March 4, 2025, 2:28 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
In the world of household cleaners, there are a multitude of products that promise to remove stains and discoloration. One substance that surrounds us all and can keep its promise is oxygen bleach. What’s behind it, and how to proceed?
Bleaching without using harsh chemicals? It sounds almost too good to be true. But there is a gentle, environmentally friendly home remedy that can do just that. We’re talking about oxygen bleach. myHOMEBOOK explains how you can remove even old stains with this product and what else it’s useful for.
What Is Pure Oxygen Bleach?
The name already gives it away: oxygen bleach is a bleaching agent based on active oxygen. The main ingredient is usually sodium percarbonate, which is often used in the production of detergents due to its bleaching effect.
In combination with hot water (from 40 degrees Celsius), oxygen bleach is particularly effective as the substances released can remove stains, germs, and odors. It also has a bleaching effect. As oxygen bleach leaves no harmful residues and is biodegradable, it is considered environmentally friendly. This is why it is also known as “green bleach.” It is also gentler than chlorine bleach.
What Is Oxygen Bleach Used for?
Although oxygen bleach is milder than chlorine bleach, it is still an extremely efficient cleaning agent. It can be used as a detergent, stain remover, and household cleaning agent.
Oxygen Bleach Removes (Old) Stains
Powerful — this word describes this household stain remover perfectly. Even old stains can be easily removed with it, including those from red wine, coffee, tea, fruit and vegetables, grass, and soil. In order for the bleach to work effectively, it should be dissolved in warm water. Soak the textiles in this solution — the longer, the better. They can then be washed as usual.
Washing Laundry with Oxygen Bleach
To boost the washing power of the washing machine and detergent, you can add it to clean grayed, yellowed, or musty laundry. To do this, add one to two tablespoons of the powder to the detergent in the main wash cycle.
It is important to pay attention to the textile label. The triangular care symbol on the label indicates whether the fabric may be treated with bleach or not. If the triangle is empty, all bleaches can be used. A triangle with a stripe indicates that only oxygen bleach may be used. If the symbol is crossed out, bleach should not be used at all.
Tip: If there is no label, you can use the materials as a guide. As a general rule, wool, silk, and genuine leather should not be treated with bleach. Stains on cotton and linen, on the other hand, can be easily removed with oxygen bleach.
Household Cleaning
Oxygen bleach can be used to remove stains from more than just textiles. By dissolving a tablespoon of the household remedy in hot water, you can also clean thermo mugs, coffee pots, and jam jars. The dishes should then be rinsed thoroughly with clean water.
The smell of spouts, animal cages, and cat litter trays can also be removed with bleach dissolved in water. Tiles, grouting, and garden furniture can also be cleaned with this household remedy.
Is It Also Suitable for Colored Fabrics?
Compared to chlorine bleach, the bleaching power of oxygen bleach is significantly weaker. This means that the home remedy can actually also be used for colored laundry. However, it is important to dose the bleach correctly — this is the only way to preserve the color.
What Is Oxygen Bleach Not Suitable for?
Although oxygen bleach has a wide range of applications, it cannot always be used. For example, the bleaching agent is not suitable for treating wool, silk and leather. In addition, blood stains cannot be removed with it.
Everyone has it at home This home remedy is a well-kept secret for removing stains
Versatile cleaning agent How to use washing soda in the household
In the kitchen, bathroom, and living room Do you know everything you can clean with washing powder?
Advantages and Disadvantages of
In addition to a number of advantages, oxygen bleach also has various disadvantages.
Advantages
- The home remedy is more environmentally friendly than chlorine bleach.
- It is less damaging to the fabric fibers and is, therefore, gentle on textiles.
- It can be used for white and colored laundry if the correct dosage is used.
- Green bleach is an effective means of removing stains and odors. It also has a disinfecting effect.
Disadvantages
- The home remedy is not suitable for all materials. Delicate fabrics such as silk and wool should be cleaned with something else.
- Although colored fabrics can also be treated with green bleach, there is a risk of the color fading if the dosage is incorrect.
- Contact with the eyes or respiratory tract, for example by swallowing the powder, can have harmful consequences.