Traditional Over Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap? - Tide Detergent Vs. Seventh Generation

Dianna Zaragoza, Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 17, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Everyone wants to do what's right by the earth...but why does it have to be so expensive? And how well do natural products really work anyway? I recently did a test comparing Tide Detergent, one of the leading brands on the market today, with the leading brand of detergent in the natural and organic movement, Seventh Generation. How would the natural detergent hold up against the more conventional brand?

Ease of Use and Availability
Tide is available in powder form, and in liquid form. I used the liquid form of Tide for my test, since I prefer liquid detergent. Tide is generally available in most supermarkets, with many different scents and combinations. Seventh Generation is available at Whole Foods Market and some other smaller health food stores, and only in powder form. I obtained mine at a smaller market in my town, but it did require an extra trip away from the store I usually patronize.

Results of Wash
I noticed that the water seemed to drain cleaner with Seventh Generation than with Tide. I get a lot of buildup around my pipes when I do the laundry, but I don't know whether that's because of the dirt being washed away or the detergent buildup itself; perhaps it could be a bit of both.
I washed two equal loads and dried them, and laid them side by side to compare. The Tide load had a strong smell of perfume, although not an unpleasant smell. Seventh Generation had a scent that was clean, but without the same strong scent. Both loads washed equally well, and both brands handled stains equally well.

Ingredients
Tide does not disclose a list of their ingredients on the bottle, which leaves me to wonder exactly what it is I'm using to wash with. All the consumer information I'm given is that Tide contains no phosphates, and does contain "biodegradable surfactants (anionic and nonionic) and enzymes".
Seventh Generation, on the other hand, does clearly label their ingredients on the box, as well as what each ingredient does.

Safety
Tide makes the claim that its product is safe for use with septic tanks, and contains a poison warning since, obviously, this product is not for drinking purposes.
Seventh Generation also includes a warning that this product is not meant to be ingested, although it is generally non-toxic. It also claims to be safe for use in "septic and greywater systems."

Economy
Hands down, Tide is the winner here. A bottle that washes 32 loads of laundry cost $5.95, while Seventh Generation's product washes only about 18 loads of laundry and cost $7.11.

Impact on Environment
Here, it seems clear that Seventh Generation comes out on top over Tide. Their willingness to list their ingredients won points with me, and since their list of ingredients does not including petroleum-based products, Seventh Generation would certainly tread more softly on the earth than Tide would.

Final Results
All things being equal in the washing, whether or not to use Tide or Seventh Generation would then depend on the individual consumer. Those consumers with sensitivity to heavy perfumes or a strong commitment to the environment would certainly be happy with Seventh Generation, while those who are concerned with convenience or saving money would be more likely choose Tide.

Published by Dianna Zaragoza

I'm a freelance writer, editor and teacher. Most of my previous work can currently be found here at AC. I've been writing articles online for 4 years now, with a special focus on all things short in the art... View profile

Traditional Over Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap? - Tide Detergent Vs. Seventh Generation

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