The best baby-safe laundry detergent you can buy

Why you'll love it: If you are an Amazon Prime member, Mountain Falls Ultra Fresh & Clear liquid laundry detergent is free from perfumes and dyes and costs only nine cents per load.

The last thing a new parent needs is to spend more money. Saving 10 cents or more on every load of laundry can really add up during a baby's first year. Mountain Falls Ultra Fresh & Clear laundry detergent can provide those savings and still protect your little one's sensitive skin.

At only nine cents per load for Prime Pantry members, the detergent works well on all but the heaviest stains. The soil and stain-lifting surfactants will work perfectly well on laundry for the entire family. The formula can be used in either standard or high-efficiency washers, phosphate free, and dermatologist and pediatrician tested.

Since Mountain Falls is available only on Amazon, you'll find all of the feedback there. More than 71% of buyers give the product five stars. One happy customer says, "The cleaning performance is as good or better than the brand named detergent I was using."

After testing the product on our laundry, I agree. For clothes that are not heavily soiled, it is equally as good as more expensive brands.

While you can purchase Mountain Falls Fresh & Clear on Amazon without being a Prime Pantry member, it will cost a bit more.

Pros: Perfume and dye-free formula, leaves clothes clean and feeling soft, low-cost-per-load

Cons: Only available on Amazon.com and you must be an Amazon Prime member to receive the lowest price

Buy Mountain Falls Ultra Fresh & Clean liquid laundry detergent in a 100-load bottle on Amazon for $8.00 (currently out of stock) Buy a 2-pack for $23.05

Why you'll love it: Environmentally-friendly Seventh Generation Baby Concentrated Laundry Detergent also protects your baby's sensitive skin from harsh chemicals.

Protecting a new baby is always a top priority, but we should never forget that protecting the Earth is also important. After all, our actions today will affect the world that a child faces in the future.

Seventh Generation products adhere to that philosophy and use only plant or mineral-based ingredients. Seventh Generation Baby Laundry Detergent received a 97% rating as a USDA Certified Biobased Product and is never tested on animals.

One member of the What to Expect community, Lakewood Chick, says "We use Seventh Generation Free & Clear for everyone's clothes, not just baby. I think it works great and it makes me feel much better knowing harmful chemicals aren't in it."

After giving it a try on our baby's laundry, I was delighted with the results. The plant-based enzymes removed tough formula and diaper stains with ease. Over on Amazon, 61% of buyers rated it as a five-star product. The cost at around 25 cents per load is higher but the results are worth it.

Pros: Plant and mineral-based ingredients are environmentally-friendly, detergent works well on baby stains and can be used for laundry for the entire family

Cons: Higher cost-per-load

Buy Seventh Generation Baby Concentrated Laundry Detergent in a 53-load bottle on Amazon for $12.98

Why you'll love it: Just as babies grow bigger, so do their stains. Babyganics 3X Baby Laundry Detergent contains the enzymes you need to treat those stains.

Newborns need to be swaddled with soft, irritant-free fabrics from the moment they are born. Fortunately, other than some diaper accidents, they don't create too many difficult stains. But as they age and are introduced to commercial formulas that contain iron and then those first solid foods, the stains can be a challenge especially if they sit around for several days before being washed.

That's why I was so pleased to discover that Babyganics contains the enzymes protease to break down protein stains (diaper stains) and amylase to tackle starches and carbohydrates stains. What also makes Babyganics a good choice is that the formula is plant and mineral-based and carries the USDA Certified Biobased label.

Babyganics Baby Laundry Detergent has a five-star rating by 61% of buyers on Amazon. One reviewer is particularly pleased with the 3X concentration since "you don't have to buy it as often as others compared to its size nor need to hold up a bulky container every time you have to do the laundry (pretty important for tired moms)."

Developed to use in both standard and high-efficiency washers at a cost of around 23 cents per load, I use Babyganics liquid detergent as a stain pre-treater before tossing those dirty bibs into the washer. If you like a bit of scent, it also comes in a lavender scent created with natural essential oils.

Pros: Contains enzymes to tackle tough stains, available in unscented and scented formulas, concentrated formula with an easy-to-handle bottle

Cons: Not readily available in all mass-market stores

Buy Babyganics 3X Baby Laundry Detergent in a 56 load bottle on Amazon for $13.53 or $14.24

Why you'll love it: Cloth diapers present a laundry challenge to new parents, but Rockin' Green Classic Rock Natural Laundry Detergent can make it all easier.

Every parent must make the decision on whether to use cloth or disposable diapers with each having its own merits. If cloth diapers are the final choice, learning how to clean and disinfect them properly is a must. Even if you use a diaper service, there will be times when you need to wash a load of diapers at home.

Rockin' Green is a small company based in Texas that tackles the challenge of diaper laundry with a mineral-based powdered detergent that removes tough stains but leaves the fabric feeling soft to the touch. Free of dyes and perfumes, the company also offers a Hard Rock formula if you live in an area with hard water that can leave fabrics stiff and scratchy.

On What to Expect, one community member, Smallsteps, reports that " I no longer have to add tons of other stuff to get my diapers clean and stink free!"

Some 70% of buyers on Amazon give the product a five-star rating. I found that if you follow the proper routine of rinsing and pre-soaking soiled diapers and wash them regularly, for less than 20 cents per load your little one will have clean, odor-free diapers every day.

Pros: Mineral-based and contains no petroleum-based products, produced in the United States, removes diaper stains and odor

Cons: Not readily available in mass-market stores, packaging may spill easily

Buy Rockin' Green Classic Rock Natural Laundry Detergent in a 90 load pouch on Amazon for $17.95