I have a confession to make.
I hate doing laundry.
I know I’m not alone. I couldn’t possibly be alone. But it’s not every aspect of laundry I hate. I’m fine with the sorting. I’m great with the washing. I can even handle transferring from washer to dryer. It’s what happens after that that I have no tolerance for: the folding and putting away.
I have the same problem with the dishes. I’ll use them. I’ll load them in the dishwasher. But unloading the dishwasher? Ugh.
Now, I’m going to share my laundry secret with you. Two secrets, to be more precise. One is a product and one is, well, you better watch…
You know those moms that have five, six, or seven kids? (Or more?) I often think about the gallons of milk they must have to buy. And the toys they have to pick up. And THEN, I think about what laundry day must be like at their house. Maybe I don’t have it so bad.
Will Tide Coldwater make laundry day easier? Not really. Will Tide Coldwater make laundry day more fun? Definitely not. But here’s where it can help.
It can save you money.
If you’re washing your clothes on warm or hot, you can switch to cold and still ensure you’re getting clean clothes. How does that save you money? Because you don’t have to pay for the gas or electricity or whatever your hot water heater uses for the water needed for your laundry. As a side benefit, you can now take that long leisurely bath without fear of running out of hot water.
It can make your clothes cleaner.
I say this because I have always washed my clothes on cold. I’ve always heard that warmer temperatures fade colors so I’ve always used cold. I will occasionally use warm-cold on things like towels. And I never thought about the laundry detergent not being as effective. Since this is specifically designed for cold water washing, I’m covered.
HOWEVER…
If you’re like me, you want to know why I need special detergent to wash on cold since I’ve been doing that all along. Great question. I had the same one and went looking for answers.
I went to Tide Coldwater’s FAQ page and found a couple of items of note:
Why can’t I use the original product on a cold water setting?
You can use regular Tide in a cold water wash; however, Tide Coldwater has been specifically designed for use in cold water.
Is this product good for whites as well as colors?
The product can be used with both whites and colors; however, as with traditional laundry, sorting by color is highly recommended prior to cleaning, as some garments may bleed even in cold water conditions.
What is the ingredient that makes Tide Coldwater better in cold water?
It is difficult to point to any one ingredient as the ingredients in the formulation work synergistically together to maximize the performance of Tide Coldwater in cold water washing.
That last one is the one that leaves me wanting to know more. I don’t expect to learn the name of the ingredient. It doesn’t really matter to me. It might be proprietary and I don’t plan on concocting my own laundry detergent anytime soon. But as a consumer who happened to minor in Chemistry in college, I’d love to know how, the mechanism, that makes it work better in cold water. So that I know it’s more than just marketing speak.
In the meantime, I’ll have to be satisfied knowing that I have a detergent designed for the way I wash anyway. And the proof is in the pudding laundry.
Disclosure: As you probably suspect, P&G invited me to participate in the Future Friendly/Tide Coldwater program. They provided me with a free product to sample and the opportunity to freely express my opinion. I have also been compensated for my time from Tide/SheSpeaks.
