I now use Tide Pods. They are a good alternative to powder and liquid detergent. You just grab a little 'pod' of detergent from the resealable bag, and toss it into the washing machine with your clothes. Because Tide is a national brand, with decades of development behind it, you may find that you aren't disappointed with its performance. I recently switched to Tide Pods after using All Free And Clear liquid detergent for several years. I noticed the difference immediately, especially in my socks, which the Tide managed to remove all of the odor from.

Hi,

I was using Tide powder for many years. I stop using it going for a cheaper detergent. I found that not one of the cheaper brands does as well as Tide. So I am back to Tide. I am now using Tide liquid. One good thing about Tide is it will get past stains out not just recent stains. That is amazing to me


Is it liquid or powder inside the Tide pods?

HopeNHim, I had to go check the Tide pods just now to be sure about this. It seems to be a concentrated liquid inside some kind of material that dissolves on contact with the water in a washing machine. The advantage to this product is that no measuring is required, so I don't need to use a measuring cup or worry that I have put in too much or too little detergent. Also, there's no mess from accidentally spills like you would have with a liquid or powder.

Don't buy "laundry detergent". Stopped spending extra to get it around 2 years ago, when I adjusted to being out of work and having to rely on Husband's income to stay afloat. Now, I practice "simplify".

I've worked since leaving high school, sometimes at a regular job and 2 part times at a time, and I as 18 back then, (more energy to work all those jobs too, back then), and I'm 51 now and can't find work. I grew up in poverty so I "pull from that" experience to get through this current situation I find myself in. As a good elderly friend once said, "there's nothing wrong with being poor, just mighty inconvenient".

I use Dawn Dish detergent in my washer. I buy the "ultra" type and it takes very, very little in my washer to get effective results. I have a "FRONT LOAD" and if one isn't careful, the regular detergent, and what I am substituting, will "suds up" and boy, oh boy, you'll have a mess. The "specially designed" detergent for today's front-load washers are not designed to "suds" much, because the "theory" is that it doesn't take all that "suds" to get effective cleaning. For my Husband's old work clothes which get greasy (we operate a small beef farm, and the clothing can get nasty; muddy, grease and cow poo poo) I add a little borax (that's Mule Team Borax, and you can get it at Walmart; it' not expensive, and old fashioned booster.. But, for the most part, the Dawn does just fine. And, for my white clothes, I add just a tiny bit of bleach to sanitize and brighten them. Also, you can "dilute" the Dawn Ultra by mixing the liquid dishwasher cleaner with 1/3 water in an old, hand soap dispenser and use it as hand cleaner, hand soap, whatever. You can also dilute any liquid shampoo/conditioner/soap by 1/3 water (or to your liking because the goal here is to streeeeeeetch out the usage of the product so you don't have to buy it so often. A good site for more cost cutting ideas and wonderment is DollarStretcher.com and TipHero.com I use them, often.

Good Luck, everyone in stretching those dimes!!

My mother makes her own laundry detergent. She learned how watching the Dogger family on TV , they make their own too. I will ask her for the ingredients . I think it is borax and a big bar of octagon soap that she shreds and she cooks it in a giant pot with water.

I buy the cheapest stuff I can find and try to get a coupon to use when I buy it. I think Dollar general is cheaper than other stores on it too.

Here is a link to making your own

http://youtu.be/gfEJHb5lfds?t=14s

I buy the cheapest laundry detergent.

I buy Tide.

I use Chlorox Color Catchers too. And I throw everything dark and light in together (I have kids....they've been doing the laundry since they were about 7...)

The Color Catchers are a bit expensive, but you can keep reusing and reusing the sheets until they turn dark. One box lasts me more than a year typically.