Every housewife knows how difficult it is to maintain the original whiteness of things. Over time, shirts and sheets acquire a grayish or yellowish tint, and even high-quality washing can not return them to snow-white. In this case, bleach is needed. It is about this tool household chemicals that will be discussed in this article.
A change in the color of the fabric can occur for various reasons: if stored incorrectly in the wrong place or as a result of insufficient washing. If dirty laundry stays in a basket for a long time, the color of things can also deteriorate: dirt eats up heavily into the fibers of the fabric, and it is much more difficult to wash it off. The best way to keep the laundry in its original form is to wash it in a timely manner and store it in a well-ventilated area. If things have lost their whiteness, you will need a good bleach.
The best laundry bleaches : how to choose them?
All bleaches do a good job. The question is how safe they are for a particular type of fabric. Modern bleaches can be divided into two groups: chlorine-containing and oxygen-containing. There is also an optical bleach for laundry. However, in fact, this tool creates only the illusion of purity and snow-white. The composition of such funds includes special luminescent substances that slightly stain the fabric and reflect light. If you want things to be truly white, use chemical laundry bleach.
Chlorine bleaches
The main substance of these funds is sodium hypochlorite. Also, chlorine bleaches can include components that tint fabric. Such agents have chemical and optical properties. Chlorine bleaches are quite popular: they have a low cost, return whiteness to fabrics, and have a disinfecting effect.
However, this tool also has disadvantages. Chlorine-containing laundry bleach is very aggressive on the fabric, destroying it. As a result of frequent use, pillowcases and sheets quickly lose their appearance, the material becomes thinner and begins to tear. For delicate things, such bleach can not be used. Wool, silk and many synthetic fabrics will simply ruin such processing. You should also be aware that aggressive products must not be poured into the washing machine with powder. In addition, bleach has a very pungent odor, which in especially sensitive people can cause allergies.
Oxygen bleaches
Oxygen bleaches are a relatively new means of household cleaning. They have no less powerful effect than bleaches with chlorine, but they are much milder. Such products can be safely used for processing fabrics from silk and wool, delicate synthetic materials. Moreover, you can safely use such a bleach for colored linen - the active components included in the product will not only perfectly remove dirt, but also refresh the color. Oxygen-containing bleaches are effective at low temperatures (30-40 ° C). Hypoallergenicity and environmental friendliness are other advantages of these products. Of the minuses - only a high price in comparison with chlorine-containing bleaches.
How to use bleach for linen?
- Before using the product, you must carefully study the attached instructions and strictly follow it. It is necessary to remove metal elements from clothing. Under the influence of bleach, they can rust and deteriorate, and leave dark spots around themselves that even the most effective product will not be able to remove. The bleach should not be poured directly onto the fabric, as it can be damaged. The product must be dissolved in warm water (three teaspoons per liter of water).
- Do not use metal containers for bleaching. A good choice would be a plastic or aluminum basin.
- Coarse cloth in a solution with bleach is kept for at least an hour, thin light tissue - 10-15 minutes.
- After the specified time, things must be thoroughly rinsed until the smell of bleach is completely gone.
- You should also know that a better result can be achieved if things from coarse fabrics are placed in a small amount of solution, products from thin fabrics - in a large one.
Important information
Bleach for baby clothes can be used only after the child is 6 months old. You can wash your baby’s things with a powder in which bleach is already present. Its basis is hydrogen peroxide. The tool will not only effectively bleach things, but also destroy all known pathogenic bacteria. Chlorine bleaches for children's underwear should not be used at all, it is safer to choose products with oxygen.