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I Tried to Be “Green” and Use a New Detergent - But Failed

Written by Tracey

June 23, 2008 05:30 AM

With the “green” movement reaching full steam, I’ve been trying to change my behavior to better the environment.

So, I recycle.

And I’m now bringing my own bags to the grocery store so that I don’t get endless plastic bags.

The other day, I bought some detergent that was “organic” and better for the environment because when it goes into the pipes and out the other side, it’s not full of chemicals.

The detergent (which shall remain nameless- we’ll call it “unnamed” detergent) claimed to clean as well as the usual brands, only it used “lavender” and other “oils” to do the cleaning.

Fabulous!

Only not so much. After just two weeks of using said “unnamed” detergent, I had to go to the grocery store and buy, well, Tide.

Gasp!

Tide- the detergent with all those nasty CHEMICALS.

And what a relief it was. As soon as I did the first load and saw that the stains came out of my pants, a smile appeared on my face.

Make no mistake. The good for the environment “unnamed” detergent, wasn’t just bad- it was awful! It was as if I hadn’t washed the clothes at all. And we’re talking “normal” stains such as dropping a piece of buttered popcorn on your pants leg while you’re in the movie theater. This wasn’t even 2-year pudding on the front of the shirt or 5-year old grass stains on the jeans.

Did the “unnamed” detergent get that out?

Nope.

But Tide, of course, did.

Maybe I just underestimated how good Tide really is. Think about all of those years in the laboratory by scientists and then several decades of consumers using it and the company tinkering with it. From inventors.com

:

In the 1920s, Americans used soap flakes to clean their laundry. The flakes performed poorly in hard water, leaving a ring in the washing machine, dulling colors, and turning whites gray. Procter & Gamble began an ambitious mission to change the way Americans washed their clothes. Researchers discovered two-part molecules which they called synthetic surfactants. Each part of the “miracle molecules” executed a specific function–one pulled grease and dirt from the clothes, while the other suspended dirt until it could be rinsed away. In 1933, this discovery was introduced in a detergent called “Dreft,” but it could only handle lightly soiled jobs. The next goal was to create a detergent that could clean heavily soiled clothes. That detergent was Tide®.

Created in 1943, Tide detergent was the combination of synthetic surfactants and “builders.” The builders helped the synthetic surfactants penetrate the clothes more deeply to attack greasy, difficult stains. Tide was introduced to test markets in October 1946 as the world’s first heavy-duty detergent. Consumer response was immediate and intense. Tide detergent outsold every other brand within weeks. It became so popular that store owners were forced to limit the quantity purchased per customer.

Tide detergent was improved 22 times during its first 21 years on the market, and Procter & Gable still strives for perfection. Each year, researchers duplicate the mineral content of water from all parts of the United States and wash 50,000 loads of laundry to test Tide detergent’s consistency and performance.

So, maybe it’s not so easy to make a detergent after all? And especially one that works.

I know, I know. You’re all thinking that maybe I just didn’t use a “good” detergent that is good for the environment and that there are probably others I can try.

Frankly, the experience was so bad, I’m discouraged about even trying any of the others.

Sorry- I guess I won’t be helping the environment (at least in the detergent department.)

I’ll take my Tide- thanks.

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One Response to “I Tried to Be “Green” and Use a New Detergent - But Failed”

  1. Mike Says:
    June 24th, 2008 at 10:28 am

    Not all the new green detergents are as bad as your experience would indicate.

    And Soap Flakes is still successfully used in many parts of the world…for over 100 years now.

    Granted, Tide is easy. It’s idiot proof. And it got that way by thousands of tinkerings with it’s ingredients and mixtures. But what’s in this “brew”? And what happens over a long period of time?

    In older times, people had to know their stains. They pre-soaked many items. They washed differently…and they got good results. But I agree, it’s a hassle to learn that stuff and to take the time to do it.

    It’s not easy being green, you pick your battles and do what you can.

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