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Can You Use Tide Pods At The Laundromat?
Good news – yes you can use Tide Pods at a laundromat. However, you’ll need to be sure to put it into the drum area before closing it and starting your wash.
Where Does a Tide Pod Go in a Washer?
When you put a Tide Pod in a washer, it should go in the back and bottom of the drum in the empty washing machine. For heavily soiled laundry add two of the pods to the back of the drum.
Taking this extra measure helps lift ground in oils, odors, and general grime, but is not always necessary. Do not place Tide Pods in the detergent drawer like you would with a liquid detergent.
Misplacement of the pod will cause a blockage in the machine, preventing your clothes from getting clean as well as damaging the washing machine for future users. It won’t liquify properly, causing a poor wash since the detergent wouldn’t be distributed in the water correctly.
How to Use Laundry Pods in a Front Load Washer
When loading a detergent pod into a front load washer, do not use the detergent drawer. Simply place the laundry pod in the back of the drum, and then load the washer with the dirty clothes.
Then simply close the door and choose the washing cycle as you would while working with any other detergent.
Do You Need Fabric Softener With Tide Pods?
Standard Tide Pods do not have a fabric softener. They will only release detergent so for soft and comfortable fabric you’ll still need to add your own softener.
However, Tide Pods 4in1 Plus Downy come with the following:
- Laundry detergent
- Stain remover
- Color protector
- Downy fabric protect technology
If you don’t find the Downy fabric softener in this product to be enough then it may be in your best interest to add a little bit more fabric softener to the load.
If you’re going to be using bleach at some point, you can also make that more convenient by using bleach pods.
What Happens to the Plastic in Tide Pods?
The casing for Tide Pods is made out of water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol. This means that water will dissolve the casing, releasing the detergent from the pods, and the polyvinyl alcohol will drain out of the washer.
Why Shouldn’t You Use Tide Pods?
Being environmentally conscious is a common reason some consumers prefer alternatives to detergent pods. While the active ingredients that clean your clothes are biodegradable, the rest of the laundry pod is not.
Tide Pods contain phosphates, which wash out into the marine environment. This process creates algae that starve marine life.
The polyvinyl alcohol from the pods’ casing drains into the environment creating unnecessary plastic pollution.
If they are your preferred detergent method, though, then be sure to keep the detergent pods somewhere where your children or pets can’t get to them. Consuming Tide Pods can lead to serious and potentially deadly symptoms.
Why do Tide Pods Stick to Clothes?
If you pull your clothes out of the washer to find that the Tide Pods casing or residue is sticking to your clothes, it can feel like a waste of a wash. Tide pods can stick to clothes due to the pod casing not dissolving fully in the water.
If your Tide Pod is sticking to your clothes, then you may have neglected to place the pod in the back of the dryer drum as the manufacturer recommends. This prevents the encasement from fully dissolving.
If you make sure to correct this for the next load then your clothes should get the thorough clean that you desire, with no gooey residue left on the fabric.
Do Laundry Detergent Pods Clog Drains?
Some claim that detergent pods clog the drains in their home. This is especially the case for detergent pods that do not properly dissolve.
The science behind this is unproven, however. If this is something that you are worried about then a liquid detergent might be the best alternative for you.
Liquid detergents shouldn’t be able to clog drains.
