The only thing I would suggest is for your darker cloths, blacks, reds, blues, etc. use a detergent specifically for darker cloths. These detergents have additive in them that will neutralize the chemicals in your water which cause fading (things like chlorine, etc.). I am currently using a Woolite HE detergent for this, but like the Persil products best (but Persil has just gotten to expensive for me).
Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll get much good info. here.

Tide Total Care is supposed to be very good at maintaining the look and feel of your fabrics. To eliminate fuzz/pilling, turn those items inside-out before washing.

"the white fuzz on clothes that make them look old" is fading of the fiber itself due to oxy bleaches, fabric brighteners, chlorine in the water supply. In addition, normal wear and tear, fading from natural and artificial light, etc. affect clothing. Sometimes dyes rub off (it's called "crocking") which looks like premature fading.

No detergent can really reverse any of these influences. Using the formulas for dark colors would be the best option, to minimize future fading. HTH

Tide Total Care is supposed to be very good at maintaining the look and feel of your fabrics. To eliminate fuzz/pilling, turn those items inside-out before washing.

ITA. This works great work for me.

I meant to say, This works great for me.

I don't think you can reverse any damage already done. I had some fading on dark clothing too which I attribute to optical brighteners in conventional detergents. The detergent I like best for washing darks to prevent fading is Vaska (available in some Targets or on line).

For my laundry, I'm am a proponent of Tide Total Care as it works great on all washloads. Whether they are grungy yardwork clothes, whites, delicates, handwashables, light, bright or dark colors; they all come clean, fresh & with the colors intact. Another plus, if you've got a greasy stain or badly soiled load of bright or richly colored items, you can wash them in warm or hot water without fear of fading.

My laundry supplies have dwindled as well. So my laundry room does not look like a chemistry lab. LOL! The Tide TC works well as a prespotter and with many loads the clothes are soft enough to not need a Bounce dryer sheet. For certain white loads, I will add a little bleach for sanitization purposes---probably could get by without it, but its an ingrained habit.

So that's it for me, Tide, dryer softener sheets and a bottle of bleach. Laundry simplicity & economy!

C

While I can see that Tide TC might neutralize chlorine and other things to help prevent fading, I can't see how it can protect dark clothes from hot water.

@ livebetter

Tide Totalcare looks like it contains Dipropylethyl Tetraamine, which is a chlorine neutralizer. It also contains a slightly different mix of enzymes than in standard Tide HE liquid: Amylase, Cellulase, Mannanase, Protease. Tide HE liquid contains Amylase, Mannanase, Protease, Pectinase. You will note that Totalcare HE contains Cellulase, which Tide HE does not, and Tide HE contains Pectinase, which Totalcare lacks.

Cellulase (Totalcare HE) performs the following functions according to www.mapsenzymes.com:

• Colour brightening - When garments made of cotton or cotton blends have been washed several times, they tend to get a 'fluffy' look and the colours become duller. This effect is due to the formation of microfibrils that become partly detached from the main fibres. The light falling on the garment is reflected back to a greater extent giving the impression that the colour is duller. These fibrils, however, can be degraded by the cellulase enzyme, restoring a smooth surface to the fibre and restoring the garment to its original color.
• Softening - The enzyme also has a significant softening effect on the fabric, probably due to the removal of the microfibrils.
• Soil removal - Some dirt particles are trapped in the network of microfibrils and are released when the microfibrils are removed by the cellulase enzyme.

Pectinase, contained in Tide HE liquid, but not Totalcare, appears to be good at breaking down the cell walls of plants. I imagine this would be a good ingredient to have if you are fighting grass and other plant-based stains. Also note that Persil Megaperls (Universal and Color) contains cellulase as well.

@sshrivastava, thanks - I did know the function of cellulase. I find it interesting it contains brighteners.

Previous poster commented about not worrying about hot water washing of darks/colors with Tide TC. I was pointing out that I don't think it can protect things from hot water. I'm sure it is equipped with ingredients to combat chlorine and washing related damage (sure wish they made it in unscented).

I noticed on US website that they offer a "cool cotton" fragrance. Is this new? Anyone try it?

They also said this about Tide TC:
The proprietary Protective Fiber Complex consists of polymers, silicone, and chlorine scavengers. The combination of polymer and silicone works together to condition fabrics, down to the fiber level, reducing harsh abrasion that can cause fabrics to become stretched, rough, and dull. Reducing fiber-to-fiber interaction also helps prevent the formation of pills and fuzz.

A non-chemist's view: Dyes fade because of a chemical reaction of some sort, which is speeded up by hot temperatures. A detergent could conceivably contain some ingredient that would inhibit that reaction, and so prevent fading.

We tried Tide Total Care and I thought it made cottons get stronger--that is rougher. They seemed to stiffen up after laundering. I didn't like that effect so we didn't get more. In another thread I read that All Free and Clear doesn't have enzimes to attack clothes. Maybe it is the answer.

@ nerdyshopper

Enzymes don't attack clothes, they attack the stains sitting on the cloth fibers. The only exception to that is silk, wool, and other protein-based fibers that can be attacked by certain enzymes. That's why you never wash silk or wool with detergents containing enzymes. But for other fabrics enzymes do not damage the clothes.

As far as Tide Total Care is concerned, I find that it does make fabrics lay flat and hang better. The fabrics seem "refreshed" after washing in Total Care. The surfaces are smoother and texture feels better. Based on my experience, I believe Total Care's claim that it enhances the life of your fabrics and keeps them looking like new. For those who don't mind the scent "experience" of Total Care, you may find it a great addition to your laundry stash, especially for those items you really want to keep looking like new. It's a perfect complement to those of us with Miele machines which are already so good at being gentle on fabrics.

As far as Tide Total Care is concerned, I find that it does make fabrics lay flat and hang better. The fabrics seem "refreshed" after washing in Total Care. The surfaces are smoother and texture feels better.

This has been my experience.

I have a whole house filter that pulls out chlorine and other chemicals. I still have fading issues with my colors when I use Sears Ultra Powder. All has faded my clothes too. In fact, a woman at expotv showed what All did to a little dress she made compared to another washed in Tide HE. There was a significant difference. The All washed dress was really faded. However, I do not know if she has chlorinated water, but All does nothing for chlorinated water.

I have used All free and clear on several occasions and I liked it well enough because it didn't break us out if I did extra rinsing and it is reasonably priced, but I prefer other brands which clean better and do not have to be rinsed as much. The All is a little sudsy for me. I hope this helps.

Persil color gel for colored clothing and Perwoll for blacks and darks. I swear by these two. Expensive relative to supermarket detergents, but I figure I also get more life out of my clothes. So the trade off is worth it. My friend and I both bought the same green cotton shirt, she washed in Tide (regular) and I washed with Persil. She saw my shirt months later and was surprised by its color retention. Hers had faded several shades lighter than mine to a yellowy green and she was now using it as her "lounge/junk" shirt at home.

@ be21

You can only make a valid comparison if both you and your friend have the same type of machine, share the same water chemistry, use the full recommended dose of detergent, use the same cycle and temperature, and dry the clothes using the same method and, if applicable, machine and cycle. A difference in any one of these variables, which is highly likely, can be the reason for the difference in fading rates. It may have nothing to do with the detergent.

@sshrivastava
Your variables are true, but my testimony was simply an observation. I was not trying to make a valid comparison. We did not buy the same green shirt as an experiment, but as an accident.

Anyone out there reading this, do what you will with my observation. Just be aware that if you have a crappy machine, hard water, overdose or under-dose detergent, use the wrong cycle, use scalding hot water, and then dry your clothes in a crappy dryer on high heat, your results may vary. ;) Good luck.

We don't get Persil detergent here where we live. I find the scent of Era is very clean and pleasant. It cleans comparably to Tide, in my opinion.

@ angelic_one2002

I've read elsewhere about an unconfirmed rumor that ERA is actually the same formula as Tide, but sold at a much lower price. Could this be true?

FWIW,
Google Tide Total Care Cool Cotton.
I found it at my local Lowe's. Pricey at $13.97 (non HE) but it does yield 40 loads/100 oz. jug.
Did I buy it?
Of course! =)
I can't believe I get sucked into buying a product I can't use. LOL! I will get the ration for buying yet another brand/scent! yikes...
Did I try it?
Yes!
Not on my clothes since but my daughters. She wears lots of bright colors/black that are thin and need more TLC. Good results, and the scent is pleasant!
See, you can teach a old dog new tricks! =)

@ bookert

You're using a non-HE detergent in an HE machine, or do you have an old fashioned top loader?

@ bookert

LOL... I was just curious. Sudsing is the main issue with non-HE, so if you can use a full dose of non-HE without sudsing issues in your front loader... why not? The problems only arise when non-HE detergent dosage is reduced, due to sudsing, to a point at which it is ineffective.

sshrivastava,

Agreed!

On the topic of fading clothes. I made a big boo boo!
Used some Ariel Bajaespuma powder mixed with pure oxy clean (my purchase from the Chemistry Store) on my sons work clothes. Blacks and red t-shirts. Results were not noticeable to the black items except for minimal white shadows, I believe from the optical brighteners. The red t-shirts well.... major white shadowing on large areas!
I will rewash in the Tide Total Care to see if it helps fix my mess! I should have known!! Why, oh, why don't I stick to what works! It's like trying out a new science experiment?!
Temptation is so evil!
Do not attempt this at home folks.... you WILL be sorry!

@ bookert

How much sodium percarbonate were you using? In my 4 cuft machine I use 4 TBSP and 140F water to blast anything back to white again, 2 TBSP for a general boost with your detergent.