Downy Unstopables In-Wash Laundry Scent Booster Beads are a laundry scent booster that you add on top of your detergent.
Our resident toxicologist and I are reviewing the ingredients in detail to provide an expert opinion on the ingredient safety as well as natural alternatives for those that are interested in that.
This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The information in this article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, veterinary, legal, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this information.
Summary:
- “No significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm“. This product has been evaluated and does not require warning labeling under California Proposition 65 for cancer or reproductive harm. (SDS sheet)
- The product may contain 1,4 dioxane (at or below the 1 ppm limit required by New York State) and/or ethylene oxide (probable carcinogen and know carcinogen respectively), both below limits that would require a Prop 65 warning (therefore “will not pose a significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm” Prop 65).
- Endocrine disrupters? The product is phthalate-free (source); one ingredient is a weak phytoestrogen; and another could be classified as a potential endocrine disrupter.
- Some allergenic ingredients: Unstopables contain a few ingredients that are on the EU Fragrance Allergens list as well as other lists of allergens. This is extremely common in fragranced products since many natural and synthetic fragrance ingredients are allergens (for some individuals). This designation does not imply the product is unsafe for the general population.
- EWG “C” and “D” rated ingredients – All of the known fragrance ingredients rank as C or D by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) cleaning product ranking system which ranks ingredients from A to F, which is not great.
- One is classified as expected to be toxic or harmful (organ toxicity, non-reproductive) by Environment Canada.
- These ratings are reported directly from EWG’s publicly available ingredient pages; we have not independently validated all of EWG’s underlying data or scoring methodology. For details on each score, please see the individual ingredient listings on EWG’s site.
- Environmental toxicity – some ingredients have poor ratings when it comes to aquatic toxicity, sources listed below.
- While I prefer to use products without ingredients that cause aquatic toxicity myself, these classifications reflect laboratory tests on individual substances, not formulated products. We do not have data on (a) whether typical municipal wastewater treatment processes effectively remove these specific compounds, or (b) the actual concentrations released during normal laundry operations – both of these are critical to determining real-world risk.
- Some people don’t feel well around laundry boosters – scent beads of various brands can cause some people – especially chemically sensitive people, or some people with asthma, to feel unwell. This data is not specific to Downy.
- Even a British Airways Airbus A380 had to turn around after an “overpowering scent” of laundry beads (please note that the brand is not mentioned and therefore is not specific to Downy) filled the plane, the cabin and flight crew reported “dizziness, nausea, and headaches”, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said. (Business Insider)
Significant Ingredients in Downy Unstopables:
- PEG (Perfume Carrier) CAS 25322-68-3
- PEG can be contaminated with potentially carcinogenic impurities like 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, however….
- For 1,4 Dioxane: Because Downy Unstoppables do not have Prop 65 warning this means if they do contain 1,4 dioxane, it’s below the level required by Prop 65 and therefore it “will not pose a significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm” according to Prop 65.
- They also comply with New York state laws on 1,4-dioxane with allow for only 1 part per million.
- Ethylene oxide is also a Prop 65 chemical due to cancer and reproductive toxicity, but here it is also below the Prop 65 threshold. So it “will not pose a significant risk of cancer or reproductive harm” according to Prop 65.
- The New Jersey government says, in relation to ethylene oxide, “there may be no safe level of exposure to carcinogens”.
- Keep in mind PEG is used in food, medications and many household products. And, contrary to what some bloggers are saying, it is not banned in Europe (source).
2. Fragrances, listed out below – All known ingredients are rated C or D by EWG (which is not great); some are fragrance allergens; two have potential endocrine effects (one is a weak phytoestrogen, the other is a potential endocrine disrupter); one is classified as expected to be toxic or harmful (organ toxicity, non-reproductive) by Environment Canada; some have aquatic toxicity. See disclaimers above in the summary section.
3. Colorants, listed out below – In the Lush scent, one has a C rating (EWG), the other is an azo dye but is not flagged as hazardous.
The Lush scent contains (source):
Ingredients that appear on a California Cleaning Products Right to Know Act Designated List or are fragrance allergens included on Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation No 1223/2009 are noted.
I am also including the ratings from EWG household cleaner scale which rank from A to F for how healthy/safe they rate the ingredient plus notes from our toxicologist.
Fragrance ingredients:
- D rating: methoxypolyoxymethylene melamine – EWG categorizes it as limited evidence of carcinogenicity. Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful (organ toxicity, non-reproductive) by Environment Canada. (source and source)
- vinyl homopolymer salt, CAS number not disclosed – cannot assess toxicity profile or environmental concerns. Cannot get an EWG rating.
- C rating: tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes – Aquatic toxicity: Substance is very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, causes skin irritation and may cause an allergic skin reaction (ECHA).
- C rating: 1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2-buten-1-one
- C rating: 1h-3a,7-methanoazulene, octahydro-6-methoxy-3,6,8,8-tetramethyl-, (3r,3as,6s,7r,8as)-
- C rating: 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde
- C rating: 2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol
- D rating: 2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-, 1-acetate
- C rating: 2-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate
- C rating: 3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methano-1h-indenyl acetate
- C rating: 3-buten-2-one, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-
- C rating: 3-octanol, 3,7-dimethyl-
- C rating: acetylcedrene Aquatic Toxicity (ECHA)
- C rating: alpha-isomethyl ionone* Designated List EU Fragrance Allergens
- D rating: anethole Weak estrogenic activity – this is a component of essential oils that is phytoestrogen (it can also be synthetically produced). A very high dose over an extended period of time is required to cause any noticeable effect on hormones (source and source), so this is not something we are worried about in this product.
- C rating: benzoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethyl-, methyl ester
- C rating: benzyl acetate
- D rating: benzyl benzoate* Designated List: EU Fragrance Allergens; Endocrine disrupter? The evidence is insufficient to classify the chemical as endocrine disruptor, says Dr. Mudgal. Based on the limited weight of evidence, it can be a potential endocrine disrupter (ECHA; EWG).
- C rating: butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester
- C rating: butanoic acid, 3-methylbutyl ester
- C rating: citronellol* Designated List: EU Fragrance Allergens
- C rating: citronellyl acetate
- C rating: citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil
- C rating: cyclabute Classification (REGULATION (EC) No 1272/2008) Chronic aquatic toxicity, Category 2 H411: Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (source)
- C rating: cyclamen aldehyde
- C rating: cyclohexanemethanol, alpha,3,3-trimethyl-, 1-formate
- C rating: dihydro pentamethylindanone According to ECHA in REACH registrations this substance is toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (source)
- C rating: dipropylene glycol
- C rating: ethyl 2,2-dimethylhydrocinnamal
- C rating: ethyl cinnamate
- C rating: ethyl methylphenylglycidate
- C rating: ethyl trimethylcyclopentene butenol H411 (100%): Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (source).
- C rating: ethyl vanillin
- C rating: ethylene brassylate
- C rating: gamma-decalactone
- C rating: gamma-nonalactone
- C rating: gamma-undecalactone
- D rating: heptanoic acid, 2-propen-1-yl ester
- C rating: hexyl acetate
- C rating: hexyl cinnamal* Designated List: EU Fragrance Allergens
- C rating: isoamyl allylglycolate
- C rating: isobutyl methyl tetrahydropyranol
- C rating: limonene* Designated List: EU Fragrance Allergens
- C rating: linalool* Designated List: EU Fragrance Allergens
- C rating: linalyl acetate
- C rating: methyl ionone
- C rating: methyldihydrojasmonate
- C rating: orange oil terpenes
- C rating: oxacyclohexadecenone
- C rating: propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-phenoxyethyl ester
Dyes in Lush Scent (source):
- C rating: Acid Violet 48 CAS 12220-51-8
- Acid Red 131 CAS 12234-99-0 – this is an azo dye but it’s not flagged as hazardous by ECHA; limited data but no significant toxicity alerts found, says Dr. Mudgal.
They Are Septic Safe?
“All Downy products are expected to be safe as long as they are used as intended and the septic system is functioning properly”. (source)
Are Downy Unstopables Toxic to Dogs and Cats?
An email from Downy said: “We have not tested Downy Unstopables on pet bedding.”
Dr. Mudgal says strong synthetic fragrance ingredients and essential oil components like those found in some brands of scent boosters (such as limonene and linalool) are known to be potentially irritating or harmful to some pets, especially cats, if inhaled in large amounts or ingested, says Dr. Mudgal.
We do not have specific data on whether the concentration of ingredients in this product are safe for cats and other common pets.
While the CDC doesn’t specify that you wash pet bedding with anything other regular laundry detergent for most cases (they don’t specifically address scent boosters here), they also say “detergents with no dyes and no fragrance may be a better choice if your pet has sensitive skin.” (source)
The most cautious approach, according to Dr. Mudgal, would be to avoid using heavily scented laundry products on pet bedding or clothing, and keep the scent beads stored safely out of reach.
If a pet chews or eats the beads or shows symptoms after exposure (like vomiting, drooling, or lethargy), consult a veterinarian promptly, says Dr. Mudgal.
References: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, Pet Poison Helpline: Essential Oils and Cats – petpoisonhelpline.com, Veterinary Toxicology references (e.g., Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, Gupta).
Are Downy Unstopables Safe for Baby Clothes?
In an email from Downy, when I asked about using Unstopables on baby clothes they suggested I used a different product instead.
They said, “due to babies (sic) sensitivities you could consider trying our Dreft Blissfuls [In-Wash Scent Booster] product. … [it is] safe for all fabrics, including baby clothes, bed sheets ….”, according to Downy.
Many scent boosters contain synthetic fragrances, including known allergens like benzyl benzoate, linalool, and limonene.
These are legally permitted, but can sometimes trigger skin irritation, especially in infants with sensitive skin or eczema, says Dr. Mudgal.
The cautious approach that some paediatricians and dermatologists suggest is using synthetic-fragrance-free laundry products for children (which would include baby clothes). (Source)
Downy Light Scent Beads May be Lighter in Scent But…
Downy Light Scent Beads have a lighter scent than the Unstopables (“no heavy perfumes” they say).
The scents are more inspired by natural scents, and they are dye-free.
Like Unstopables, they are based on PEG and a mix of synthetic and natural fragrance ingredients.
- Having reviewed both ingredient lists in full we are not able to tell a difference in one being more natural i.e. containing significantly more natural ingredients than the other, because we don’t actually know what percent of each ingredient is used.
- We cannot tell if there is a major difference between the two in terms of safety of ingredients, again, that depends on their percentages, which we don’t know.
A Natural Scent Booster for Laundry (Alternative to Unstopables)
For those who prefer natural scents, Good Laundry Scent Booster Beads are all-natural, made of corn start and natural fragrance.
I am ordering some so I will report back on how well they work and what they smell like.
I’ll be adding them to unscented detergent. You could also buy Good Laundry’s detergent to stay with the same scent.
More Ways To Naturally Scent Your Laundry:
Use a Naturally Scented Detergent
Molly Suds is a great brand.
Zum is what I’m using right now.
Use Natural Linen Sprays
I personally mix vodka and essential oils (either Lime in the Coconut or Joy) in this amber spray bottle to make my own linen spray.
Plant Therapy natural linen spray is a brand I trust.
Grow linen spray is another good brand.
Please note there can be inhalation risks here. I use a mask when applying my linen spray.
Note: Essential Oils On Wool Dryer Balls Can be Dangerous
Note that some essential oils are dangerous to use in a dryer.
Essential oils are flammable and can pose a fire risk when added to dryer balls or dryer sheets.
If essential oils are added to your wash or are already present on your clothing and are not adequately rinsed away during the wash cycle, this may also pose a fire hazard when drying them. (source)
Plant Therapy has tested a few oils and natural extracts that are safe for most dryers including:
- Sparkling Lavender – Lemon, Lavender, Lavandin, and more.
- Sparkling Peppermint – Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, and more.
- Sparkling Grapefruit – Lavender, Lime Steam Distilled, Pink Grapefruit, and more.
Add 3-4 drops to a wool dryer ball.
(Not recommended for use with commercial dryers or older model dryer settings that heat above 135° F/57° C).
Or Use Naturally Scented Dryer Sheets
Store Your Clean Laundry With Cedar Wood and Lavender Sachets
This pack comes with cedar and lavender sachets.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
Laura Rabon
clean has zero smell.