e. airborne flour), some of that will ultimately end up in the mouth/nose/esophagus/digestive tract. The longer a person with celiac has been totally gluten free, the more the gut heals, and the more sensitive we are even to touching or breathing gluten.
After a quick review of the ingredients list, I think the dry Nutripet Cat Food from Amway is GF. (There’s no wheat, at least.) The canned foods contain rolled oats. Looks like both the wet and dry dog foods contain oats. Not sure if the oats they use are GF (not cross-contaminated), though, which is why I point it out. I’ll contact the company to clarify and repost when I get a response.
If you’re interested in looking at the ingredients list yourself, click the “Visit my website” link and search for “Nutripet”. The nutritional info is contained in a PDF file linked on the product pages.
Well, bummer… Standard corporate policy, I suppose… Here’s the response I received:
Thank you for contacting Amway regarding the Nutripet products. At this time, we are not able to certify that all products available through Amway are gluten free. Please note that there are currently no U.S. FDA regulations regarding the use of the term “gluten-free.” A product label may say “gluten-free” if there is no known source of gluten added to the product. However, this does not guarantee that the product is actually free of any trace amounts of gluten.
We have had the question asked “Why does our advertisement state, no corn by products, but have corn gluten meal listed on the label?
Corn Gluten Meal is used in cat food formulas for its high protein and its low ash and magnesium (important for cats urinary tract health). The term “by-product” is usually used in the description of meat meal proteins or is the manufacturer was using corn husks. Corn gluten meal is not sourced from the husk or cob, but rather the inner ear of the corn. This ingredient is even higher in protein content than fish meal.
When we started out with our custom gluten-free cereal operations we learned our lesson about dish soaps: the evil gluten is everywhere!
I don’t remember the exact kind but the carelessly purchased Mr. Clean dishwashing detergent did contain wheat. We called the hotline that was given on the bottle, and they confirmed it. So watch out there!
We have since then been very happy with Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products and use them throughout our dedicated gluten-free facility.
Thanks for the tip, Hajo!
Jules please be careful with your kitties food, most animal food has wheat. We learned the hard way when my daughter kept breaking out after feeding kitty. We can’t find a gf food, so I just wore gloves to feed “rat-cat” as the kids named him.
Thanks – I’ll have to pay more attention to the cat food! I have been using a scoop and not touching it, but I’ll look at the ingredients just so I know!
There is a “Diamond” brand kitten food
that (just from reading the label)
seems to not contain any gluten grains.
Some of the others Diamond pet foods contain barley and so there could be cross contamination at the plant…….
I haven’t contacted the company but just
did a giant search through the pet food
store, reading labels. They also have at
least one dog food-I think it is an older dog diet- chicken and rice? that (according to the label) doesn’t contain
any gluten grain ingredients.
We use both and our pets love them.
Not employed by the company or anything-just another mom trying to
make the house safer!
My partner and I had to switch our kitties over to Gf. Fancy Feast wet food in the classic variety only, is Gf. Also their dry Gourmet Cat food is Gf. Hope that helps you out!
Another brand for you to try in ENJO. They do home parties. You just use their product (a fabric mitt of sorts) and water…talk about no chemicals, this is it. I bought a bathroom “kit” at my friends demo and have not had my bathroom sparkle this much…ever. Just thought I would mention it. Thanks for all your great ideas and recipes. Would love to buy your products, but being Canadian prevents me. Cheers from North of the border!