The Types of Bleach and Where to Use Them

Bleach is a specific type of laundry aid that removes stains from clothing, but it also removes the color from clothes. Bleach creates a chemical reaction with a stain that breaks it down and removes it from clothing. Bleach also has a whitening and brightening effect on white clothing. There are only two main types of bleach to choose from when you are deciding which bleach to use on your laundry: chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach. However, there are also natural items that have bleaching power and can act as bleaching agents.

Chlorine Bleach

Chlorine bleach usually comes in a liquid form, but it can occasionally be found in a powdered form. Chlorine bleach contains sodium hypochlorite diluted with water. This type of bleach is very powerful. It disinfects laundry, but it isn't safe for many fabric types, particularly colored clothing or clothing with patterns.

Oxygen Bleach

Oxygen bleach is safe for use on many fabrics and is sometimes referred to as color-safe bleach or all-fabric bleach. Unlike chlorine bleach, this bleach does not remove color or patterns on most types of colorfast clothing.

When to Use Bleach

Chlorine bleach can be used on whites to remove stains and odors. Using it on any other type of clothing may result in a laundry disaster. Oxygen bleach can be used on clothing that calls for non-chlorine bleach. It is less risky to use with colors and patterned clothing. Oxygen bleach removes stains and can even brighten colors when used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Bleaching Agents

Several common items can be used as bleaching agents. They aren't as tough as chlorine bleach but are definitely capable of removing color, so you'll need to test for colorfastness before using these types of bleaching agents. Lemon juice is probably only best used on whites. Allowing the lemon juice to sit on white stained clothing in the sun can enhance the bleaching effect. Vinegar can act as a mild bleach for some clothing as well. Hydrogen peroxide can be used on colorfast clothing as if it were oxygen bleach.