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Roses are Red, Pink Laundry Makes You Blue


Roses are beautiful, but there is nothing beautiful about streaks of pink in fresh, clean loads of white laundry.  Here are some secrets to successful bleaching shared by the American Cleaning Institute.
Bleaches help whiten, brighten and remove stains. Bleach converts soils into colorless, soluble particles which are easily removed by detergents, then carried away in the wash water. Bleach can also brighten and whiten fabrics and help remove stubborn stains.  Sodium hypochlorite bleaches (also called chlorine or liquid household bleach) are the more powerful laundry bleaches; they disinfect, as well as clean and whiten. They work on many whites and colorfast washables - but not on wools or silks. Oxygen (color-safe) bleaches are gentler, working safely on all washable fabrics. They work best in maintaining whiteness, not in restoring it.
IMPORTANT: Have doubts whether a fabric is safe to bleach? Don't guess - you may be sorry! Read the fabric’s care label for specific instructions. Test first for colorfastness in an inconspicuous area by following the instructions on bleach package label.
Tips for Using Bleach in your Laundry - Read the Label: Check the garment label before laundering; some fabrics cannot be washed using liquid household bleach (sodium hypochlorite). If liquid household bleach is not recommended, you can use a color-safe (oxygen) bleach to help remove stains and odors. Also read the cleaning product label. Some detergents have color-safe bleach or bleach alternative built into the product. However, remember that these products do not disinfect.
Bleaching the whole load: Read the label on the bleach product to determine the amount to use when adding bleach to an entire load of laundry. Consult your washing machine user’s manual to see if you should add the bleach to the drum or to a special dispenser drawer or section.
Safety Reminders - Read and follow label directions at all times. Never mix chlorine bleach or any product containing chlorine bleach with ammonia, ammonia-based products or acidic products. The combination can be dangerous… or even deadly.
Germs in the Laundry: How do I kill germs (bacteria and viruses) on clothes when they are washed (without using bleach)?
If you really want to “make sure” germs in your laundry are killed, you should consider using bleach. Research shows that using bleach when doing laundry can help reduce germs in your laundry. But even clean wet clothes can have germs. A way to reduce the chance of getting sick is to wash your hands after you put the wet laundry in the dryer or hang them on the line to dry.  Don’t get in a hurry when you take those clothes out of the dryer or off the clothes line. Make sure that each item is completely dry before you put your laundry away. This helps ensure that any remaining germs are killed.
While non-chlorine bleaches may reduce germs during washing, they are not registered as pesticides carrying antimicrobial claims so they are not a replacement for chlorine (hypochlorite) bleach.


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