Should i use laundry detergent with bleach

Mix the soaking agent with water, and then add the item. Minimum soaking time is 30 minutes; longer, as much as overnight, may be necessary. Read the Label: Check the garment label before laundering; some fabrics cannot be washed using liquid household bleach sodium hypochlorite.

If liquid household bleach is not recommended, you can use a color-safe oxygen bleach to help remove stains and odors. Also read the cleaning product label.

Some detergents have color-safe bleach or bleach alternative built into the product. However, remember that these products do not disinfect. If the fabric color remains, then you should be safe. Start small: Lay the stained section of the garment flat and be sure there not layers of fabric or anything underneath that can be affected. Work from the outer edge of the stain in, rinse with fresh water when the stain is gone.

Bleaching the whole load: Read the label on the bleach product to determine the amount to use when adding bleach to an entire load of laundry. Consult your washing machine use manual to see if you should add the bleach to the drum or to a special dispenser drawer or section. Chlorine bleach can be used to disinfect and sanitize laundry and well as kitchen, bathroom and other surfaces around the home. Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners are the only products that kill germs—but they only work if the label directions are followed.

Products that claim to kill germs must meet efficacy requirements and guidelines established by the U. Clothes Hands Dishes Surfaces. Making cotton shirts bright white? Delivering socks from dinginess? Or getting bleach stains on your favorite pants?

If you use bleach the right way, and with an abundance of caution, it can be a miracle worker in your laundry room. Keep reading. There are two types of liquid bleach for laundry use: chlorine bleach, and non-chlorine bleach, also known as oxygen bleach or color-safe bleach. A powerful home bleach, chlorine bleach is a 5. The liquid version is the most common, but a dry formula is also available. Both must be diluted with water for safe use on fabrics. Before you use chlorine bleach on a garment, test the fabric for colorfastness first.

Mix 1 teaspoon bleach with 2 teaspoons warm water. Find an inconspicuous spot on the garment, such as an inside seam. Dip a cotton swab in the bleach and water solution, and dot the fabric. Allow the spot to dry completely. If you see any change in color on the fabric or a transfer of color to the swab, don't use chlorine bleach on this fabric.

This often happens when chlorine bleach is tested on colored clothing. Don't use chlorine bleach on silk , acetate , wool , wool blends, spandex , rubber , polypropylene foam, or some flame-retardant fabrics.

It weakens the fibers and causes them to break. Chlorine bleach should never be poured directly onto clothes in a sink or washer because it can remove color completely and dissolve the fibers. Either add the bleach to an automatic dispenser or into the washer water before adding the laundry.

Add laundry detergent as you would normally. Liquid chlorine bleach has a limited shelf life. Over time, it loses its effectiveness due to exposure to light and air. If the bottle has been open for more than six months, the bleach should be replaced because it may not disinfect clothing or remove stains properly. Oxygen bleach , often called all-fabric bleach or colorfast bleach, is safe for most fabrics and colors.

It has a variety of uses. Oxygen bleach works more slowly than the harsher chlorine bleach, and it has no disinfecting qualities to kill bacteria. However, having patience when using oxygen bleach will yield great results. Oxygen bleach should not be used on silk, wool, or leather, because it will weaken and damage the materials. Oxygen bleach is most effective when a powdered formula is used and mixed with water to activate.

Liquid formulas of oxygen bleach lose their effectiveness soon after the product is opened and exposed to air, and the bleach solution turns to water. Even though some detergents include oxygen bleach, use a full oxygen-bleach formula to boost your regular detergent.

If using powdered oxygen bleach to wash laundry, add the powder to the empty washer tub first.