Tide pods are basically laundry detergents that come in the form of pods. They’re encased in a polynvil casing that is dissolvable and stuffed together into a pack to be used as an alternative to liquid and powdered detergent.
The main reason for the creation of pods is actually to eliminate the concern and inconsistencies tied with measuring detergents at home, and in the case of “extra” or “power” pods, to remove the need for pre-treating stains on clothes prior to washing, as they offer more concentration and ingredients, and therefore more cleaning power compared to powdered or liquid detergents.
Tide also advertises their pods as a great way to save space in your pantry, which, when you look closely, is true.
The first cleaning pod actually came into existence as far back as the 1960s under the brand name of Salvo, but it wasn’t a success until late 2012 when consumers began to understand the convenience attached with using pods for laundry.
What is in tide pods?
Tide pods maintain the same technology and formulations that liquid and powdered detergent have, with the exception that they’re much more concentrated.
Tide pods are made up of the same ingredients as liquid and powdered tide products:
Tide pods contain:
Surfactants, which are the chief cleaning constituents in detergents and aid with the removal of soiling and grease stains, enzymes which also help with stain removal and also polymers that prevent stains that have been removed from redepositing back to the surface of fabrics.
You also find builders in tide pods which are there to remove the hardness of water in order to allow surfactants and other cleaners to do their job efficiently.
Chelants and Scavengers are also part of the ingredients list. They help remove components in wash water like heavy metals and chlorine that can cause damage to fabrics over time respectively.
Most new detergents nowadays come with whiteners and brighteners, and they also come with perfume elements embedded in them.
The purpose of whiteners or brightness is to boost the general appearance of clothes.
The perfume in them is there to help with the addition of scent, which is a unique selling proposition for customers.
What are 3 in 1 tide pods?
The Tide 3 in 1 pod is a creation from Tide in their pod line which includes three different laundry actions in a single pack.
The first one is the main detergent for cleaning, then the stain remover for banishing tough stains, and a color protector for preserving the color of colored fabrics.
You can find the three different ingredients in the respective partitions on the Tide pods casing upon close inspection.
Apart from the 3 in 1 laundry tie pods, there is also the 4 in 1 tide pod which includes 4 different laundry actions packed into a single pod.
This technology helps minimize consumer’s spending on different laundry products.
Are pods better than liquid detergents?
We have a case to justify laundry pods as a better alternative to liquid detergents: they’re compact, easier to use (because you don’t have to be measured) and they also offer more laundry actions.
On the other hand however, we could give a case too on how liquid detergents are better than laundry pods too: they can be used for hand washing, can be measured for very lighter loads (which is economical), can be used to treat stains especially oil and grease, and are less expensive than pods on a per load basis.
In the end, when it comes to which is better, the answer is pretty vague, but can be summarized into the following two sentences.
All of them are good so long they come from a quality brand! You may find that sometimes liquid detergents are better for certain laundry objectives than pods and vice versa.
Are pods better than powdered detergents?
Like liquid detergent, pods can be better than powdered detergent in certain ways and can be inferior to them in other ways.
For example, when it comes to cleaning clay and soil stains, powdered detergent is simply the best. Also, when it comes to cleaning and maintaining white clothes, no detergent really does it better than powdered clothes.
Powder detergent can also be used to pretreat stains prior to laundry, and they can also be measured for lighter loads, which is much more economical than using pods.
For pods, they are convenient and easy to use, they treat other types of stains better than powdered detergent, and they do not typically have issues with dissolving in cold water unlike powdered detergents that may not dissolve properly in cold water.
Can tide pods be used in every washer?
Tide pods are perfectly safe to use in almost any type of washer, from front loaders to top loaders and even high-efficiency models of both front loaders and top loaders.
Before you use them in any washer however, make sure to check the detergent bottle to make sure it is absolutely safe to use in the washing machine.
Are pods safe for washers?
Pods will not harm your washing machine. They’re just as safe to use in the washer as liquid or powdered detergents. Pods are super gentle, and the fact that you can wash them with clothes is more than enough proof that they are pretty safe for your washer!
Are pods safe for the environment?
Depending on the type of ingredient used in pods, it may or may not be safe for the environment.
So when choosing pod detergents, opt for a quality brand that values environmental health and incorporates this consideration into their general manufacturing affairs. Better still, go for a brand that has an active program going on for environmental health!
If your brand isn’t shady in their affairs, you should be able to see a full list of their ingredients on their website or on a recognised online database like SmartLabel.
This way you should have better knowledge on the ingredients that are in your detergents, and therefore would be in a better position to make informed decisions for yourself and your family.
In comparison to liquid detergent, pods are much much better for the environment because they come in cases that are dissolvable, unlike liquid detergents that are contained in plastic bottles that contribute immensely to the landfill.
And think about how much liquid laundry detergents are used on a per weekly or per monthly basis. Then maybe you can see how much damage is done to the environment there!
Final Thoughts
Tide pods are the big boys of the detergent family. They are detergents packed into small cases to minimize the inconsistencies involved with measuring liquid or powdered detergent at home. Tide pods are also highly concentrated which means they offer superb cleaning power for your fabrics.
Tide pods also come in liquid or powdered forms. Whatever you do, make sure you always choose pods from reliable and quality brands so that you can easily achieve your laundry objectives without stress.
