forum thread Posted by Navy-Wife | Staff • Jan 9, 2025
Jan 9, 2025 6:53 AM
Item 1 of 6
Item 1 of 6
forum thread Posted by Navy-Wife | Staff • Jan 9, 2025
Jan 9, 2025 6:53 AM
117-Oz Tide Simply Clean & Fresh Liquid Laundry Detergent (Berry Blossom or Cool Cotton) 4 for $29.67 & More w/ S&S + Free Shipping
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I saw the reviews are really almost 5 stars for this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product..._pr_i
If this doesn't clean well, maybe just add more detergents, for example, normally a load uses 1 cup of real Tide, can we just add 1.5 cup of Simply Tide?
I saw the reviews are really almost 5 stars for this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product..._pr_img_1? [amazon.com]
If this doesn't clean well, maybe just add more detergents, for example, normally a load uses 1 cup of real Tide, can we just add 1.5 cup of Simply Tide?
it's the lack of stain removing ingredients like enzymes that make this a poor cleaner. If your clothes aren't stained or soiled this will work OK. You might need extra rinses if you have an HE washer.
As I pointed out in the past, this budget version of Tide lacks enzymes. They are helpful for breaking down organic stains such as blood, chocolate and urine. So enzymes must be good, right? And one should avoid detergents without them, right? Not necessarily. Guess what else is organic: Natural fibers such as cotton, wool and silk. Like organic stains, these fibers are also made up of proteins and carbohydrates. Enzymes break apart proteins and carbs so some experts say that they can also degrade natural fibers. That's why detergents like Woolite do not have enzymes. It's something to consider when you buy your next bottle of laundry detergent. And it's why you shouldn't just dismiss Tide Simply as an inferior detergent.
My approach to laundry is the same I have for medicine. Use the least and weakest formulation necessary to meet your needs. So my suggestion is to try this and see if your clothes get clean. If not, use regular Tide. And if that isn't enough, use Tide 10x. This approach is better for your clothes, the environment and your wallet.
PS - For those who need it, Tide 10x is currently on sale:
https://slickdeals.net/f/18068911-105-oz-tide-hygienic-clean-heavy-10x-duty-he-liquid-laundry-detergent-liquid-laundry-detergent-spring-meadow-10-02-w-s-s-free-shipping-w-prime-or-on-35
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Here's my original post:
Simply is Tide's budget line. It lacks enzymes to break down tough organic stains, e.g. Amylase for carbohydrates, Protease (e.g. Subtilisin) for proteins. Their regular fragrance-free line, Free and Gentle, has "Subtilisin, Amylase Enzyme, Mannanase Enzyme." This only has detergents and solvents, but no enzymes. I always look at the ingredients before buying a new detergent. On Amazon, the list is usually in the description or you can just enlarge the images to read the label.
It's not "watered down" as some claim. This is evidenced by the fact that the measuring cap is identical to the one on the more expensive Free and Gentle bottle. While Simply lacks enzymes, it does have detergents and solvents to handle those stains, albeit less effectively. That's fine for most people since most people don't have to deal with blood, grass, wine and chocolate stains on a regular basis. It works fine for me. It has even gotten rid of ink (with pre-treatment) since most inks are not organic. And consider this: hand soaps and cleaning sprays like Windex don't have enzymes either yet they work just fine.
I use budget detergent (with and without enzymes) for my regular wash but use the premium stuff (and/or pretreaters) when I have especially dirty and smelly clothes. In summary, this is fine for most people if you want to save a few bucks. But if you have a lot of organic stains all the time, use something with enzymes. For example, if you have kids who are constantly spilling their food.
I saw the reviews are really almost 5 stars for this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product..._pr_i
If this doesn't clean well, maybe just add more detergents, for example, normally a load uses 1 cup of real Tide, can we just add 1.5 cup of Simply Tide?
You generally shouldn't use more detergent than what's recommended. Detergent actually traps dirt. To get clothes clean, the dirty detergent needs to get rinsed out of the fibers. If you use too much detergent, it may not get rinsed out completely. Then the detergent, along with the dirt it trapped, stay stuck in your clothes.
If you wash in cold water, you can use a little more detergent since cold water is slightly weaker at cleaning. But with any other temperature, use the recommended amount.
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it's the lack of stain removing ingredients like enzymes that make this a poor cleaner. If your clothes aren't stained or soiled this will work OK. You might need extra rinses if you have an HE washer.
As for organic stains being more common, so what? Enzymes are great for organic stains -- but they are not a necessity. Regular soap, for example, is quite effective against fats. Or are you claiming that you need lipase? Many solvents are also effective against carbohydrates and proteins, albeit not as effective as enzymes. Why do you think few, if any, household cleaners contain enzymes?
Read what I wrote above. There are good reasons why you might not want to use enzymes. Guess what natural fibers like cotton, wool and silk are made of. Yep, proteins and carbohydrates. Do you really want enzymes to cleave the proteins and carbohydrates in the threads? Why do you think gentle detergents like Wooliteâ„¢ have no enzymes?