Bleach removes colored substances or pigments on clothes by turning them into colorless soluble particles washed away during a wash cycle. It is a cloth stain remover, whitener, brightener, and disinfectant.
Chlorine bleach is a diluted form of sodium hypochlorite used in many households. This bleach has drawbacks because it is not suitable for some fabrics, unlike oxygen bleach which is a milder bleach for colored clothes.
Bleach is a harsh product, but if you follow the proper procedure, you will gain success.
Best Ways to Soak Clothes in Bleach
Before you soak your clothes in bleach, there are some tips you should know.
- Wear protective gloves because overexposure to bleach can irritate the skin.
- Pour a tiny amount of bleach on an inconspicuous part of the cloth and wait to see the reaction. Bleach can be harsh on certain fabrics, and you don’t want to destroy your clothes during the soak.
- Always dilute the bleach with water to reduce its corrosiveness.
- Read the care label attached to your clothes to see if they are bleach safe. Do not ignore “do not bleach” warnings.
- Always separate white clothes from colored ones to avoid discoloration.
- The aim of the bleaching will inform the bleach medium and type.
Bleach Clothes in a Bowl
Sort the clothes by color, fabric type, and care label instructions to guide you when selecting bleach types.
Soaking Clothes in Chlorine Bleach
- Get a suitable bowl or bucket big enough to contain the white clothes.
- Fill the bowl with cold water though sometimes, the bleach might specify hot water.
- Check the direction label on the chlorine bleach bottle for the correct amount to pour.
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively. If it doesn’t, it is safe to bleach.
- Submerge the clothes into the bleach solution, ensuring the water covers the clothes.
- Allow the clothes to soak for ten minutes or whatever the bleach label recommends.
- While the clothes are soaking, use your hand to agitate them in the water.
- After ten minutes, remove the clothes from the bleach water.
- Thoroughly rinse the clothes with cold water to remove the bleach.
- Afterward, wash the clothes.
Soak Clothes in Oxygen Bleach
- Get a suitable bowl or bucket big enough to contain the clothes.
- Fill the bowl with cold water if you’re using liquid oxygen bleach. Powdered oxygen bleach requires warm water to dissolve.
- Check the direction label on the oxygen bleach container for the correct amount to pour. Wait for powdered oxygen bleach to dissolve before putting on the clothes.
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively. If it doesn’t, it is safe to bleach.
- Submerge the clothes into the bleach solution, ensuring the water covers the clothes.
- Allow the clothes to soak for five to eight hours, overnight, or whatever time the bleach label recommends.
- While the clothes are soaking, check on them periodically and agitate them with your hand.
- After the soaking time ends, remove the clothes from the bleach water.
- Thoroughly rinse the clothes with cold water.
- Afterward, wash the clothes.
Treat Stains with Bleach
Sometimes, you only need to spot-treat the stains on the clothes and not carry out a complete wash process. The sorting methods still apply when selecting whether chlorine or oxygen bleach.
Procedure:
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively.
- Sprinkle little water on the stained areas to dampen them.
- Pour the correct bleach on the stain and gently scrub with a soft brush or cloth.
- Leave the treatment to soak on the clothes for five minutes.
- Afterward, rinse the stained area with cold water.
- Hang the clothes outside to air-dry on a clothesline.
Bleach Clothes in a Washer
Top-loading washers can have a soaking cycle because of the wash settings. You can soak your clothes with bleach following the same procedure as soaking in a bowl.
Some front-loading washing machines have a pre-wash cycle. You can take advantage of this cycle to soak your clothes in bleach.
Bleaching Clothes in a Top-Loading Washer
Using chlorine or oxygen bleach depends on the clothes’ fabric and color. You can’t use chlorine bleach on some white clothes because they have delicate fabrics; always check the care label.
Procedure:
- Check the washer’s instruction manual to see if you can pour bleach inside. If the washer allows bleach, then you can continue.
- Fill the washer with cold water though sometimes, the bleach might specify hot water. Ensure you don’t pass the water sensor level.
- The water temperature you use depends on the type of bleach employed.
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively. If it doesn’t, it is safe to bleach.
- Submerge the clothes into the washer, ensuring the water covers the clothes.
- Allow the clothes to soak for ten minutes or whatever the bleach label recommends.
- If you are soaking in oxygen bleach, allow the clothes to soak for eight hours, overnight, or whatever time the bleach label recommends.
- While the clothes are soaking, use a stick to agitate them in the water.
- After ten minutes, drain the water from the washer.
- Fill the washer with cold water and run a rinse cycle to remove the bleach.
- Drain the water and run a wash cycle following the care label instructions.
Bleaching Clothes in a Front-Loading Washer
Since the front-load washing machine does not have a soak cycle like the top-loader, you will pause the wash cycle after a while and let the clothes soak for the recommended time.
- Check the washer’s instruction manual to see if you can pour bleach inside. If the washer fits the specifications, you can continue.
- Select the correct wash cycle for the clothes you want to soak.
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively. If it doesn’t, it is safe to bleach.
- Place the clothes in the washer and pour the correct amount of liquid bleach into the bleach dispenser.
- If you use powdered bleach, dissolve it in warm water before pouring it into the washer.
- Start the wash cycle.
- If you’re using chlorine bleach, pause the wash cycle and let it soak for ten minutes before continuing the wash.
- When using oxygen bleach, pause the wash cycle and let it soak for five to eight hours before continuing the wash.
Bleach Clothes While Washing
This bleaching method is the most convenient. Mild laundry detergent should be the only additive in the wash when using bleach to prevent the formation of toxic fumes.
Procedure:
- Check the washer’s instruction manual to see if you can pour bleach inside. If the washer allows bleach, then you can continue.
- Separate the clothes by color and fabric type.
- Dip a cotton bud or Q-tip into the bleach and touch it on a hidden part of the clothes and see if it reacts negatively. If it doesn’t, it is safe to bleach.
- Choose the correct wash cycle based on the care label instructions.
- Place the clothes into the washer.
- Pour mild liquid detergent and bleach into the washer.
- When the wash cycle ends, dry the clothes immediately.