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Laundry Day with Aldi

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re updating our coverage of Aldi laundry supplies.

  • Read our full review of Tandil Premium Original Scent Laundry Detergent here.
  • Our full review of Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh Laundry Detergent is here.
  • Read our full review of Tandil Premium Island Breeze Laundry Detergent here.
  • You can also read our review of Tandil Premium Free & Clear Laundry Detergent here

Aldi carries a full range of products to get your clothes, towels, and linens clean and smelling fresh. For a low-inventory store, my local Aldi carries a fairly large selection of laundry detergent. I counted several different types of detergent and, further adding to the variety, some of those types come in more than one scent. Most products are the Tandil store brand, but there also are bottles of name-brand Tide and Gain laundry detergents.

The Tandil brands can be a little confusing, because their names are so similar, so making note of the color-coding and reading the packaging carefully is a good idea.

So let’s take a look at the store brand offerings:

Tandil Premium Original Laundry Detergent
Tandil Premium Original Laundry Detergent

This is a red 100-ounce bottle that claims it is good for 64 loads. It is suitable for standard and high-efficiency washing machines. The labeling says it is comparable to Tide Original Scent. Tide is the most popular laundry detergent brand in the U.S. and is regarded by many consumers (and publications like Consumer Reports) as the most effective stain remover among the major brands. Tide is also generally more expensive than other brands, so it is probably not a surprise that Aldi’s take on Tide is the most expensive of the Tandil detergents … although we should add that Tandil’s take on Tide is a lot less than Tide itself.

Washing instructions say to fill the cup to the second line for regular loads; use more for large or heavily soiled loads. To pre-treat stains, check the inside seam of your garment for colorfastness, then rub a small amount of detergent directly on the stain before washing. This detergent is phosphate free.

Tandil Premium Original Scent Laundry Detergent

Tandil Premium Original Scent Laundry DetergentThis is a green 100-ounce bottle. There is another green 100-ounce bottle in a tropical scent, but we haven’t tested that product yet. This detergent is good for 64 loads and costs more per load than the Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh Laundry Detergent (below), but less than the Tandil Premium Original Laundry Detergent (above). It is good for standard and high-efficiency washing machines and is comparable to Gain Original Scent. Gain is considered a solid cleaning agent, but it is particularly popular for the scent it leaves on clothes.

Washing instructions say to fill the cup to the second line for regular loads; use more for large or heavily soiled loads. To pre-treat stains, check the inside seam of your garment for colorfastness, then rub a small amount of detergent directly on the stain before washing. This detergent contains no phosphates.

Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh Laundry Detergent

Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh Laundry DetergentI’ve been purchasing this detergent in the 50-ounce blue bottle for several years. It states it is comparable to Purex Mountain Breeze and is good for 32 loads. It is suitable for standard and high-efficiency washing machines. Purex is not as popular as the likes of Tide or Gain, but is considered a solid, economical detergent suitable for most uses. Of all the detergents in the Tandil line, this bottle is the cheapest per load by a lot: by our numbers, 64 loads (two bottles) of this Tandil costs nearly 40% less than 64 loads of the other two detergents.

Washing instructions say to fill the cup to the second line for regular loads; use more for large or heavily soiled loads. To pre-treat stains, check the inside seam of your garment for colorfastness, then rub a small amount of detergent directly on the stain before washing. This detergent contains no phosphates.

This is our family’s go-to detergent and it does the job, gets our clothes clean, and smells good. It was a lifesaver when our grade school-aged daughter brought lice home last year and we laundered EVERYTHING in the house!

Tandil Original Single-Dose Laundry Detergent Pacs

These pods are a new addition to Aldi’s laundry lineup. They compare to Tide Pods and come in a 31-count package. It’s suitable for standard and high-efficiency washing machines. While all of Aldi’s other detergents are liquids you measure out each time you wash a load of laundry, this is Aldi’s only option for pre-packaged, pre-measured, self-contained detergent pods. It is also Aldi’s most expensive detergent when estimating cost per load — about 19 cents per load at the time of this purchase — but it’s also cheaper per load than Tide pods, so if pods are your thing, this is worth a look.

Directions say to handle with dry hands and add the pac(s) directly to the drum (not the dispenser) of your machine. Then add laundry. Close the package and return to its storage location, and wash and dry your hands. The package also states that one pac is good for washing one medium-sized load, while two pacs should be used for a large or heavily soiled load. Do not use the pacs for pre-treating or (do we really need to tell you?) hand washing. The pacs contain no phosphates, have biodegradable cleaning agents, and are safe for septic systems.

In a nod to common poisoning incidents when children taste or eat laundry pods because they’ve mistaken them for candy, the package contains a large warning box stating that these need to be kept out of reach of children, and that the pacs can burst if children put them in their mouths or play with them. The liquid inside is harmful if put in mouth, swallowed, or put in eyes. The package also includes specific directions about how to open and close the Ziploc style pouch and states, “NEVER leave pacs outside this container.”

Tandil Oxi Versatile Stain Remover

Tandil

This truly is a versatile cleaner, and it states it can be compared to OxiClean. I have used OxiClean and a similar name brand cleaning powder, Biz. The Tandil Oxi Versatile Stain Remover works as well as the name-brand products.

The Tandil stain remover is my go-to solution when dealing with tough, set-in stains in my children’s clothing. I put the stained clothing item(s) in a standard-sized bucket with one to two scoops of the Tandil Oxi Versatile Stain Remover, fill the bucket with hot water, swish it around to dissolve the stain remover, and let it sit for several hours or as long as a full day. Then I dump the entire bucket in the washing machine and launder as usual. This method frequently gets stubborn stains out of my children’s clothing. You can also add a scoop to every laundry load to help clean clothes.

The container states the stain remover can also be used on carpets and upholstery. I also once made a paste with it to scrub my bathroom grout, but I get better results using an old-fashioned mixture of vinegar and baking soda when cleaning grout.

Tandil Ultra Soft Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets

 

These sheets come in three varieties: Free & Clear (which is free of perfumes and dyes), springtime fresh, and clean linen. I bought the Free & Clear option, which comes 80 to a box and claims to be comparable to Bounce Free. While the sheets I bought claim to be unscented, they left a distinct smell in my living room when I left the box next to my laptop for a day before writing this review. It wasn’t a bad or overpowering scent, but it was a scent.

The box advertises that these fabric softeners offer “softness and static cling reduction for your laundry.” You load your clothes in the dryer, use recommended heat settings, put one new fabric softener sheet into the dryer per load, and start the dryer. Discard the used sheet when unloading dry clothes. If spotting occurs, wet fabric and rub the spot with bar soap, then rinse and rewash.

The box warns that these sheets should not be used on children’s sleepwear or other garments labeled as flame resistant as they may reduce flame resistance.

I rarely use fabric softener anymore after reading on a frugal blog that it isn’t always necessary. I sometimes use fabric softener during the winter months when the air in the house is dry. These sheets work as well as any other fabric softener sheets I’ve used, which is to say they don’t entirely control the static problem during harsh winter weather, but they may help some.

Aldi also sells Tandil liquid fabric softener and Suavitel liquid fabric softener, but we have not tested those products yet.

The Verdict:

All of Aldi’s laundry products are highly recommended. The laundry detergent, fabric softener, and stain remover appear to work as well as their name-brand competitors.

We recommend the Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh Laundry Detergent (blue bottle) because it is, by nearly 40%, the cheapest per load, and it is perfectly fine for most laundry work.

On the other hand, if you have family members whose clothes frequently get heavily soiled, you might also want to take a look at the Tandil Premium Original Laundry Detergent (red bottle).

If you don’t like measuring liquid detergent for every load, we recommend the Tandil Original Single-Dose Laundry Detergent Pacs.

And for hard-to-remove stains, you won’t go wrong with the Tandil Oxi Versatile Stain Remover.

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21 Comments

  1. I am very sensitive to fragrances as many people are today. So why ship the Free and Clear fabric softener in the same box as the fragranced types. When they arrive in the store they are all smelly. It is impossible to get fragrance free fabric softener at Aldi’s because of this shipping procedure.

  2. I used to use a cheap detergent from Big Lots. I didn’t know how bad a job it did until I started using Tandil in the red jug. I’m still amazed every time I take things out of the washer and see how much cleaner and brighter they are. And it costs less than the “cheap” brand.

    1. The red Tandil is, as far as we know, basically Tide … which is probably the most effective detergent at stain removal, on the whole. We usually use the blue bottle since it does fine for most washes, but the red bottle is excellent stuff.

  3. I have used the Tandil Oxi Versatile Stain Remover – years ago. I haven’t seen it in the Aldi stores in our area (NWPA) and wonder why we can’t purchase it? Low stock for us or just a rare product? Can you help me figure out how to get it stocked in our local Aldi? Thanks

  4. I tried the red Tandil and noticed a very odd smell that did not smell like Tide. I was not impressed and went right back to Save a Lot’s Power Cycle in the Red bottle. This detergent smells exactly like Tide and is as thick. My clothes come out smelling great. Even my neighbor has tried both Aldi and Save a Lot blue bottles of Mountain Scented and Save a Lot was hands down winner.

  5. On two occasions I have found and purchased Tandil Little Jorney Baby Laundry Detergent at Aldi, and loved it, both the fragrance and the price. I haven’t seen it for awhile and am wondering if it has been discontinued. I even went online and searched for it, hoping to order a case of it. Please let me know if it can still be found at Aldi.

  6. Love the price and fragrance of blue bottle Tandil Essentials Mountain Fresh. Have an aeration septic system. Nowhere on the bottle is there information about being septic safe. I can only assume that if it is comparable to Purex then it must be. Would hate to have an expensive assumption. Comments are welcome

  7. I love the tandil bleach awesome no strong bleach smell the cleaning is incredible thank you will try the laundry soap next Awesome 👏

  8. Our Aldi stores here in the Albany, NY area have the Mountain Fresh Tandil in the blue bottle at $3.99 for 100 oz. every day. My family has had no allergic reactions to this detergent since we switched several months ago, and it is marked “He” compatible. An effective cleaner, and a great bargain.

  9. I will give the Red (Tide) one a try. I do not like the Green (Gain) it has a smell (like the chemical used for perms). This is the second bottle I bought and smell it.

  10. Where is the “second line” on the cap of Aldi detergent? Love the detergent but want to follow directions and can’t see ANY lines.

  11. Tandil premium original laundry pacs destroyed my brand new comforter. Is there any way for me to get in touch with someone from customer service?

  12. I used to use Oxydol, after I stopped using Tide due to its outrageous cost. Oxydol was a lower cost, and did just as good, I thought. When I moved I washed everything, and most of it was already washed and not used. On that last wash before moving, I used Tandil detergent. My God, I couldn’t believe how dirty the water in the wash cycle was! I was amazed how it removed residual dirt, that the Oxydol failed to remove. Lower cost, and cleans excellent! It’s all I used now

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