Have you ever noticed a musty odor on your clothes after pulling them out of the dryer? If so, your clothes may have fallen victim to a dirty washing machine. These machines need to be cleaned regularly because they can become a breeding ground for dangerous and odor-causing bacteria, mold, and various food or dirt debris.
Affresh and Tide both have washing machine cleaners, and we’re going to do a detailed review of each. We’ll take a look at both companies, the similar products they offer, and answer some head-to-head comparison questions to determine which has the better washing machine cleaner.
Are you wondering whether Affresh or Tide has the better washing machine cleaner? Stick around because we’re about to go into detail about both products so you can confidently choose the better washing machine cleaner.
What’s the Difference Between Affresh and Tide Washing Machine Cleaner?
Affresh and Tide have very similar washing machine cleaners, but there is a huge difference between them. Tide’s product contains bleach, while Affresh’s doesn’t. Tide Washing Machine Cleaner is powered in part by Oxi and contains TAEDs, which makes it a more effective product.
However, Affresh is still a powerful washing machine cleaner and their product has been EPA Safer Choice certified to be safe for you and the environment. We’ll explore this difference in more detail further in this guide.
Affresh
Affresh is a company developed by Whirlpool Corporation. This company is devoted to providing their customers with innovative and intelligent cleaning solutions for our modern-day cleaning needs. This company continually works to improve their products by creating new solutions and formulas as technology advances.
This company uses a powerful oxidizing formula to scrub away and eliminate any traces of hard water, soap scum, dirt, grime, and other residues. They use pleasant fragrances in all their products to leave your machines smelling as great as they look!
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner 
This product is designed to rid your washing machine of any leftover debris from previous loads of laundry that stick to the machine and its internal parts. This cleaner will also remove any soap scum, hard water build up, and bacteria that may be living in your washing machine.
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner uses a powerful oxidizing formula to eliminate any odor-causing residues as well as soap scum, hard water build up, and more. It cleanses the drum of your machine and penetrates deep to clean its internal components such as the pump, valve, agitator, hose, and filter.
This product is safe to use with top-loading, front-loading, and high-efficiency machines. It comes in a pleasing citrus scent and uses a time-release formula that ensures every part of your washer gets cleaned.
Using this product will help extend the lifetime of your washer by removing gunky build up and grime throughout your machine. That build up can cause stress on the internal parts of your washer, so removing that is key to keeping your machine running for longer.
How to Use Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner?
This product is very easy to use. Their time-release tablets will do all the work for you, and all you need to do is follow a few simple steps.
1. Make sure your washer is completely empty.
2. Put 1 tablet of Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner into the drum.
3. Run the “Clean Washer” cycle on your machine. If your washer doesn’t have this cycle, then run an extra rinse cycle with hot water.
4. Wipe away any remaining residue.
And that’s it! Affresh offers a very simple and effective way to clean your washing machine.
How Often Should You Use Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner?
Affresh recommends cleaning your washing machine once a month with their time-release tablets. Doing so will help prevent a backlog of debris, soap scum, bacteria, and other odor-causing build up. You can buy a box of their tablet in 3, 5, 6, or sometimes more so you have a good supply on hand.
Is Affresh Septic Safe?
Affresh is safe to use in homes with a septic system. Their formula is EPA Safer Choice certified, so it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or additives. Their products won’t harm your septic system, so go ahead and clean that washing machine!
What Are The Ingredients In Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner?
Affresh uses a carefully planned formula that includes ingredients powerful enough to clean your machine, but safe enough not to harm you or the environment. Here are the ingredients found in this product.
- Sodium percarbonate
- Sodium carbonate
- Glucono-delta-lactone
- Polyethylene glycol
- Sodium acetate
- Fragrance
Their ingredients are EPA Safer Choice certified, which means they have a very low level of toxicity and don’t contain any phosphates, borates, chlorine bleach, or EDTA.
Tide
Tide is a big name in the laundry industry. They’re well known for their laundry detergents, but they also have a washing machine cleaner. Tide is part of the P&G family, which means they’re part of a company that’s committed to sustainability.
This company has been around for over 75 years, and is dedicated to changing the way people do their laundry so the process becomes easier and more effective. They have a huge range of products and continue to put out new products as new laundry challenges arise.
Tide Washing Machine Cleaner
Tide Washing Machine Cleaner uses a powerful oxygenated bleach formula to lift and remove odor-causing residues. This product uses the power of Oxi and TAED to enhance its cleaning prowess and comes in powder form instead of a tablet.
Their powdered formula gets to work cleaning your washer more quickly than similar products. It has special surface active ingredients that work to lift up dirt, mineral deposits caused by hard water, grime, and other residues.
Then, their oxygenated bleach formula will scrub away all the grim and other build up to leave your machine nice and clean. This product penetrates deep inside your machine to clean every internal piece and help enhance your washer’s longevity.
You can use this product with any washing machine, and it leaves behind a fresh clean scent.
How to Use Tide Washing Machine Cleaner?
Thankfully, Tide has made their product very simple and easy to use. All you need to do is follow these steps.
1. Make sure your washer is empty.
2. Pour 1 pouch of Tide Washing Machine Cleaner directly into the drum for top-loading machines. For front-loaders, pour 1 pouch into the laundry detergent dispenser.
3. Run your washer on a normal cycle on the hot water setting.
That’s it! You don’t have to worry about wiping your machine out after using this product.
How Often Should You Use Tide Washing Machine Cleaner?
Just like with similar products, Tide recommends using their washing machine cleaner once every month. However, if your washer has a serious odor problem, then you can use Tide Washing Machine Cleaner once a week for 3 weeks, and then use it once a month after that.
Is Tide Septic Safe?
Tide’s washing machine cleaner is advertised as being safe for use in homes with a septic system. So, if you have a septic tank, then you’re in the clear to use this product! It won’t harm your septic system or cause any build-up issues.
What Are The Ingredients In Tide Washing Machine Cleaner?
Tide’s washing machine cleaner hasn’t been EPA certified, which means some of their ingredients have a significant level of toxicity. Let’s take a look at the ingredients found in this product.
- Sodium carbonate
- Carbonic acid disodium salt compound with hydrogen peroxide
- Sodium 2-benzenesulfonate
- Benzenesulfonic acid
- Sodium salts
- Silic acid
- Aluminum sodium salt
Some of these ingredients can be dangerous if mishandled. You never want to get this product in your eyes or mouth, and skin irritation can occur if you allow the product to sit on your skin for an extended period of time. Make sure to only use this product as directed and wash your hands thoroughly if you accidentally touch it.
Comparison Questions (Affresh vs Tide Washing Machine Cleaner)
What’s The More Powerful Washing Machine Cleaner?
Tide and Affresh are both powerful washing machine cleaners, and they both use an oxygenated formula to help lift and remove bacteria, grime, soap scum, and other residues.
However, Tide’s formula contains Oxi and TAEDs. These components essentially supercharge their washing machine cleaner to make it clean more quickly and effectively. The bleach in their formula gives it a definite edge over Affresh’s product. Tide is unquestionably the more powerful washing machine cleaner.
What’s the More Affordable Washing Machine Cleaner?
Comparing the affordability of Affresh and Tide’s washing machine cleaners can be a challenge. After all, one product is a tablet, while the other product is a powder. With most products, you can break down their initial price point to compare the cost per ounce or per tablet.
For these two products, the best way to see which is more affordable is to compare the cost per cleaning cycle. That means comparing the price of one tablet of Affresh’s product versus one pouch of Tide’s cleaner.
Here’s a table where we’ve done just that,
| Brand | Price Per Cleaning |
| Tide | $2.30 |
| Affresh | $2.00 |
As you can see, a single clean with Tide’s product will cost you $2.30, while a single clean with Affresh’s product costs $2.00. If you’re cleaning your washing machine once a month as recommended, then going with Affresh’s cleaner will ultimately save you $3.60 over the course of a full year. That definitely makes Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner the more affordable product.
Which Washing Machine Cleaner is More Environmentally Friendly?
Affresh’s product is easily the more environmentally friendly washing machine cleaner. Their product is EPA Safer Choice certified, which means that every ingredient has been carefully reviewed by scientists to ensure that it won’t cause you, your family, or the environment significant harm.
Tide’s product is not EPA certified, and their ingredients are moderately toxic/hazardous according to their Safety Data Sheet. If you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly option, then you should use Affresh’s cleaner.
Related Questions
Is Tide Washing Machine Cleaner Scented?
This product is scented, though the resulting fragrance isn’t specified. It’s simply advertised as providing your washer with a “fresh clean scent”. Many customers have described this scent as being similar to a clean linen fragrance.
Can You Use Washing Machine Cleaners In Your Dishwasher?
You shouldn’t use a washing machine cleaner to clean your dishwasher. There’s a chance that the chemicals in the washing machine cleaner can get absorbed into your dishwasher and create a food safety problem. If you need to clean your dishwasher, make sure you use a product designed for this purpose, like the Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner Tablets.
Is Tide Washing Machine Cleaner Toxic?
Tide’s washing machine cleaner does contain bleach, which is a toxic substance. Some of their other ingredients are also classified as hazardous and can cause irritation if left on the skin for an extended period of time. Make sure you only use this product as directed, and contact a poison control center if you have any concerns.
The Verdict – Which Is Better?
Identifying the better washing machine cleaner is tough. You have to weigh certain pros and cons to determine what is most important to you. Are you more worried about the effectiveness of the cleaner, or its toxicity? In any case, debating between Affresh and Tide Washing Machine Cleaner is easy. Affresh clearly has the better product! Their product is effective, EPA certified, and more affordable than Tides. If you’re looking for a powerful cleaner that’s safer for you and the environment, then you should get Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner.
Jamie is the Founder of My Home Dwelling. He is a homeowner and enjoys sharing his homeowner tips with others. He has real estate experience working as a new home construction Realtor. Jamie has worked on numerous residential construction sites helping with interior and exterior renovations. He loves refinishing furniture, DIY home projects, and sharing his knowledge online.