We Tested the Tide Pods Liquid Laundry Detergent Pacs

By
Jeneva Aaron
Jeneva is the founder and CEO of thehousewire.com where she provides honest and objective reviews on home and cleaning products. She is a cleaning enthusiast. She got inspired to build her own cleaning blog when she realized how cleaning can make an impact on our lives and how a cleaner home can affect a person's mood.
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Updated May 21, 2023

A classic brand for a classic clean with a convenient twist

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We bought Tide Pods Liquid laundry detergent pacs to see how they handle laundry in a busy home. Keep reading for our full product review.

Laundry is one of the chores we loathe, but also know it needs to happen. Everyone is looking for a way to make their life a little easier, and that’s where Tide Pods laundry detergent pacs come in.

The convenient pre-measured unit dose form takes the guesswork out of using the right amount of liquid detergent. And the boost of extra stain remover in each Tide Pod claims to wash clothes with ease.

But is it as good as we’re led to believe? We tested this super-concentrated detergent in our own washing machine. Keep reading to find out.

Tide Pods Deliver Cleaning Power to Rival the Best
Tide Pods Liquid Laundry Detergent Pacs

PROS Of Tide Pods
  • No need to measure out how much you need
  • The Spring Meadow scent leaves wafts of fresh floral notes
  • Super easy to use
  • Secure child-proof packaging
CONS Of Tide Pods
  • A more expensive way to wash
  • You can’t control how much you use
Tide Pods detergent pacs are a quick and convenient way to banish stains and leave your clothes smelling great.

Simple and Safe Bottle Information

3
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Bottle
The label information on Tide Pods is limited compared to many other brands. It’s basic and focuses on safety information with a small yellow tab inside the lid advising how much to use.
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent How To Use
It doesn’t actually say how to use capsules in a standard or HE machine. So it’s somewhat tricky if you were just a liquid user up until now. Let’s hope you can work out where to put them (It’s straight into the washing machine drum FYI)!

But I do like the emphasis on simplicity and safety. I know what I can and can’t do with the laundry detergent pacs, and what to do if any gets into eyes or mouths. So that’s reassuring.
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Bottle Top
The child-guard lid is another feature I approve of, seeing as I have a nosey toddler running around. A lot of packaging isn’t secure against little hands, but this stuff is. It’s secure enough that my husband couldn’t open the lid, so I’m confident it’d survive against any children who find it.

TESTING INSIGHT:

A big thing I’ve noticed is the lack of any additional labels, such as the leaping bunny mark or a Safer Choice sticker. So it’s not top of the list if you’re looking for any green certifications on your detergent.

The Original Scent is Still the Best

4.5
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent With Pods
Wow, the scent of Tide Pods is a huge draw for me. The Spring Meadow fragrance makes my clothes smell amazing, along with the rest of the house!

The laundry detergent pacs offer surprisingly strong bursts of scent for such a small amount of liquid. But I don’t find it overwhelming, especially when the clothes have dried. And I don’t notice any chemical odors, either.

If you want to keep your clothes smelling good, it’s better to air dry them. The scent almost disappears if I add clothes to the dryer, which is a shame when I use the dryer a lot in winter.

But on the plus side, the fresh clean breeze aroma was strong whether I used hot, warm, or cold water for washing.

And while I love the scent of Tide Pods anyway, I was also impressed by how well they cut through smelly clothes.

The mixture of super-concentrated detergent, extra odor fighters, and original scent in each dose tackles tough odors with ease. No more sweaty armpits and musty dog blankets in this house!

So I can’t find any major faults when it comes to the scent. I’ve knocked off half a point purely because it doesn’t linger for long after machine drying.

Surprisingly Powerful Clean

4
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Review Featured
I love Tide Pods for how well they clean and with such an easy method too. Each pod benefits from combining super-concentrated detergent, stain remover, and color protector in every dose. So you don’t need to add anything else to the machine.
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Laundry
Chuck a pod or two into the drum, and you’re ready to go. Each capsule cleans a decent amount of laundry thanks to the surprisingly powerful clean. So it takes just seconds to start the machine rather than ages faffing around loading various drawers.

I tried using just one pod to start, and I was impressed with the results.

The powerful Tide Pods deliver clean clothes for brighter brights and whiter whites. It rejuvenates clothes to the extent that my husband even commented on how bright the colors looked. And that’s saying something seeing as he rarely goes near the washing basket.
Tide Pods Laundry Detergent With Laundry 2
Each pod dissolves completely to release the liquid inside. The extra stain removers made light work of food stains, and I haven’t found any marks on any clothes or blankets.

Note

The reason I’m not giving Pods the full 5 stars is because you can’t control the dose. You can’t add a little extra splash as you can with a liquid detergent. You have to add a whole extra pod, which is sometimes too much for the amount of washing.
Tide Pods Detergent Stains

On the left: tea stains on the towel before washing with Tide Pods; On the right: tea stains after washing with Tide Pods

But that’s a very small grumble when one pouch Tide Pods delivers a whole load of cleaning and stain removal power.

Common Complaints

I’m a fan of Tide Pods and have a lot of good things to say. But let’s keep it balanced and run through common complaints I’ve seen from real-life users.

The Pods Don’t Dissolve

Some people have taken laundry out of their washing machines to find a semi-dissolved pod stuck to their favorite pants. There isn’t a particular setting or water temperature that makes capsules dissolve completely or not, so it’s a guessing game.

Look out for a gummy residue or special film on your laundry and wash again if you see any.

Clothes are Covered in Stains

Reviewers mention finding stains on their clothes from the Tide Pods. It seems it’s worse when washing larger loads, so keep an eye out for any blue or dark streaks.

Split any large loads up and run the cycle again without adding any more laundry detergent if this happens.

The Pods Stick Together

If any moisture gets into the packaging, the pods are prone to sticking together. It’s not easy (or recommended) to separate them if this happens. So you end up using more pods than you need in each load.

The Pods Produce Excess Suds

Suds are an issue for HE machines more than standard washers. But some users found error messages and leaks coming from their washers due to excess suds caused by the liquid Tide Pods.

Strong Scent

Fragranced laundry detergent isn’t for everyone, and the fresh scent of Tide Pods is pretty strong. Some people have found the floral and fruity notes overpowering when all the clothes smell of it for days.

I think it smells great, but I can see why it’s too much for some. Especially if you use more than two pods per large load.

Alternatives

If Tide Pods pacs and capsules don’t float your boat, here are some alternatives to try in classic liquid forms.

Method Concentrated Laundry Detergent

Method is a laundry detergent that focuses on plant-based ingredients. The hypoallergenic and biodegradable formula is up there with some of the best green laundry detergents.

And if you just want a detergent that smells amazing, we can also sing its praises for this. It comes in a range of fantastic scents to please every nose!

READ FULL REVIEW: Method Concentrated Laundry Detergent Review

Seventh Generation Concentrated Laundry Detergent

Seventh Generation is a great choice if you’ve got sensitive skin. The Free & Clear formula doesn’t contain any dyes or artificial fragrances. It’s also made from 96% plant-based materials, so there are fewer chemical irritants.

It’s a concentrated detergent, so you don’t need to use much in each wash. A little bottle goes a long way!

READ FULL REVIEW: Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent: In-Depth Review

Extra Thoughts: Not a Green Choice

I’m impressed by every element of Tide Pods except one: It’s not green.

I understand not every product is better when it’s made with plants, but I am enjoying the uprising in environment-conscious detergents. So it’s something to keep in mind if you buy Tide.

There’s no Leaping Bunny seal or any Safer Choice sticker, as you get with many other brands. But it is effective laundry soap, so I can’t knock the performance in that sense.

Our Final Verdict onTide Pods Liquid Laundry Detergent Pacs

Bottle Information
6
The information is basic and focuses on safety but all you need to know is there. It doesn’t say it’s safer choice or green. But the child-guard lid is a real plus.
Scent
9
The Pods manage to make the whole house smell fresh. The scent is strong without being overpowering, and I love how my clothes smell afterward.
Cleaning Performance
8
Tide Pods are convenient and simple to use, so they make the chore of laundry much easier to tackle. Fabrics also look clean and bright after using Tide Pods. The colors don’t fade, and whites stay white rather than dulling to a murky grey.

Specs

Product NameTide Pods Liquid Laundry Detergent Pacs
Product BrandTide
SKUB01BUNHFQM
Price24.99
Weight967g/ 2.12 pounds
Product Dimensions4.5 x 8.75 x 10.25 inches
WarrantyN/A

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