Do Tide Pods Have Fabric Softener? (Answered)

Tide pods are a simple and effective way to clean your laundry. If they are your laundry detergent of choice, you may have wondered if the pods contain a fabric softener or if you need to add a separate ingredient to your washing machine to soften your clothing and linens. 

Do Tide Pods Have Fabric Softener

In this article, we’ll discuss which Tide Pods have fabric softener in them and which ones leave it out. This way, you’ll be able to choose your preferred type of pod based on whether you want to use fabric softener in your laundry.

Do Tide Pods Have Fabric Softener In Them?

Tide 4-in-1 Plus Downy and Tide 4-in-1 Plus Downy Free are the only Tide Pods that have fabric softener. If your favorite pod formulation doesn’t include fabric softener, you can always add it to your wash separately.

Which Tide Pods Have Fabric Softener?

Tide Pods Plus Downy is the only formula containing fabric softener.

  • Tide Pods 4-in-1 Plus Downy: Tide 4-in-1 laundry pods fight stains while keeping colors from fading. The Downy fabric softener in these pods helps keep your clothes from stretching out over time and infuses your laundry with Downy’s signature April Fresh Scent. 
  • Tide Free Plus Downy: These gentle Tide pods are formulated without dyes and perfumes. They are recognized by the National Eczema Association (NEA) and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) and can fully dissolve in cold water.

Which Tide Pods Do Not Have Fabric Softener?

If you’d rather not have fabric softener in your Tide Pods, you have a wider variety of detergent pods to choose from.

  • Tide Simply Pods Odor Rescue Laundry Detergent: These pods are formulated with the same strength as the original Tide laundry detergent and include extra odor-fighting ingredients to give you the freshest clean yet.
  • Tide Ultra Oxi Power Pods with Odor Eliminators: This detergent blend combines the stain-fighting power of oxygen, the cleaning power of Tide, and odor elimination to form one intense cleaner. 
  • Tide Simply Pods Plus Oxi Liquid Laundry Detergent Pacs Refreshing Breeze: This formula combines the cleaning power of Tide and the stain-fighting power of oxygen with the gentle smell of a refreshing breeze.
  • Tide Pods Plus Febreze  4-in-1 Spring and Renewal Laundry Detergent: Tide Pods 4in1 Plus Febreeze fight tough odors for a clean smell that lasts 3x longer than other detergents. 
  • Tide Pods Plus Febreze 4-in-1 Sport Odor Defense: This detergent fights tough stains and odors to freshen even your dirtiest clothes in one wash. The freshness of Febreeze lasts 3x longer compared to other detergents.
  • Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power Pods: This formula was designed to eliminate both visible and invisible dirt in your laundry, giving you the deepest clean ever. It’s available in the original Tide scent and the spring meadow scent. There’s also a free formula that’s dye and fragrance-free for those with sensitive skin.
  • Tide Pods Laundry Detergent: This formula is the same as the regular liquid Tide formula that started it all. It’s available in the original Tide scent, the fresh coral blast scent, and the clean breeze scent. There’s also a free version that is formulated without dyes or fragrances, so it’s gentle enough for sensitive skin. 

Do You Have To Use Fabric Softener With Tide Pods?

adding fabric softener to a wash

If you enjoy using fabric softener in your laundry, you can add it along with your Tide Pods, but you certainly don’t need to use it.

I’ve never used fabric softener because I don’t want the added chemicals on my clothing. Some people enjoy the softness it lends to fabrics and the way it keeps them from wrinkling in the dryer, so there are benefits to using it.

However, if you use dryer sheets, there is fabric softener in them, so you really don’t need to add a separate product to your wash.

Conclusion

If you enjoy using fabric softener in your laundry, choosing one of those detergents eliminates the need to add a separate product to your wash.

If you’d rather not use fabric softener in your laundry, you can choose from any of the other types of Tide Pods instead (never try to use dishwasher tablets though). Although it does make fabrics feel softer and keeps them from getting as wrinkled in the dryer, choosing not to use fabric softener won’t harm your clothing or washer.

In fact, there is a small amount of fabric softener in dryer sheets, so you can reap the benefits of the product without adding an extra step to your laundry routine.

Shauna Stone