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Tide pods are so effective at cleaning your clothes and removing any type of stain that it may make you wonder what’s in them. Naturally, there are several cleaning agents and scents that achieve the results that you want, but what about stronger solutions like bleach?
Tide pods do not contain bleach or chlorine, which is why you can use them for clothes of different colors with no problem. They contain acids and enzymes that attack specific kinds of stains, from grease to proteins. They can also have agents that absorb UV light, making white clothes brighter.
Would you like to know more? Stick around as I explain all about the different types of Tide pods and what you can find inside each of them.
By the way – this is strictly a discussion about how it affects WASHING your clothes with Tide pods. I know there was a ‘thing’ a while ago about people daring to bite into or eat Tide pods (or so Luke told me when he came home from school one day). Don’t do it, even if they don’t contain bleach, the stuff inside them isn’t good for you and will make you sick!
Do Tide Pods Have Bleach? Which Ones?
It’s important to know what’s inside Tide pods to ensure you’re using them correctly. Bleach and chlorine are potent cleaners that can ruin any dyed material, so if they are on the ingredient list of your chosen detergent, you shouldn’t use them for just any load of laundry.
Fortunately, Tide pods don’t contain any bleach or chlorine. You can safely put them inside your washing machine, and they will work their magic to eliminate all the difficult stains without ruining your colorful clothes. There are different kinds of Tide pods, but none of them contain bleach.
So, what is inside Tide pods? Well, it’s a mix of cleaning agents, solvents, and stabilizers. Different types have some ingredients in common and some unique to their kind.
For instance, the 4 in 1 pods contain several types of stain removers, color enhancers, and odor fighters. Meanwhile, the Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty pods have more stain removers and whitening agents (source: Procter & Gamble SmartLabel®).
Still, the whitening agent in the Heavy Duty pods is not bleach; instead, it’s Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate, a component that can absorb Ultraviolet light and emit a slightly bluish glow in white clothes, making them brighter.
The only Tide product that includes bleach is the Tide Plus Bleach Powder Laundry Detergent, which doesn’t come in pods (source: Procter & Gamble SmartLabel®).
Do Tide Pods Contain Fabric Softener?
You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned softeners in the ingredients of Tide pods so far. That’s because many of them don’t contain any softener.
For instance, Tide Pods Ultra Oxi or Free & Gentle are softener-free; instead, they contain detergents, stain removers, and odor fighters. Tide PODS Free & Gentle don’t even contain perfume (source: Procter & Gamble SmartLabel®).
While most Tide pods don’t contain fabric softeners, others do. For instance, Tide PODS 4 in 1 Plus Downy contains fabric softener, among other ingredients. Using these pods, you won’t have to add additional softeners to your laundry; you only need to put them in the washing machine.
Tide PODS 4 in 1 Plus Downy contain multiple stain removers and suds reducers like other types of Tide pods, but they also have Pentasodium Pentetate, which provides softness (source: Procter & Gamble SmartLabel®).
Another type of Tide pod that provides softening abilities is the 4in1 Tide Pods Plus Febreze line, which offers more or less the same qualities as the Downy line, but different scents.
As for the other types, you can simply use an additional softener while doing laundry for the feel you want in your clothes. Just use the recommended amount with every load. For most 4 in 1 Tide Pods, the additional softener is not necessary since they include a softening agent in their ingredients.
Can Tide Pods Bleach or Stain Your Clothes?
Tide Pods can’t bleach your clothes since they don’t contain any bleach, but they can sometimes stain some particular fabrics. Some users have reported that they have noticed blue stains on their clothes after laundry, clearly caused by the pods. To remove the stains, rewash the clothes.
You may wonder, how come a laundry detergent pod can stain clothes? According to experts at Tide, this often happens when the pods are not used the way they should. For instance, someone might put them in the washing machine drawer instead of inside the drum (source: Consumer Reports).
Alternatively, some try to peel open the pod before putting it in the washing machine, which can also stain the clothes. Finally, it’s important not to overfill the washing machine drum. To fix the stains, you can simply wash the clothes again, which does the trick most of the time.
As you can see, all Tide Pods are bleach and chlorine-free, so don’t hesitate to use them for different colored clothes. These pods contain multiple cleaning agents, suds reducers, stabilizers, and sometimes softeners.