If you want to stop using laundry bleach because of its smell, its harmful effects on your health, or the environment, this list will help you make your bleach alternative in six cheap, easy, and environmentally friendly ways.
Take note that using these bleach alternatives will still keep your white clothes brighter and looking crisp. Don’t use them as disinfectant replacements to kill bacteria because pine oil and other phenolic disinfectants are more appropriate to replace bleach in this case.
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a safe bleach alternative that you can find at home. You can mix baking soda with your laundry detergent as a cleaning booster. Directly add the baking soda to the wash load before putting the dirty laundry. It’s important to remember that baking soda doesn’t dissolve completely in the automatic dispenser.
2. Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is a bleach substitute that you can use with ease. In using distilled white vinegar, you need to pre-soak white clothes by completely submerging it in a solution of one part distilled white vinegar and six parts warm water. Make sure that you soak all of your clothes under the solution overnight before washing your clothes. Don’t worry about the vinegar odor. The detergent will wash it off.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a bleach substitute with mild bleaching properties that remove stains and brighten white clothes. It has less environmental impact than chlorine bleach because it is biodegradable, oxygen-based bleach. You can find hydrogen peroxide in pharmacies or first aid kits as an alternative.
To properly use it, add a cup of hydrogen peroxide to each load of laundry. You can put it in the bleach dispenser, or you can directly add it when the washing machine is filling up with water. You can use it on either white or colored laundry. Avoid putting hydrogen peroxide directly on your clothes because it can cause damage and spotting.
4. Lemons
Lemon is a good and safe bleach alternative because of its acidic and natural properties. It naturally bleaches just like vinegar. Using lemons as bleach is easy to use. Put one cup of lemon juice into the washing machine to brighten up dirty white laundry.
5. Oxygen-Based Bleach
A bleach substitute that is environmentally friendly, gentle on your clothes, and functional in making your clothes brighter is an oxygen-based bleach. Oxygen-based bleach is safe to use on both white and colored clothes. It removes stains effectively and leaves your fabric colors vivid.
There are two types of oxygen bleach: powdered and liquid form. The powdered type is more stable and has better results in cleaning and brightening clothes compared to the liquid type.
There are also some limitations: Remember that you can’t use oxygen bleach on silk, wool, and leather fabrics. For better results, soak your dirty laundry for at least two hours or more in a water-oxygen bleach solution before washing. Also, follow the package directions that you’re using.
6. Solar Power
Solar power is the best natural bleach because the sun’s ultraviolet rays can whiten your clothes naturally. It works very well since ultraviolet rays disinfect fabrics and at the same time brightens and removes stains from your white clothes. Still, be careful because the sun’s rays can also remove or fade the color from your colored clothes. Using the sun’s ultraviolet rays can save you money, lessen your carbon footprint, and overall help the environment. Just don’t overdo it.
These six homemade laundry bleach alternatives are easy to make or use. They are also good for you and the environment. Now that you know that there are better natural and green substitutes for laundry bleach, are you excited to try them out? However, if you still cannot handle stubborn stains and debris with these natural bleach substitutes, bring it to us at Kelly’s Dry Cleaners. We offer the best laundry services in Durango.
