While Tide keeps many of its ingredients secret to guard against competitors, some main ingredients are listed on the packaging.
Surfactant
Surfactants are artificial soaps used in detergents as cleaning agents. Surfactants have replaced natural soap products because they are less likely to coagulate and clog the sewer system once they are discarded by the washing machine. Soaps also tend to create buildups on your clothes after a period of time. Artificially-made surfactants do not cause buildups and it is completely water soluble so they will completely rinse away.
Enzymes
The enzymes used in Tide and common laundry detergents have been proven to break down any protein-based dirt on clothes. Enzymes also help break down starches that are found on dirty laundry.
Whitening Agents
Tide detergent uses whitening agents to make clothes look brighter and cleaner when they come out of the laundry. Whitening agents can include bleach or phosphors, which is the same type of product used in fluorescent lighting.
Fragrances
The fragrances are what you smell when you take your clothes from the washing machine and put them in the dryer or out on the line to dry. The fragrances used in the product depend on which Tide detergent you purchase. Tide detergents come in fragrances like vanilla and lavender, water lily and jasmine and rose and violet versions. There is also the original scent, non-scented, Tide with Febreze and other versions.