Bleach: white and black

The variety of household chemicals today can confound any, even the most sophisticated housewife. In addition to the usual all-purpose detergent, more and more new detergents, liquid and in tablets, for hand and machine washing, appear on the shelves every day… And on top of that, conditioners, water softeners, starch removers, stain removers, bleach…

And every housewife wonders what to choose from this variety so that her laundry would be spotlessly clean and dazzling white, or bright when it comes to colored fabrics.

Consultant: Vyacheslav FILIPPENKOV.

The way to “whiteness” through the ages

Bleaching cotton was already known in ancient Egypt. At that time, the process was carried out under the influence of sunlight.

In England, until the 18th century, a special technique was used for bleaching cotton and linen: the alternation of soaking the linen in the sun for several days, soaking it in sour milk, washing, rinsing and soaking it.

In America up to the last century linen fabrics were bleached by alternating their soaking in the ice-hole soaking in the bright winter sun.

In 1774 the Swedish pharmacist Scheele discovered chlorine, the first practical application of which was the chemical process of bleaching fabrics. The Englishmen Tennat and Mackintosh then suggested the use of bleaching lime, now known as “bleach.

After the initiative was taken over by the French, offering the so-called “javel water” sodium and/or potassium hypochlorite solution for the same purpose.

However, all these products were very unstable they stopped “working” even after a short period of storage . They were inconvenient to use, and often led to the destruction of tissues.

Only at the end of the 19th century with the development of industrial production of sodium hypochlorite by electrolysis of table salt brine was it possible to produce an effective and inexpensive chlorine-containing chemical bleach. Sodium hypochlorite is still used today in this form. In general, chlorine bleaches are available in liquid form, the most popular representative of this group of bleaches is the well-known “Belizna”.

Time to fade from the active oxygen

Later on, reactive oxygen was discovered, which had a bleaching effect on various materials, including synthetic and natural fibers. Industrial use of oxygen-containing bleaching agents became possible in 1910 with the production of sodium perborate.

The next step in the development of chemical bleaches came with the discovery of reducing bleaches like sodium dithionite, known as hydrosulfite. It was first industrially produced in 1905. This bleach is by far the most effective for bleaching wool at low temperatures.

Bleach can be deceptive to the eye

There are also optical brighteners, but they are not inherently bleaching agents.

Optical brighteners give the illusion of whiteness. Bleach particles are fluorescent dyes. They accumulate on fabric, extract ultraviolet rays from the spectrum of the incident sunlight and turn them into visible blue, blue, purple colors. The latter provide the effect of whiteness, but it is only an optical illusion.

Note that optical brighteners are different for different types of fabrics. Some are better absorbed on cotton, others on mixed fabrics, others on wool or silk, although there are universal ones for fibers of different nature.

Your sheets are not so white?

Everyone is well aware that when we wear our clothes change color: white – yellowing, dyed – fading. And we seem to wash regularly. And, it would seem, the laundry should be getting cleaner and cleaner, but the opposite is true.

So, there are several causes of yellowness.

For one thing, they suffer from the harmful effects of sunlight.

Secondly, it wears out and ages over time.

Thirdly, precipitated on the laundry yellowed over time and give it a yellowish tint.

Another thing to consider is water hardness. When washed in hard water, the surfactants in detergents form insoluble salts that deposit on the cloths. They give our clothes a grayish or yellowish tint after repeated washings.

And every housewife wants her sheets to be white. We use bleaching agents to restore our fabrics to their original whiteness. By the way, we should note right away that they are not able to fix the “worn-out”, there are other folk remedies for this.

An oxygen-containing bleach will also come in handy if you want to bleach an old white tablecloth from Grandma’s coffer, or a naturally unbleached fabric.

Terrible stains are a memory?

If not, you can use an oxygen-containing bleach to remove vegetable stains tea, coffee, juices, berries, fruits, green grass , but also rust, ink, perfume and other stains.d.

Oxygen-containing sodium perborate bleachers most American bleachers are effective at 90 degrees Celsius. Bleaches, which include sodium percarbonate, are already effective at 60 degrees. And we know that the lower the temperature, the safer for the tissue in terms of preservation, and for colored clothing in general we prefer a low-temperature wash.

In order that the chemical bleach actively acted at a lower temperature for example, already at 40 degrees , in the structure of bleachers and powders enter activators which, however, increases the cost . These activators promote the formation of compounds – organic peroxides activate oxygen and at lower temperatures.

When you reach a specified temperature for each bleach individually , the oxygen contained in the perborates and percarbonates is activated and begins to fight the stains.

One important note about the temperature. If the bleacher’s instruction says that you can use it both at low e.g. 40 degrees and high temperature 90 degrees , keep in mind that in the second case it will “work” much better. And the results obtained without boiling, most likely, you will not be happy.

Launder colored fabrics with bleach?!

You picked up a package with “Bleach” written on it in big letters, and you read in the package leaflet that it is recommended for colored fabrics. Immediately imagined what your favorite red T-shirt would look like after such an operation…

Do not be afraid to! Such a train of thought may be due to the practice of using bleach, which is really “brutally” dealt with colored things. As for oxygen-containing bleaches, they can all be used for colored fabrics.

Oxygen bleach freshens colors and disinfects fabrics.

The second thing is undoubtedly that an oxygen-containing bleach like any chemical bleach, including chlorine bleach has the ability to kill all kinds of bacteria. Everyone knows the disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effects of hydrogen peroxide, a derivative of which oxygen-containing bleach sodium percarbonate is.

But here at the “refreshment of colors” stop separately. As for monochrome colored things, you will not notice greater brightness, and there is nothing surprising here: even if slightly, unnoticeable to the eye, but the dye does leave the fabric this also happens when washing with an ordinary powder, even designed for colored fabrics .

You get a feeling of brightness after washing a striped T-shirt or a white dress in colored polka dots: the base will be even whiter, and on this winning background colored colors seem even brighter.

There are different bleaches…

So, all the real bleaches on the market today are divided into chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach.

There are also reducing bleaches based on sodium hydrosulfite , which have a more gentle action, thanks to which they are used for bleaching silk and wool such as Lily bleach , but we will not consider them below.

Chlorine Bleach

Most of these bleaches are available in liquid form. They are based on sodium hypochlorite, but also include sodium hydroxide and/or sodium carbonate and surfactants. This composition is known in our country under the brand name “Belizna”.

To increase the effectiveness of the classic “Belize” add special surfactants to ensure the wettability of the fabric.

Such formulas are used in “advanced” brands like ACE. Recently, a new generation of chlorine bleachers appeared, which in addition to conventional bleaching provide bluing, that is, they combine the action of chemical and optical bleachers. An example of such a product is the ACE Brilliant. Why is chlorine bleach so popular??

Advantages of bleaching with chlorine bleaches

+ Effective bleaching even at low temperatures even in cold water

+ Ease of use does not require boiling

+ affordable price “Belizna” – 10-12 Dollars per liter

+ habit “Belize” people have been using for decades

+ the more convenient form of release they do not “dust,” unlike powders, and are easily dispensed

+ In addition to bleaching and stain removal, they are suitable for disinfecting various surfaces tiles, tiles, toilets, etc. .

The disadvantages of chlorine bleaches

– Negative fabric impact: extensive use of chlorine bleaches causes the fabric to turn yellow, wears out more quickly and tears easily

– Only cotton and linen fabrics can be bleached neither silk, wool, or synthetic fibers can be bleached with chlorine !

– relatively short shelf life: in 9 months of storage they lose from 50% to 75% of their original activity

– impossibility of use in an automatic washing machine, especially in combination with modern powders

– a strong smell of “chlorine”, although to eliminate this smell they introduce special flavoring agents but this does not always help .

Liquid oxygen-containing bleaches

As a rule, they are a liquid solution of hydrogen peroxide. In addition to this there are surfactants, stabilizers, pH regulators, optical brighteners, fragrance and thickeners for gel formulations .

The indisputable advantages

+ high bleaching effectiveness of cotton, linen, blended fabrics, as well as products made of artificial and synthetic fibers such as viscose, artificial silk, nylon and others

+ Can be used not only for white but also for coloured fabrics

+ Can be combined with laundry detergents during washing in automatic washing machines

+ Just like chlorine bleaches, all peroxide bleaches are effective disinfectants.

Liquid oxygen-containing bleaches have one major disadvantage – they do not retain well. During the first 3-6 months their activity is reduced by 50-75%. This is why consumers often complain about the poor effectiveness of bleaching powders that contain oxygen.

Powder oxygen-containing bleaching agents

This is a broader group than liquid oxygen bleaches. The advantages of peroxide bleaching powders are the same as those of liquid bleaches, but they lack the main disadvantage of the latter – they retain their effectiveness quite well and for a long time some have a shelf life of up to 5 years .

The disadvantages include the “dusty” composition a common disadvantage of powders , as well as the labor-intensive process, if the bleach “works” only at 90 degrees and you do not have a washing machine .

First things first – washing!

Virtually all bleaching agents are designed to be used both in conjunction with the powder, to enhance its bleaching and stain-removal action, and separately from the powder.

Many manufacturers recommend adding bleach every wash.

But keep in mind that oxygen bleaches which have a temperature of 90 degrees are most effective for freshly laundered laundry. This is because, as a rule, the laundry is contaminated with different types of stains: oil, protein, vegetable. Oxygen bleach is designed for vegetable stains and in most cases works at high temperatures. Consequently, if you start with bleach at 90 degrees, you will simply “boil” the protein stains.

A full wash cycle can replace the “pre-wash” option available in washing machines or soaking in a hand wash, then doing the main wash with bleach.

If the bleach is intended for use at low temperatures, then the order is not important.

Liquid bleach is a second-half player

Note another peculiarity of liquid bleaches: in machine washing, they “work” better with powders containing enzymes. Let’s explain why.

Recall that enzymes and oxygen-containing bleach are compounds that are difficult to combine in one bottle however, in good, expensive powders this combination is achieved .

Enzymes work on oil-pigmented dirt as well, but their main target is the protein dirt, which they remove most effectively at 40 degrees. The temperature in the washing machine rises gradually. And the 40-degree interval called “bio-phase” by many washing machine manufacturers is designed to “work” for them.

As the temperature goes up even higher, the enzymes most of them stop “working” and the oxygen bleach kicks in, which in most cases has an optimum temperature of 60 or 90 degrees.

So the advantage of liquid oxygen bleaches is that you can add them not at the beginning of the wash, but when the temperature rises, when the enzymes have already thoroughly worked on the protein contamination. The liquid bleach will simply drip in.

As for the powdered bleaches, they need to be poured into the powder compartment of the washing machine along with the powder at the beginning of the wash. They go into the tank at the same time, and the oxygen bleach will gradually “eat up” the enzymes.

If your washing machine has a bleach drawer, you’re in no danger of this happening, and the consistency of the bleach is not as important.

Packaging Matters!

With liquid bleach everything is clear. They are placed in plastic bottles of different shapes, transparent or colored, usually with a capacity of 750 ml to 1 liter. In this case, the influence of the container on your choice is minimal.

There are at least three packaging options for powdered bleach.

The first, most common, is a polyethylene or polypropylene bag. The contents range from 80 to 450 grams. The main advantage – ease, the ability to buy a small amount of “for a test”, cheapness packaging does not increase the cost of bleach . The main significant drawback is the fragility of the package: the package can easily tear, the contents can fall out, spraying quite harmful chemical particles, which is unpleasant for everyone, and for people prone to allergies, unpleasant doubly. And storing bleach in a bag is not very convenient.

The second option is a cardboard box as for powders . Boxed weights usually range from 300 g to 500 g. Pour the bleach from such a container is much more convenient. The only danger is that the cardboard box can get wet.

The third option is plastic jars. It is the most convenient container: it is sturdy, airtight, the bleach is safely protected from moisture. But this “service” significantly affects the cost of bleach. Of all the variety of means, only two are packed in plastic jars – Vanish Oxi Astion and Neon Reflect. Their price is very high above 170 Dollars per package and available to a small circle of consumers.

Note another interesting way of packaging, though we have met only once. The German Anti-Grau bleach is placed in a bag dosage per 5 kg of laundry , which you put in the machine as a whole, the package dissolves. In this case, the advantage is obvious – you avoid contact with the bleach itself.

Expensive or cheap?

The cost of oxygen bleach is determined by the following factors:

• composition so, for example, the introduction of a quality activator, allowing the bleach to work effectively at a lower temperature, greatly increases its cost
• packaging bag – cheaper, box – more expensive, the can – much more expensive
• the general level of manufacturer prices American-made bleachers are an order of magnitude cheaper than imported ones
• Advertising intensity expenses for TV programs broadcasted all over the country about magic properties of Vanish or “ACE Bio + Oxygen” are compensated from the consumer’s purse .

In order to understand which bleach is the best and whether the high price of expensive bleaches is justified, we conducted a test of bleachers from different price categories, American and imported. We hope that the results of the test will allow you to draw a conclusion about what to buy and whether it is worth paying more.

If it does not work, the instruction will help

When buying a bleach pay attention to the date of manufacture and expiration date. This is especially true for liquid bleaches which significantly reduce the effectiveness after 3-4 months after release . The shelf life of powders is longer – from 9 months to 5 years, after which they lose their bleaching properties.

The instructions are on the package for a reason. It should be read. No matter how clichéd this recommendation is, so many neglect it they pour or sprinkle bleach “by eye” and expect miracles to happen, the fabric will bleach, the stains will disappear and the colors will lighten. But with this approach to the case you can expect a “miracle” of another kind: at best – the absence of any effect, at worst – a spoiled thing.

So before you start bleaching, be sure to read the instructions and understand the three important points: the type of tissue for which the tool is designed, the temperature, the need to combine the powder and the dosage which for different means can differ by 2-3 times . In short, to achieve your desired results, take five minutes to review the instructions.

Especially careful with silk and woolen things. Almost all bleaching detergents are recommended for strong fabrics like cotton, but wool, silk, and fine fabrics cannot always be bleached. To avoid ruining these things, read the instructions carefully.

You should not pour powdered bleach into the water, holding the box high above the surface of the water, in order to avoid spraying it. It is much better to take bleach from a box or bag with a spoon and carefully, without spilling it, put it in the water.

When washing delicate garments, the cloths should float freely in the solution, while the coarser fabrics should be placed in a small amount of water – the additional mechanical action helps to remove dirt.

Because of the high biological activity of detergents in hand washing, don’t be lazy to put on gloves. By doing so, you’ll protect your hand skin from de-greasing, irritation, cracking and brittle nails.