Products · Cleaning & laundry · Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner, Fir & Spruce, 32 fl oz

A concentrated cleaner for dishes, floors and laundry, scented only by named fir and spruce oils: 11 named ingredients, no dye or ethoxylated surfactant, EWG Verified. It has SLS, a preservative and only one small independent dish test.

Best for Anyone who wants one concentrate for dishes, counters, floors and laundry, scented only by named conifer oils, and who accepts SLS and a mild preservative.

Our rating: Good (3.6 of 5)
Price range: Mid-range
Verified marks: EWG Verified (EWG’s cleaning guide lists Sal Suds, Siberian Fir & Spruce; data updated 2025-07-29)
Size: 32 fl oz (946 mL) bottle; the maker also sells 16 fl oz ($11.29) and 1 gallon ($54.99)

approx. $17 for 32 fl oz

See it on Dr. Bronner’s’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with Dr. Bronner’s. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($16), iHerb ($16), Whole Foods Market ($16) , and 1 more.

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How we evaluated it

How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Good, 3.6 of 5

Ingredients 35% of the rating 4 of 5

Eleven named ingredients, scent only from three named conifer oils and no dye, brightener, ethoxylated surfactant or unnamed fragrance, but sodium lauryl sulfate is an irritant and sodium benzoate is a preservative.
Cleans well 20% of the rating 3 of 5

One small hands-on dish test (YourBestDigs, 2021) scored it 4.0 on cleaning against 4.3 for Dawn Platinum, but we found no Consumer Reports-style test, and its 4.8-star Amazon average and the maker’s hard-water claim are opinion, not a test.
Independent testing 15% of the rating 3 of 5

EWG lists it as EWG Verified, which screens ingredients and is a mark the maker applies for, and we found no lab test of the finished cleaner for contaminants such as PFAS.
Trust 10% of the rating 3 of 5

It names every ingredient and says plainly it is not a disinfectant, but the maker settled a 2025 heavy-metals suit over its toothpaste and a 2023 Prop 65 notice named a chocolate bar, though neither concerns this cleaner.
Value 20% of the rating 4 of 5

At $16.99 for 32 fl oz the maker’s dilutions work out to about 27 cents a quart of spray and 4 to 13 cents a sink of dishes, though laundry at 27 to 40 cents a load costs more than powders.

The rating, 3.6 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank cleaning & laundry and our standard.

Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 4 stores

Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $16. 32 oz, titled “Sal Suds All-Purpose Cleaner, Fir & Spruce”, $15.69 to $15.99 on 2026-11-03. Ships from Amazon and is sold by Dr. Bronner’s, the maker; 4.8 stars from more than 10,000 ratings.
iHerb (opens in a new tab) approx. $16. 32 fl oz (946 ml), $15.69 on 2026-11-03 and in stock.
Whole Foods Market (opens in a new tab) approx. $16. Whole Foods’ online grocery page for the 32 oz bottle, $16.29 for the Atlanta area on 2026-11-03. We could not see who sells it, and prices vary by store.
Target (opens in a new tab) approx. $15. 32 fl oz, $14.99 ($0.47 an ounce) on 2026-11-03 and in stock; 4.89 stars from 1,737 ratings. The listing names no separate seller.

Prices as we saw them on November 3, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

What’s in it Every ingredient, in label order 11 ingredients

Water
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Lauryl glucoside
Sodium coco-sulfate
Sodium benzoate
Abies sibirica (Siberian fir) needle oil
Picea glauca (white spruce) branch/leaf oil
Picea mariana (black spruce) leaf oil
Citric acid
Sodium chloride
Limonene

Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 3 tests

Independent YourBestDigs (affiliate review site; its own hands-on dish-soap test) April 2021

Tested 14 dish soaps: a teaspoon in two gallons of 110°F water, a tablespoon of olive oil left on a plate for three minutes without scrubbing, and baked-on beans. The writer reported that the oil slid right off and the food dissolved, gave Sal Suds a cleaning score of 4.0 against 4.3 for Dawn Platinum, and named it the best dish soap overall. A dish test only; it says nothing about floors or laundry. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Paid certification EWG Verified (certification; the maker applies) July 2025

EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning lists Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner, Siberian Fir & Spruce as EWG Verified, with ingredient disclosure rated good and data updated 2025-07-29. EWG scores ingredients against its own list; it does not test the finished cleaner. We read the entry in a browser on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Maker’s own test Dr. Bronner’s (maker)

Says Sal Suds shows more than 60% biodegradation after 28 days under ISO 14593, is cruelty-free as certified by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, and rinses freely in hard or soft water. It publishes no report for any of these. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Who paid, and why it matters

Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 7 questions

Is sodium lauryl sulfate a problem, and could there be 1,4-dioxane?: SLS is a skin and eye irritant at full strength. Consumer Reports’ 2026 laundry article (opens in a new tab) cites a skin scientist who says people with sensitive skin should avoid sulfates, and Mamavation’s cleaner review (opens in a new tab), an ingredient review dated 2019, puts Sal Suds in its “Better” tier with the note “Contains SLS”. 1,4-Dioxane is a contaminant of ethoxylation, as Mamavation explains (opens in a new tab), and none of Sal Suds’ surfactants is ethoxylated. We found no test of the finished cleaner for it.
Is it really EWG Verified?: Yes. EWG’s own page (opens in a new tab) carries the Verified mark and rates ingredient disclosure good (data updated 2025-07-29). EWG’s list leaves out the limonene that Dr. Bronner’s prints on its label and otherwise matches it. Verification is an ingredient screen, not a lab test.
Does it kill germs?: No. Dr. Bronner’s dilution chart (opens in a new tab) says it is a cleaner, not a disinfectant. Our guide to bleach and disinfectants covers when you need one.
Does it clean as well as Dawn or Seventh Generation?: The only independent test we found is a small 2021 dish-soap test (opens in a new tab) by an affiliate review site, which scored Sal Suds 4.0 on cleaning against 4.3 for Dawn Platinum and named it the best of 14 dish soaps overall. Consumer Reports’ 2026 dish soap test (opens in a new tab) found all 12 soaps it tried cleaned dishes really well, but its named brands do not include Dr. Bronner’s. Amazon shows 4.8 stars from more than 10,000 ratings, which is owner opinion and not a test.
Does the maker have lawsuits, notices or recalls?: One Prop 65 notice, filed July 2023, about mercury in a Dr. Bronner’s chocolate bar (AG 2023-01918 (opens in a new tab)); none about a cleaner. A 2025 class action over heavy metals in its toothpaste was settled in October 2025 without admission of liability, as our bar soap page details. CPSC’s recall search and openFDA list no record.
Is it fragrance-free?: No. It is scented by three named conifer oils and limonene, which our standard allows because they are named. If you react to them, pick an unscented product. Our fragrance guide explains why we accept named essential oils but not an unnamed “fragrance”.
Is it PFAS-free?: No fluorinated ingredient is on the label. We found no independent PFAS test of the finished cleaner and none for Dr. Bronner’s cleaners.

Why we chose it What put it on our list 5 points

Eleven named ingredients on the maker’s page: water, three surfactants (sodium lauryl sulfate, lauryl glucoside, sodium coco-sulfate), sodium benzoate, citric acid, sodium chloride, three conifer oils named by Latin name, and limonene. None of the surfactants is ethoxylated.
The scent comes only from Siberian fir, white spruce and black spruce oils. The label lists no dye, optical brightener, quat, chlorine, isothiazolinone preservative or unnamed fragrance.
EWG’s cleaning guide shows the Verified mark for this exact product, with ingredient disclosure rated good. EWG’s list matches the maker’s, except that it leaves out limonene.
It is a concentrate. Dr. Bronner’s own chart makes a quart of all-purpose spray from 1 tablespoon (about 27 cents at $16.99 for 32 fl oz), a sink of dishes from ½ to 1½ teaspoons (about 4 to 13 cents) and an HE laundry load from 1 to 1½ tablespoons (about 27 to 40 cents).
It says plainly that it is a cleaner and not a disinfectant, and that it is not for washing people or pets because it can be drying.

Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 5 points

Sodium lauryl sulfate is the main surfactant. A skin scientist cited by Consumer Reports says people with sensitive skin should avoid sulfates such as SLS in detergents, and Mamavation’s older cleaner review (2019) flags Sal Suds for it. Wear gloves if your hands react.
The only independent cleaning test we found is a small 2021 dish-soap test by an affiliate review site, and there is no lab test of the finished cleaner for contaminants. EWG Verified screens ingredients; it is not a lab test.
It is scented. If you react to conifer oils or limonene, choose an unscented product such as Meliora’s tablets or Charlie’s Soap.
It is not a disinfectant, and the label lists a preservative (sodium benzoate).
The maker settled a 2025 class action over heavy metals in its toothpaste, and a 2023 Prop 65 notice named a chocolate bar. Neither concerns this cleaner, but both lower our score for trust.

What to know Details worth knowing first

Sal Suds is a concentrated hard-surface cleaner, not a soap. Our guide to common cleaning products lists the things to avoid in a spray: undisclosed fragrance, quats and ingredients that are not on the label. This one prints all eleven ingredients, scents itself only with three named conifer oils, and a tablespoon in a quart of water makes a spray that costs about 27 cents.

It is on the list for its label and one outside mark. EWG’s cleaning guide shows the Verified mark for this exact product, which means the ingredients were screened. It does not mean the cleaner was tested. The one independent cleaning test we found is a small 2021 dish test on an affiliate review site, in which it scored just under Dawn Platinum, and we found no contaminant test. The other performance claims come from the maker and from owner reviews.

The compromise is sodium lauryl sulfate, a common and effective surfactant that irritates some skin. It is not ethoxylated, which is the route to 1,4-dioxane; see our laundry products guide. As Dr. Bronner’s own chart says, it cleans but does not disinfect; for raw-meat juices or illness, see our look at vinegar and baking soda for what to use after cleaning.

What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 7 checks

How Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner, Fir & Spruce, 32 fl oz measures up against our cleaning & laundry criteria
What we checked	What we found
Full ingredient disclosure Maker’s claim	Eleven ingredients on the product page, with the three oils named in Latin. EWG’s listing has ten (no limonene, “sea salt” for sodium chloride).
Independent mark: EWG Verified Verified	EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning lists this product with the Verified mark, data updated 2025-07-29. We opened the entry in a browser on 2026-11-03.
Independent mark: EPA Safer Choice Not verified	No Dr. Bronner’s rows in EPA’s Safer Choice products table (queried 2026-11-03).
Fragrance Maker’s claim	Scented by named Siberian fir, white spruce and black spruce oils plus limonene; no unnamed fragrance.
Concentrates and refills Maker’s claim	Concentrate: 1 tablespoon per quart of spray. Sold in 16 oz, 32 oz and 1 gallon bottles made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, per the maker. No refill pouch.
Honest germ claims Maker’s claim	No germ-killing claim; the maker says it is a cleaner, not a disinfectant.
Independent cleaning test Not verified	A small 2021 dish-soap test by an affiliate review site scored it 4.0 on cleaning against 4.3 for Dawn Platinum. No Consumer Reports test names it.

What the labels mean

Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.

Sources Where our facts come from 15 sources

Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner product page. Maker’s page. Ingredients, sizes and prices as seen 2026-11-03: 16 oz $11.29, 32 oz $16.99, 1 gallon $54.99. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds dilution chart and cheat sheet. Maker’s page. 1 tablespoon per quart for spray, ½ to 1½ teaspoons per sink, 1 to 1½ tablespoons per HE load; says it is a cleaner, not a disinfectant. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning: Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner, Siberian Fir & Spruce. Certifier or regulator listing. Shows the EWG Verified mark; data last updated 2025-07-29. Read in a browser on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Sal Suds 32 oz on Amazon. Independent source. $15.69 to $15.99 on 2026-11-03, ships from Amazon, sold by Dr. Bronner’s; more than 10,000 ratings. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Sal Suds 32 fl oz on iHerb. Independent source. $15.69 on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Sal Suds 32 fl oz on Target. Independent source. $14.99 ($0.47 an ounce) on 2026-11-03, in stock, 4.89 stars from 1,737 ratings. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Sal Suds 32 oz on Whole Foods Market. Independent source. $16.29 for the Atlanta area on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
YourBestDigs: the best dish soap (own hands-on test). Test report. Updated 2021-04-23. Tests 14 dish soaps with olive oil and baked-on beans; the site earns affiliate commissions and says its reviews are not sponsored. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Consumer Reports: Best and worst laundry detergents of 2026. Test report. Cites a skin scientist on avoiding sulfates for sensitive skin. Does not test or name Sal Suds. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Consumer Reports: 6 best dish soaps, tested. Test report. The free text says all 12 soaps cleaned dishes really well and names the brands; Dr. Bronner’s is not among them. The ratings are members-only. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Mamavation: best non-toxic all-purpose cleaners. Test report. An ingredient review dated 2019, not a lab test; lists Sal Suds in its “Better” tier as “Contains SLS”. The site earns affiliate income. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Mamavation: safest green laundry detergents (ethoxylation and 1,4-dioxane). Test report. Explains how 1,4-dioxane arises when surfactants are ethoxylated. The site earns affiliate income. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
California AG Prop 65 notice search: Bronner. Certifier or regulator listing. One notice, AG 2023-01918 (July 2023), about mercury in a chocolate bar. Searched 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
CPSC recall search: Bronner. Certifier or regulator listing. No records on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
EPA Safer Choice products table. Certifier or regulator listing. No Dr. Bronner’s rows on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Alternatives Other options to compare 3 options

Meliora All-Purpose Home Cleaner, Unscented One ingredient family (coconut-oil soap), no fragrance, MADE SAFE listed, about $2 per 16 fl oz of spray. A cleaner for surfaces only.
Branch Basics The Concentrate A premium concentrate that dilutes for many jobs, with MADE SAFE and EWG Verified listings and seven ingredients.
ECOS Dish Soap, Free & Clear A low-cost, scent-free hand dish soap listed by EPA as Safer Choice, with preservatives and a record of labeling disputes.

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