Laundry

Detergents, stain removers, dryer balls, fabric sprays

≤ 0.5%Max phosphorus by weight

CPSCHazard labeling (FHSA)

EPADisinfectant claims need registration

6.25% + localGeneral sales-tax rate

1What’s covered & what needs more

Covered under this path

Laundry powders, liquids, pods, soaps and stain sticks with phosphorus ≤ 0.5% by weight
Wool dryer balls, laundry bags, fabric sprays (no germ-kill claims)
Products labeled with correct identity, net quantity and business name/address

Needs a different path

Phosphorus over 0.5% by weight → prohibited in Illinois since July 1, 2010
‘Disinfects’, ‘kills germs’, ‘antibacterial’ claims → EPA pesticide registration (FIFRA)
Hazardous household products (corrosive, irritant) → FHSA cautionary labeling
Anything skin-applied → cosmetic rules, not laundry rules

2Three steps to compliant sales

Check the formula

Illinois’ Regulation of Phosphorus in Detergents Act bars selling any cleaning agent with more than 0.5% phosphorus by weight. Home-rule cities can’t change this — it’s a statewide rule.

Label for safety

Household chemical products need federal (CPSC/FHSA) hazard labeling — signal word and cautionary statements when the formula is hazardous — plus FPLA basics: identity, net quantity, name and address.

Avoid pesticide claims

Saying a product disinfects or kills bacteria/viruses makes it an EPA-regulated pesticide. Stick to cleaning claims. Register with IDOR and charge general sales tax.

3Quick-reference table

Item	Rule	Regulator
Phosphorus limit	No sale/manufacture of cleaning agents > 0.5% phosphorus by weight (Regulation of Phosphorus in Detergents Act).	Illinois EPA / Pollution Control Board
Hazard labeling	FHSA labeling for hazardous household products; poison-prevention packaging may apply to some.	CPSC
Antimicrobial claims	Registered pesticide required for disinfecting/sanitizing claims.	EPA
Fair packaging	Identity, net quantity, name and place of business.	FTC / FPLA
Sales tax	General rate + local.	IDOR

4Frequently asked

Is homemade laundry soap a cosmetic?

No. It isn’t applied to the body, so FDA cosmetic rules don’t apply — but consumer-product and hazard-labeling rules do.

Can I say my detergent ‘kills 99% of germs’?

No — not without an EPA-registered antimicrobial pesticide.

Do Illinois cities set their own phosphorus rules?

No. The Act makes phosphorus regulation an exclusive state function.

Do I need a state license?

I found no Illinois product license for laundry products; local business-license/home-occupation rules still apply.

Printable checklist

Formula check: phosphorus ≤ 0.5% by weight
Remove germ-kill / disinfectant claims
Hazard labeling review (FHSA)
Label: identity, net quantity, name & address
Safety Data / ingredient documentation on file
Child-resistant packaging review for hazardous formulas
Register with IDOR; general-rate tax
Product-liability insurance

Sales tax: General merchandise: 6.25% state rate plus local taxes. Register with IDOR through MyTax Illinois and look up the combined rate for each delivery address.