Is it safe to buy shampoo and soap with potential 1,4-dioxane contamination?
Use caution. 1,4-dioxane can be a hidden byproduct in soaps, shampoos, and detergents.
What is in it
1,4-dioxane is not usually added on purpose. It can form during manufacturing of certain foaming and cleansing ingredients.
The FDA lists ingredient clues that can point to this process: PEG, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, -eth, and oxynol. You may see these in shampoo, body wash, soap, detergent, and other wash-off products.
What the research says
The FDA says 1,4-dioxane can be present in small amounts in some cosmetics as a manufacturing byproduct. The EPA says it can be a contaminant in consumer products such as soaps and detergents.
A 2026 Environmental Science & Technology study measured 1,4-dioxane in Long Island water and blood samples. It found 1,4-dioxane in 32% of water samples and 24% of blood samples. It did not find a link between personal care product use and blood levels in that small study.
The practical step is simple: choose simpler soap and shampoo bars when they work for your family, and check labels for PEG, -eth, polyoxyethylene, and oxynol ingredients.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct | FDA | 2026 |
| Risk Evaluation for 1,4-Dioxane | US EPA | 2026 |
| Evaluating 1,4-Dioxane Exposure in Long Island, New York: Integrating Environmental, Biological, and Metabolomic Measures. | Environ Sci Technol | 2026 |