Shopping for groceries, you come to the laundry section, look through the items there and discover a particular item called Tide Pods. They’re capsules that are manufactured with a water-soluble synthetic material to allow for its absorption during laundry cycles.
They trended big time on social media in 2018 on the “tide pod challenge“, so you’ve probably heard all about them. Tide Pods are quite different from conventional detergents although they contain additives for eliminating stains from laundry.
They are lightweight, very handy, and contain about 10% water, so they’re very concentrated detergents.
How Can I Use Tide Pods For My Laundry?
Like all laundry products, it’s important to know how to use them to get the best cleaning effect for your laundry.
Although it’s not a hard task to do, you might need to follow proper procedures because they’re not like regular detergents. Whether you’re using a front or top load washer, the process of using a Tide Pod is basically the same.
- Sort your laundry
The first step to using a tide pod is arranging your laundry. First, determine the type of laundry you want to use the detergent capsules for.
Fabrics have different types and features, so it’s not ideal to just load your washing machine with any kind of clothing you come across.
You can remove your undergarments and little clothing to wash with another type of tide pod detergent because the average pods are designed with an average-sized load of laundry in mind.
You could check the clothing label to determine the type of wash suitable for your clothing.
- Add the tide pod to the washing machine
After, selecting your laundry, get a pack of tide pods, rip it and add them directly to your washing machine drum. If your Tide Pod came in a container, follow the arrows to untwist the cap.
Tide pods are designed for effectively washing clothing in standard and High-Efficiency top & front-loading washing machines.
For any type of washing machine, ensure that when adding the tide pod, you do so on the floor or the back of the washing machine to ensure its proper dissolution in the water. You don’t have to add them to the detergent compartment of your washer, they’re more effective when added directly to the drum/tub of your washer.
Because tide pods are highly concentrated, take care to use dry hands when handling them so as not to make them sticky.
Even if your washing machine has got a fabric softener compartment, never add the Tide pods there, rather add them to the detergent drum in the washing machine. You don’t need to cut open Tide pods to use them! They’ll dissolve during your wash cycle.
- Put your laundry into the washing machine
After adding the Tide pods to your washer, put your sorted laundry into the washing machine.
Tide pods are manufactured with polyvinyl alcohol coatings that ensure their proper dissolution for a maximum outcome.
Note that you must not add your laundry before you put the tide pods or else that would induce ” streaking” in your clothing. Streaking occurs when tide pods do not properly dissolve and results in streaks and smudges on your clothing.
Also, do not overstuff your washing machine with laundry as this can also result in streaking. The Tide pods would not reach all the laundry in the washing machine.
Of course, this also depends on the number of tide pods placed in the washer.
- Program your washing machine
Now, it’s time to adjust your washing machine. Tide pods are suitable for any kind of machine washing whether cold or warm as they can dissolve in both conditions.
Setting it to either feature depends on the type of clothing being washed. You could check the clothing label on the inside of the clothing to know its required washing pattern as some require gentle cycle washing.
Set the washer to work for about 20 minutes or more if your laundry load is more. Then relax and let it work.
If you notice streaks on your laundry, all you need to do is rewash them rather than add another set of tide pods.
- Remove your laundry and dry
After washing, set your washing machine for a rinse cycle or you can rinse them by hand.
Then you can now remove your laundry and dry them. You can either air-dry or tumble-dry them according to your laundry preference.
How Many Tide Pods Should I Use In My Washer?
The number of tide pods to use for laundry depends on the type of fabric and the laundry load you want to wash and the type of Tide Pod. The Tide Pod 4-in-1 comes with detergent, color protector, fabric softener, and stain remover while the Tide 3-in-1 comes with detergent, color protector, and stain remover.
You could check the volume of the washing machine compartment to know the size of laundry your washer can handle.
Or you can check its instructions manual if you don’t know how to do that.
I personally use 1 Tide Pod for a full load of laundry that isn’t heavily soiled and it works just fine. However, experts recommend 1 Tide Pod for small to medium laundry loads, and 2-3 tide pods for heavily soiled medium or larger-sized loads.
Can you use Tide pods in any washer?
Typically, yes. Most detergent pods like Tide work best in standard top load washers and high-efficiency top-loading and front-loading washers.
How To Store Tide Pods After Use
Tide pods should be properly stored to strengthen their efficacy. Before and after use, ensure you store them in an airtight jar to prevent moisture from seeping into it.
Its highly concentrated form is highly susceptible to becoming slimy on contact with moisture.
Store the jar in a cool dry area at room temperature beyond the reach of children and pets because tide pods are extremely harmful. You don’t want your kids munching the pods like candy.