Tide Laundry Detergent Works Best For Us

Tide laundry detergent is the number one selling brand in the United States. It is also one of the most expensive laundry soaps on the market.

My question that I've posed is whether it is worth this high price. Anecdotally it would appear the answer is yes, because after all it is the best selling brand.

And there are definitely people who swear by this stuff, saying it is the only product that actually gets their clothes as clean as they should be.

But others just can't stomach the high price.

What side of the fence do you fall on, and why? Below I've gathered responses from readers on this topic, plus general thoughts about this detergent.

SR101 Reader says:

When me and my husband both got skin rashes from using laundry detergent we decided it was time to take action.

We bought three kinds of detergent and used each for 1 week. It turned out Tide worked the best and the scent is still not getting old and its been 3 years!

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing your review of this detergent.

If you're suffering from laundry detergent allergies another option is to try a hypoallergenic detergent, if you need something scent and dye free.

Of course, it sounds like you've already found something that suits you, so that works too! Just remember, if you want to stick with Tide and still try something scent free you can always try Tide free and gentle.

Photo courtesy of JeepersMedia

Some Say Tide Too Expensive But If You Buy On Sale With Coupons I Don't Think So

by Monica

We are a family of 6 (one being a two year old), and it doesn't seem to compute when other families speak of doing laundry 2 or 3 times a week, and sometimes daily.

Including towels, we do laundry once a week, 6 loads AT MOST.

Stacked with coupons I tend to get the 32 load Tide for around $4-5. That computes to a minimum of 5 weeks that our $5 stretches.

For my part I make sure every family member has at least 2 weeks of underwear and socks in "inventory" so there is hardly ever a need to do an out-of-turn load, unless there's an accident.

Tide Laundry Detergent With Original Scent Doesn't Seem To Smell The Same

SR101 Reader 1 says:

We have always used Tide original scent, but in the last few years at least 3 times we have bought the same brand at the same store and it smells very fragrant.

I don't know if Tide messed up on the smell but I sent them an email and they never responded.

We have tried other brands of scent free but it doesn't seem to get the stink out of teenager clothes.

So next I am trying Tide Free and Gentle, since the latest box of Tide original scent smells like someone dumped Downy in it.

SR101 Reader 2 says:

I have been a loyal Tide liquid consumer for many years, as was my Mom.

My laundry doesn't smell clean to me if I use anything other than the original Tide.

I have been beside myself with disappointment with this previously dependable product. The last 3 bottles of Tide (original scent) have a decidedly different scent.

Reminds me of something left overnight in the washer. Very upsetting.

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing your experience with this detergent.

I don't personally use the original scent of Tide detergent, since I always use scent-free detergents myself. Therefore, I'm not aware of whether they've changed the scent of the formula or not.

I'd love to hear from other readers who have used this brand to share your opinion about whether the scent has stayed the same over the years, or not. You can share your review here.

I know that Procter & Gamble, the makers of this brand, also make Gain, and many people have complained about the new scent of the original version of it, saying it stinks.

I also know that Tide does have a version of its detergent which is called Tide with a Touch of Downy, and I would suspect that it does smell like the fabric softener, on purpose. I'm wondering if you accidentally grabbed this version of the detergent. Who knows?

Tide Is Not What It Used To Be: Now I've Turned To Oxiclean

by Barb
(Pewaukee, WI)

Barb says:

I have used Tide exclusively for many years, paying a premium price for the "brand" since I believe it cleaned better than others I tried.

Since the removal of phosphates from cleaning products my laundry started looking worse and worse.

Liquid forms did not clean as well as powdered forms. Whites are gray. Adding bleach didn't help.

I contacted P&G about the brand, when it stopped cleaning like it used to. They hoped I had a good product experience. Told me to use more product. Sent me coupons.

Used up the coupons and decided to try other brands like ALL, Arm & Hammer, ERA, etc. They cleaned just as "well" as Tide but were far less expensive.

However, I recently started using Oxyclean in every load of whites or lights, in addition to liquid laundry detergent.

I normally wash on "Hot" or "Warm" setting, never cold unless the garment directions specify that.

I found there was no perceptible difference in cleaning between the brands, when boosting with Oxyclean, which did make a noticeable difference in the whites and colors.

So now I buy whatever is on sale and use Oxy in every load.

Cleaning still not as good as in the past but I see no reason to pay more for Tide when I still have to add Oxy and there's no difference in cleaning.

Taylor says:

Thanks for your review Barb.

There are a lot of people who like Oxiclean, including me! It is one of my recommended stain removers.

There are lots of uses for this product around your home. I've collected some Oxi Clean uses around the home. Click the link to check them out, or to share your own!

Related Links At Stain Removal 101

{N-Z} Washing Machine Detergent Reviews

Laundry Tips & Tricks For Busy Moms

Go From Tide Laundry Detergent Reviews To Stain Removal 101 Home Page

There are affiliate links on this page, and if you purchase a product through them I receive a small commission. Purchasing through my links costs you nothing extra, but helps support the free information provided on this site and my family. To learn more please see my product review disclosure statement.