It’s getting scrubbed from the shelves.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling another batch of The Laundress fabric conditioners because they may contain a carcinogen that’s harmful with long-term exposure.
The notice issued Friday covers 800,000 bottles of The Laundress New York fabric conditioners with the white labeling on the front in the following sizes: one gallon, one pound, 33 ounces, 16 ounces, 2 ounces and 15 milliliters.
Ethylene oxide is the concern, as the chemical can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, lungs and skin, as well as vomiting, diarrhea and shortness of breath. It has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer, as well as reproductive problems and neurotoxicity.
The latest recall covers 730,000 units that fell under a Dec. 1 recall.
The product safety commission is urging consumers to “immediately stop using” the recalled products and return them for a refund. Bottles should be closed tightly and placed in household trash.
The Post has reached out to The Laundress and Unilever, its parent company, for comment.
“We deeply apologize for this situation and thank you for your patience,” reads a statement on The Laundress site. “We look forward to reintroducing The Laundress with products that reaffirm our commitment to the highest standards of consumer safety and quality.”
The Laundress site doesn’t appear to be selling any product as of Friday.
In December, 8 million Laundress units were recalled for potential contamination from bacteria that could be life-threatening to people with chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis.
About a dozen customers reported having bacterial infections at the time, according to the commission.
Products covered by the December recall were sold by The Laundress as well as Amazon, Bloomingdale’s, The Container Store, Saks Fifth Avenue, Target, Nordstrom, Brooklinen and other retailers before October 2022 for $8 to $100.
Three weeks later, The Laundress issued a withdrawal of additional product.
The so-called eco-conscious laundering products were once popularized by TikTok, thanks to their aesthetically pleasing packaging; crisp, white labels; and promise of luxury quality.
The Laundress was founded by two New York fashion execs, Gwen Whiting and Lindsey Boyd, who sought a better way to care for their “wardrobe investments,” or expensive clothing, without the cost of dry cleaning. They sold their company to Unilever in 2019.
The brand’s reputation was tarnished, not only by the recalls, but also by a class action lawsuit filed in November.
A California woman claimed bacteria was present in The Laundress products she purchased, leading her family to experience “respiratory infections, skin infections, rashes, and hives,” according to the suit.
The Post reached out to a Unilever attorney handling the case for comment.
She’s not alone. Other customers have shared their concerns on TikTok.
“I have broken out all over my body — just hives,” Phoebe Lemcke, 23, said in September, showing off her arms and face. At the time, she believed she had accidentally purchased an online dupe of The Laundress fabric conditioner. Fellow TikTokers encouraged her to do more research on the brand.
New York Magazine’s The Cut recently reported that a Houston woman who joined the lawsuit claimed she was hospitalized in 2021 with sepsis after consistently using The Laundress’ No. 10 detergent and scratching herself before tucking herself in one night.
She said tests showed bacteria were found in her bloodstream.
Dermatologist Daniel Sugai even weighed in on the sudsy controversy, saying brands often “demonize chemicals” and tout “all-natural” ingredients, but the preservatives they reject are key to preventing microbe contamination.
Preservatives, in fact, “can be very important,” he said in a TikTok clip last month.
“That’s the thing I hate about ‘clean beauty,'” Sugai declared. “There’s a lot of dirty laundry associated with it.”
