Bleach

So much Laundry to talk about, so little time!

Why use bleach? Whiter whites, it helps remove soil, it disinfects.
Despite the directions on your bottle of bleach, you should add bleach about 5-6 minutes after starting your load of laundry, and dilute it with about a quart of water before adding it. It’s important to wait because that allows the detergent time to work - adding too early can actually work against the detergent, breaking the detergent down. That’s bad for both the bleach and the detergent! Diluting helps make sure you don't discolor your clothes by getting bleach directly on the clothes.

Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to have a washer with a bleach dispenser, then you can just use that- it removes the need to dilute, and it dispenses after the load starts. Technology these days!

Before using bleach - make sure to read your labels - some garments are labeled "No Bleach" - meaning (guess what) – in that case, don’t use it!

And don’t forget that there are color-safe bleaches for colored laundry- that will help clean heavily soiled clothes – like the stuff sitting in my gym bag.


BE CAREFUL when using bleach - there are some household cleaning tips that suggest combining bleach with other products to do heavy duty cleaning. Adding either vinegar or lemon juice to bleach can release chlorine gas, and you REALLY don't want to be breathing that.

For more info on bleach, check out these sites:
http://www.clorox.com/products/usage.php?prod_id=clb
http://www.cleaning101.com/laundry/fact/fact_sheet3.html