Tide Pods vs Tide Liquid | What’s the Difference?

Tide is an iconic brand for laundry detergent in the US. This brand has been around for several decades, and they continue to put out new products to help solve their customers’ laundry headaches. But, when it comes to their products, you may wonder what the difference is between Tide Pods and Tide liquid detergents.

The difference between Tide Pods vs Tide Liquid is just how you use them. Tide Pods are pre-measured doses of detergent that you only need to drop into your washer. Tide Liquid detergents need to be measured out using the cap on the bottle and then added to your washer’s dispenser or drum.

Tide Pods and Tide liquid detergents are both reliable products, but there are some differences between them. We’re going to look at what products Tide has for their pods and liquid detergents as well as answer some pressing questions about both. Let’s dive right in to learn more about these products!

What’s the Difference between Tide Pods and Tide Liquid?

The difference between Tide Pods and Tide liquid is mostly about how you use them. Tide Pods are pre-measured doses of detergent that you simply drop into your washer. The liquid detergents need to be measured out and poured into your washer’s dispenser or drum.

However, that’s not the only difference between these two products. Tide pods contain extra stain fighters, odor fighters, and brighteners. The formula in the pods is also super concentrated.

Tide Pods

Tide has a long history in the laundry detergent world. While the company released their first laundry detergent product in 1946, they didn’t launch their first laundry pods until many years later. The first Tide Pods came out in 2012 and were equipped with extra stain fighters, odor fighters, and brighteners.

Tide introduced their line of laundry pods to make doing laundry even easier and more accessible for their customers. The pods are lightweight and contain the exact amount of pre-measured detergent needed to do a single load. The extras added to these pods allow their customers to skip pre-treating their clothes and put them straight in the wash.

What Products Does Tide Have For Pods?

Tide has a good variety of pods available, so let’s dive right into the different types they offer.

Tide Original Laundry Detergent Pods Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Soap Pods, Original Scent, 42 Count

The original Tide Pods have all the cleaning power of Tide’s original formula, along with extra odor fighters and extra stain removers. These pods can dissolve in any water conditions, and are safe to use with all washers. You can get this product in the original Tide scent or other fragrances such as clean breeze, fresh coral blast, and spring meadow.

Tide Pods Coldwater Clean Tide PODS Laundry Detergent Soap PODS, High Efficiency (HE), Original Scent, 81 Count

The Coldwater Clean pods are specially formulated to dissolve and effectively clean your clothes during a wash cycle with cold water. Using cold water to wash your clothes takes 50% less energy than using warm water, so this product is yet another way Tide strives to encourage more environmental consciousness.

Tide Plus Pods Tide PODS 4 in 1 Febreze Sport Odor Defense, Laundry Detergent Soap PODS, High Efficiency (HE), 61 Count

When you want all the power of Tide’s detergent with some additional benefits, you’ll want to get one of the Tide Plus Pods. There’s a Plus Febreze option that will give your clothes an extra boost of fresh scent. You can also buy Tide Plus Downy Pods to get your clothes extra soft, and Tide Plus OXI for a powerful clean that’s guaranteed to last!

Tide Hygienic Clean Pods Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy 10x Duty Power PODS Laundry Detergent Soap Pods, Original, 48 count, For Visible and Invisible Dirt (Packaging May Vary)

The Hygienic Clean Pods are 10x more powerful than Tide’s original formula. These pods are perfect for particularly soiled or heavy loads. This detergent will get deep into the fibers of your clothing to remove any dirt, food residue, or other debris.

Tide Pods Free & Gentle Tide PODS Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent Soap Pods, 81 count

These pods are hypoallergenic and are free of harsh chemicals, dyes, phosphates, and perfumes. The Free & Gentle pods have been dermatologist tested to be safe for people with sensitive skin.

Tide Odor Rescue Pods Tide Odor Rescue In-Wash Laundry Booster Pacs, 27 Count per pack, 21 Ounce (37000962243)

Tide’s Odor Rescue Pods are perfect for activewear and other laundry that needs extra care. These pods penetrate deep into the fibers of your clothing to eliminate odors and leave behind a pleasant, fresh scent.

How to Use Tide Pods?

Tide Pods are incredibly easy to use. Since they’re already pre-measured, all you need to do is drop the correct number of pods in your washer’s drum and run a load as normal. These pods are safe to use with all washers and can dissolve in all water conditions- even cold!

For normal loads, you’ll only need one pod. Large loads will require two Tide pods, and extra large loads will need three Tide pods.

Are Tide Pods Toxic?

Tide Pods aren’t highly toxic, but they are poisonous when ingested. The detergent found in Tide Pods are super concentrated, whereas the liquid form is more diluted with water. So, if you were to ingest Tide Pods, you’d very likely end up in the hospital.

So, if you or someone you know has ingested Tide Pods, it’s imperative to seek medical attention immediately.

What Happens To The Plastic in Tide Pods?

Tide Pods are meant to be dropped into your washer where they’ll dissolve and clean your clothes, but what about the plastic that’s holding the Tide Pods together? This plastic casing is made of polyvinyl alcohol.

This material will break down once your washer turns on and it comes into contact with the water. As the material breaks down and dissolves, it releases the detergent contained within.

Are Tide Pods Bad For Washing Machines?

Tide Pods aren’t bad for your washing machine. They’re 100% dissolvable, so there won’t be any remnants left behind from the tide pods to clog up your machine. These pods won’t harm your washer, and Tide pods in particular are safe to use with all types of washing machines.

Tide Liquid

Tide has a long history as a laundry detergent company. They’re part of the Proctor & Gamble company, and launched their first laundry detergent product in 1946. They became the leading brand of laundry detergent in the US by 1949.

Tide launched its first liquid detergent in 1984. From there, they began putting out new liquid detergents aimed at solving their customers’ laundry headaches and becoming more environmentally conscious. They launched their coldwater product in 2005, and the purclean detergent in 2016.

What Products Does Tide Have For Liquids?

Tide has a massive variety of liquid laundry detergent options available for their customers. Here’s a quick rundown on each of their liquid detergents.

Tide Original Liquid Laundry Detergent Tide Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap, High Efficiency (HE), Original Scent, 64 Loads

Tide’s original laundry detergent is effective at cleaning and freshening your clothes. This detergent will clean, freshen, whiten, and brighten your clothing, while imparting a pleasant scent. You can buy this detergent in their original scent or with a mountain spring or clean breeze fragrance.

Tide Purclean Laundry Detergent Tide HE PurClean Laundry Detergent 100 oz.

Tide Purclean detergent is a 75% plant-based formula that is free of dyes, chlorine, phosphates, and optical brighteners. There’s an unscented option that’s also free of perfumes. This detergent has all the power of Tide while being EPA Safer-Choice Certified and very environmentally friendly. It’s made with 100% renewable energy sources and each jug is made with 100% recycled bottles. You can get this unscented or with a honey lavender fragrance.

Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid Laundry Detergent Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent, Ultra Stain Release, 46 Ounce

When you have tough stains, you need an equally tough detergent to eliminate them. Tide Ultra Stain Release is effective at removing 99% of everyday stains while also brightening and freshening your clothes. It comes with the original Tide scent.

Tide Coldwater Clean Laundry Detergent Ultra Concentrated New Tide Coldwater Clean Original Liquid Laundry Detergent 4.87 L/165 Fl. Oz - 123 Loads 2) Brand: Tide

Running a load of laundry with cold rather than warm water can save 50% less energy. Tide Coldwater detergent offers you all the power of their original formula with enhanced color protection for washing with cold water. This product comes in their original scent.

Tide Plus Liquid Laundry Detergent Tide Plus febreze Freshness Botanical rain he Turbo Clean Liquid Laundry Detergent Count, Orange, Original,Rain, 138 Fl Oz

When you want all the power of Tide with some added freshness, you need Tide Plus Febreze. This product will give your clothes an extra boost of freshness, and you can also get the Tide Plus Febreze Odor Defense if you live a more active lifestyle and need a more powerful formula. They also have a Tide Plus Downy product that will soften your clothes efficiently while still cleaning and freshening them.

Studio by Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent Studio by Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent, Delicates, 75 fl oz 48 loads

When you have delicate fabrics such as silk, wool, or lace, you need a gentle formula that can still give them that deep clean they need. Studio by Tide Delicates is the perfect product because it’ll clean your delicate clothes while protecting them from piling, fading, or stretching during the wash. Studio by Tide also has a colors & darks product that helps protect your darker-colored clothing from fading and preserves the shape of your clothes.

Tide Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent Tide Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap, 64 loads, 92 fl oz, HE Compatible

This hypoallergenic formula is free of dyes, phosphates, perfumes, and other ingredients that can be irritating for people with sensitive skin. Tide Free & Gentle is dermatologist recommended for people with sensitive skin and still works efficiently to remove stains and debris from your clothes.

Tide Simply Liquid Laundry Detergent

The Tide Simply line contains a handful of detergents that are tough on stains, odors, and debris while being gentle on your wallet. This line includes several products that serve specific purposes, including: Tide Plus Bleach Alternative Liquid Laundry Detergent - 92 oz - Original - 2 pk

Tide Hygenenic Clean Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy 10x Duty Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap, Original Scent, He Compatible, 59 Loads, 92 Fl Oz

This formula is 10x tougher on stains while being gentle enough for people with sensitive skin to use. Tide Hygeneic Clean works to remove tough stains and messes from your clothes, and this product is perfume and dye-free.

Tide Eco-Box Laundry Detergent Tide Purclean Plant-Based EPA Safer Choice Natural Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap Eco-Box, Ultra Concentrated High Efficiency (HE), 72 Loads

You can get the original Tide, Free & Gentle, and their Purclean detergents in eco-boxes. These eco-boxes are made with 60% less plastic and feature a no-drip twist tap to minimize spills and leaks. These eco-boxes are perfect for environmentally conscious customers.

How to Use Tide Liquid Detergent?

Tide Liquid detergent is very easy to use. You can follow these simple steps to properly use your Tide liquid detergent.

1. Add your clothes to the washer

2. Use the cap to measure out the correct amount of liquid. Fill to bar 1 for medium loads, bar 3 for large loads, and bar 5 for extra large loads

3. Add the detergent to your machine’s dispenser or drum

4. Turn on your washer

Is Tide Liquid Detergent Toxic?

Tide liquid detergent is safe as long as you use it as directed. This product does contain ingredients that can be harmful to you if ingested or if the product comes into contact with your nose, eyes, or mouth.

In the event that you have a reaction to Tide liquid detergent, or accidentally get some in your eyes, nose, or mouth, it’s important that you seek medical attention or contact a poison control center.

Does Tide Liquid Detergent Expire?

Tide liquid detergent does expire, but not as quickly as you might expect. Once opened, a bottle of Tide is good for 6-12 months. After that, it will begin to lose its effectiveness and fresh scent. However, it may still work to clean your clothes for a few months past its expiration date, especially if you’ve stored it in a cool and dark place.

Comparison Questions (Tide Pods vs Tide Liquid)

Are Tide Pods or Tide Liquid Detergent More Affordable?

It can be hard to tell whether Tide Pods or liquid is the more affordable detergent option. The best way to determine which will cost you less in the long run is to look at how much you’re paying per load of laundry, rather than how much a pack of pods or a bottle of detergent costs upfront.

Here’s a table detailing how much you’ll pay per load for Tide Pods and Tide Liquid:

Product Cost Per Load
Tide Pods $0.25
Tide Liquid $0.23

As you can see, Tide Pods will cost you slightly more to use per load than the liquid detergent. This isn’t a huge difference in cost, and the convenience of the pods may make up for the difference for some people.

Which Product is More Powerful?

Tide Pods and Tide liquid have very similar formulas, so their effectiveness should be similar as well. However, Tide Pods have additional odor fighters, stain fighters, and brighteners in them that the liquid detergents don’t have.

These were added to the Tide Pods so customers wouldn’t have to worry about pre-treating their laundry. Having these additional ingredients makes Tide Pods the more effective and powerful product.

Which Product is More Environmentally Friendly?

As a company, Tide puts a heavy focus on providing eco-conscious products. Tide liquid detergents come in recyclable packaging and are made with recycled materials. They also have a Purclean detergent that is 75% plant based.

The pods themselves also come in recyclable packaging. However, the pods also completely dissolve when put in the washer and their packaging tends to be smaller, which leads to less waste.

It may seem as if there is no clear winner between these products for the most environmentally friendly, but the pods do seem to be the safer option since there’s significantly less risk of spills or messes.

If you drop a Tide pod on the ground, then you can just pick it up. But, if you drop a bottle of liquid detergent, then that detergent can seep into the ground and cause some environmental issues. Therefore, the pods are the most environmentally friendly.

Which Product is Easier To Use?

Which Product is Easier To Use

Tide Pods are definitely the easier option. With Tide liquid detergents you need to measure them out and pour them into your machine’s dispenser or drum. Tide Pods are already pre-measured doses of detergent so all you need to do is drop one into your washer with your laundry. This ease of use is one of the reasons Tide pods have become so popular.

Related Questions

Should You Use Fabric Softener With Tide Pods?

While it won’t be harmful to add fabric softener to your laundry along with a Tide Pod, it’s usually not necessary. Some Tide pods have a  4-in-1 formula, which means they contain other ingredients that fight stains, fight odors, brighten clothing, and soften clothing. If you’re really concerned about getting your clothes extra soft, Tide has an option for that with their Tide With Downy Pods.

How Many Laundry Pods Do You Use?

The number of Tide pods you need to use will depend on the size of your load. For medium loads of laundry, you’ll only need 1 pod. Large loads require 2 pods, while extra large loads need 3 Tide Pods.

Do Tide Pods or Liquid Detergent Smell Better?

Tide Pods and liquid detergent have the same original fragrance, and both have options with Febreze for added fresh scent. However, the liquid detergents come in a wider range of fragrances than the pods. If you’re looking for a specific fragrance, then you’re more likely to find it in the liquid detergent.

The Verdict – Which Is Better?

Now that we’ve thoroughly looked at the differences between Tide Pods vs Tide liquid detergent, it’s time to determine which is the better product. Tide liquid detergent is slightly more affordable and comes in a wider variety of fragrances, but it’s the pods that are the better product.

The pods are extremely easy to use, more environmentally friendly, and come in enough of a variety to suit most people’s needs and tastes. If you’re debating between these two Tide laundry products, then it’s time to stop debating and start using their laundry pods!