Tide (detergent) - Definition and Overview

A bottle of Tide with Bleach Alternative.

Tide is the name of a popular laundry detergent on the market in the United States and Canada. It is manufactured by Procter and Gamble.

First introduced in test markets in 1946 with national distribution reached in 1949, Tide was touted as "America's Washday Favorite". It quickly gained dominance in the detergent market, dwarfing the sales of its own products (such as Ivory Snow) as well as the competition (Rinso). The latter two were soap products.

Tide is most recognized for its orange-and-yellow bullseye logo. The logo we see today was a product of a slight modification for the product's fiftieth anniversary in 1996. Currently, the Tide brand is given to over half a dozen powders and liquid detergents in the United States alone.