Tide Detergent Ingredients A-Z

Every bottle of Tide is the product of years of scientific research. Unique formulas with purposeful ingredients helping deliver the cleanest clothes you can get. Since every Tide product is specially formulated to meet different needs (for example, we have regular as well as hypoallergenic washing detergents), each one contains some unique ingredients.

No matter which Tide detergent you use, it’s important to know that each ingredient is carefully selected. To even be considered for our products, it must be known to be safe for its intended use. We hold ourselves to the highest bar for safety, and you can learn more about our ingredient safety process here.

On this page, you can find an A-to-Z list of all the ingredients that go into our PODS®, liquid, and powder products, as well as information about each ingredient.

For specialty products, such as our Tide to Go Pen, Tide Laundry Boosters, Tide Washing Machine Cleaner, and Tide Antibacterial Fabric Spray, please visit Smart Label for the full list of ingredients.

A

Ingredient name What is it:What it is What it does:What it does
Acrylamide - Methylacrylamideopropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride copolymerWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Provides opacity to formula
AlcoholWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine
Alcohol ethoxylatesWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Alcohol ethoxy sulfateWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
AmylaseWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans starch based stains

B

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
BentoniteWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Provides softening benefits
BenzisothiazolinoneWhat is it:PreservativeWhat it does:Stabilizes formula

C

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
C10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxideWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
C12-16 ParethWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
C14-15 ParethWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
C10-16 ParethWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Calcium chlorideWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Thickness regulator, stabilizes formula
Calcium formateWhat is it:StabilizerWhat it does:Stabliizes enzymes in formula
Cellulase enzymeWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans clothing fibers
Colorants (Liquitint Blue AH, Blue 1)What is it:AestheticsWhat it does:Gives pleasing color to the product

D

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
Denatonium benzoateWhat is it:Bittering agentWhat it does:Gives film a bitter taste
Diethylene glycolWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine
Diethylenetriamine pentaacetateWhat is it:Sodium saltWhat it does:Captures soil, keeps dirt in suspension
DimethiconeWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Suppresses foam in washer
Dipropylene glycolWhat is it:SolventWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine
Disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonateWhat is it:BrightenerWhat it does:Whitens and brightens clothes

E

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it is What it does:What it does
EthanolamineWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps with stability and balancing pH
Ethanolamine citrateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Ethanolamine laurateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Ethanolamine myristateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Ethanolamine palmitateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Ethanolamine oleateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Ethanolamine stearateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water

F

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
Fatty acids, C16-18 and C18-unsatd.What is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Fatty acids, saltsWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Fluorescent brightenerWhat is it:BrightenerWhat it does:Whitens and brightens clothes
Fragrance, PerfumeWhat is it:ScentWhat it does:Provides freshness

G

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
GlycerineWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine

H

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does: What it does
Hydrogenated castor oilWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Stabilizer, keeps formula intact

L

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does: What it does
LipaseWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans grease stains

M

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
MannanaseWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans vegetable stains
Methoxypolyoxymethylene melamineWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Helps stabilize perfume
Modified CelluloseWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension
Monoethanolamine (MEA)-citrateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Keeps formula intact and helps balance pH
MEA-dodecylbenzenesulfonateWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
MEA-LASWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
MEA-laureth sulfateWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent

O

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
Organosilicone copolymerWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Suds reducer, suppresses foam in washer

P

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
Palmitic acidWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Pectic lyaseWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans pectin based stains like tomato and wine
PEG-136 polyvinyl alcoholWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension
PEGWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine
Pentasodium pentetateWhat is it:Cleaning aidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Phenylpropylethyl methiconeWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Suds reducer, suppresses foam in washer
Polyethyleneimine ethoxylateWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension
Polyethyleneimine, alkoxylatedWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension
Polyvinyl alcohol polymerWhat is it:FilmWhat it does:Keeps ingredients in chambers
Propoxylated ethoxylated amineWhat is it:PolymerWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension
Propylene glycolWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine
ProteaseWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans pectin based stains like tomato and wine

S

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
Siloxanes and siliconesWhat is it:Process aidsWhat it does:Suds reducers, supress foam in washer
SimethiconeWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Suds reducers, supress foam in washer
Sodium AluminosilicateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Water softener
Sodium bisulfiteWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Stabilizer, keeps formula intact
Sodium borateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Stabilizes enzymes
Sodium C10-16 alkylbenzene sulfonate What is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Sodium carbonateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps balance pH
Sodium carbonate peroxideWhat is it:Color Safe BleachWhat it does:Whitens and brightens clothes
Sodium citrateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps balance pH
Sodium cumene sulfonateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps stabilize formula
Sodium FormateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps formula thickness
Sodium laurateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Sodium laureth sulfateWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Sodium lauryl sulfateWhat is it:SurfactantWhat it does:Cleaning agent
Sodium myristateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Sodium oleateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Sodium palmitateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Sodium phenylnonanoate sulfonateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Whitens and brightens clothes
Sodium polyacrylateWhat is it:Cleaning aidWhat it does:Keeps dirt in suspension - helps with whiteness
Sodium salts of C12-18 fatty acidsWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Coconut derived suds reducer, suppresses foam in washer
Sodium silicateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps balance pH
Sodium stearateWhat is it:Wash AidWhat it does:Helps cleaning in hard water
Sodium sulfateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Helps balance pH
Styrene/Acrylates copolymerWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Opacifier, stabilizes formula
SubtilisinWhat is it:EnzymeWhat it does:Cleans protein based stains

T

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
TrimethylsiloxysilicateWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Suds reducer, suppresses foam in washer
Tripropylene glycolWhat is it:SolventWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine

W

Ingredient nameWhat is it:What it isWhat it does:What it does
WaterWhat is it:Process aidWhat it does:Allows ingredients to combine