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teslaOnce upon a time I wondered what it was in color-safe bleach that made it "bleach." I played around and figured out that the active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide - the same stuff you put on small wounds to "clean" them. Judging by the scent, consistency, and color of the color-safe bleach I had been using (Chlorox), other ingredients included perfumes, thickening agents, and bluing*.
"Aha," says I, "why shouldn't I just go buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide for 79 cents and use it on my laundry instead of spending $6.50 on this bottle of color-safe bleach?"
So I did. Turns out that it works perfectly well. I use about half as much of it as I would of the "bleach," add a drop of bluing if I'm doing whites, and spend about 1/5 as much money, not to mention saving about half the packaging and countless mystery chemicals**.
Better still, of course, would be doing without it entirely. But I prefer getting the spots out of my clothes.
*Bluing, if you're not familiar with it, is a semi-permanent blue dye that has been used for decades to make white fabrics appear whiter. Whites naturally yellow with age, but adding just a little bluing to them counteracts that effect to some degree. Usually it is sold as a liquid and usage directions involve adding a drop or two to a load of laundry. It's also the reason we have blue-haired little old ladies.
**And am I the only one who hates the fact that household cleaners are rarely labeled with their ingredients? A few of the "natural" products label voluntarily, but it's definitely the exception rather than the rule.
"Aha," says I, "why shouldn't I just go buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide for 79 cents and use it on my laundry instead of spending $6.50 on this bottle of color-safe bleach?"
So I did. Turns out that it works perfectly well. I use about half as much of it as I would of the "bleach," add a drop of bluing if I'm doing whites, and spend about 1/5 as much money, not to mention saving about half the packaging and countless mystery chemicals**.
Better still, of course, would be doing without it entirely. But I prefer getting the spots out of my clothes.
*Bluing, if you're not familiar with it, is a semi-permanent blue dye that has been used for decades to make white fabrics appear whiter. Whites naturally yellow with age, but adding just a little bluing to them counteracts that effect to some degree. Usually it is sold as a liquid and usage directions involve adding a drop or two to a load of laundry. It's also the reason we have blue-haired little old ladies.
**And am I the only one who hates the fact that household cleaners are rarely labeled with their ingredients? A few of the "natural" products label voluntarily, but it's definitely the exception rather than the rule.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-13 04:27 am (UTC)I was looking at cleaner today and one that claimed to be all natural didn't list any ingrediants. Sure maybe it is all natural, but all natural what? I mean hell depending on what it is all natural can be just as dangerous as certain chemicals.
And what it is you use to clear your drains?
If you are up for graffiti cleaning tomorrow let me know I'd be happy for a quick lesson in how to rid my property of such poor attempts at marking territory that doens't actually belong to the offending artist want to be.
I had no idea that's how to keep whites white by adding blue dye. Got to get me some. I should try peroxide. I love keeping things stain free but I'm terrified of the bleach bottle. No matter how careful I am I end up bleaching what ever I'm wearing even when I didn't think a drop escaped. I even tried bleaching clothes whle completely naked once and I mananged to get a couple spots of bleach on fabric in the same room but no where near me. I really don't get what my problem with the stuff is.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-13 04:59 am (UTC)I'll be up and going quite early tomorrow, but will call at a reasonable hour so that we can figure out timing.
I had forgotten, until you made me think of it, that old women often get a blue rinse for their white hair - same theory as laundry bluing, and it's why you used to see so many little old ladies with blue hair.
Be forewarned that peroxide won't have nearly as dramatic an effect as chlorine bleach at removing stains, but it's so much better than nothing at all. It's especially good on fresh stains, and almost miraculously good on blood. If you want to pretreat, rinse as much of the stain away as you can and then drip peroxide directly on the stain (or soak the stained area in a glass container of the peroxide).
Impressive story about your bleaching exploits! For years I made a point of doing laundry either in ratty clothes or in the nude for just that reason, but your talents in that area clearly outstrip (g) mine.
All bow to the bleach goddess! (Obviously your priestesses will wear white vestments.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-14 03:43 am (UTC)K.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-13 10:35 am (UTC)i get a laugh about of this in the scuba world where they sell anti-fog gel, that is just dish soap in a little bottle that costs about $10
as for the peroxide, ive worked with the undiluted stuff, and its pretty nasty, even 10% peroxide concentration can cause fire on contact
(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-18 07:22 pm (UTC)I should specify that this is *drugstore* peroxide - I don't know the concentration offhand, but it's low enough to be considered safe for use on skin.
Color-safe
Date: 2007-10-15 10:53 pm (UTC)Great tip, by the way... D gets grouchy about grungy "white" socks. I avoid it altogether by never using bleach and occasionally resorting to "Shout."
Re: Color-safe
Date: 2007-10-18 07:19 pm (UTC)Also, when/why did you use peroxide on your hair? I just can't see that turning out well.
Re: Color-safe
Date: 2007-10-19 12:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-18 07:16 pm (UTC)BTW, I still love your icon photo, after all these years.