My kids are dirty. They play hard outside and the knees of their jeans get muddy. They are enthusiastic eaters and spaghetti sauce and mustard frequently wind up on their shirts (and sleeves). The bottoms of their socks are inexplicably grubby.
My kids smell. I had three teenagers and a preteen in the house last year. Puberty hormones smell a lot like wet dog and Axe.
Combine this with my OCD laundry thing and I need a detergent that works, buddy. When we had a tighter budget I bought cheap store brands. I had to work a lot harder to get the laundry clean the way I wanted. Pretreating, soaking, and even washing things twice was necessary.
Then I had a brief “crunchy” phase when I made my own laundry soap It was pennies a load, but my whites were dingy and soap scum built up in my washer. I hated to think of that same build-up on our clothes.
When I started hard-core couponing, I hit a great sale on Tide and stocked up. I’m only brand loyal to a few things, but Tide detergent quickly became one of those brands. Our laundry was fresh and clean without a lot of hard work on my part. I was sold. I have been getting Tide on automatic delivery from Amazon since last year.
Still, even with the Tide, I continued to wash most things in warm or hot water. I know even the hottest water in the washing machine isn’t enough to kill germs, but it did help remove more stains and odors.
I received a full-sized bottle of Tide Coldwater from Proctor & Gamble via She Speaks and was happy to try it on my family’s laundry. Using cold water in our old, giant washing machine would be one way to save money and use fewer natural resources heating the enormous quantities of water needed to clean the clothes of a family of six.
I have been very happy with the results. Our clothes are still clean and smell very fresh, even the kids towels that they “forgot” to hang up to dry. 
Tide Coldwater is available in powder or liquid for both standard and High-Efficiency washers. I tested the Fresh Scent liquid, but Mountain Fresh is also available. Tide Free also has a Coldwater form with no dyes or scent.
I’ve decided to do fewer reviews this year. I’m going to be a lot more picky so you know that when I write a review it’s for something I like or think you might like.
I like Tide Coldwater and plan on adding it to my standard Amazon delivery. I still want regular Tide for sheets, white towels and kitchen linens because I mentally need to wash those things in hot water. Perhaps I’ll change my mind over time, but for now I’m okay with paying the electric bill for those things.
Are you a Tide user? Have you ever tried Tide Coldwater? We are planning on a new washer and I’m curious about how Tide Coldwater works in a HE machine.
Disclosure: I have been compensated for this post but all opinions and kittens are my own.
I was a devoted Tide user for years. I’ve been hooked on ECO brand for the last several years. I don’t think we’ll ever part ways. It smells devine.
The over-perfumed nature of most laundry soaps today can give me a headache.
Where do you buy ECO? We bought the Tide Free when we thought someone in my family had eczema, but they had a skin fungal infection instead.
There was a fungus among us.
I’m glad to read this review – I’m SO tired of pretreating, soaking, treating again, etc! I only wash in cold (except for towels) and had bought some Tide from Costco when they had a coupon for it, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how great a job it does! I’ll have to check out the Subscribe & Save program for it!
Leslie, it got the stains out of my daughter’s jeans pictured above. I just poured the detergent on the knee and tossed it into the filling washer. I didn’t let it stand or soak.
The one thing I noticed after I wrote this was that it didn’t get out a cat smell. (Our old cat has a problem.)
I find the Subscribe and Save program is a little less than my market’s regular price, but not as good as with a coupon. However, shipping is free and I never run out or have to think about it.
I use Tide Coldwater AND get it delivered to my door from Amazon. So, I think your review is just perfect. 🙂
That’s why you’re my favorite. Glad to hear you use it and like it.
I’ve been a Tide fan for several years – started being brand loyal when I talked to people at Cotton Inc about why they let the seal of cotton on the packaging. Keeping good colors to my clothes helps lengthen the lifespan for me. But I love the idea of Tide cold water… and I need to buy some detergent so I’ll see if I can find the HE version on my next shopping outing.
If you can’t find it at your store, Janice, check out amazon. If you are a Prime member, the price is comparable and auto delivery is free.
I miss Tide. It has always been the detergent that got my clothes the cleanest. We switched to Arm & Hammer with Oxi-Clean, which does a good job, but is cheaper.
I love your kitty.
I am going to sniff ECO next time I go to the grocery store, thanks to Robin!
Susan, coupon plus sale. Worth it.
Tide is one of the few brands I am loyal to as well. Now, get this… I use regular tide AND I wash my laundry in cold water. I am such a rebel 😉
Heather, I never knew you were such a rebel!
Perfect! Thanks for the review. Thumbs up!
I have 3 kids…my husband has an okay paying job….and I work mothers hours…not to mention I live in MA which is a very expensive state to live in. Needless to say we are on a VERY tight budget. I experimented with every type of laundry detergent seriously A to Z & nothing comes close to getting clothes stain free & clean as tide. I use tide coldwater for washes I wash in coldwater….and tide original or febreeze…bleach alternative, etc….it’s all just so good it’s worth the extra money to buy..it gets blood…mud…out of clothes even in coldwater. Im not one to write reviews but tide is so good & worth the extra money I had to let others know. If you go to Walmart you get the best deals & if you coupon and look around you can get better deals. Tide is at least twice as good as the 2nd best detergent.