How to Wash and Care for Clothes With Bleach

Safe ways to use chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, & hydrogen peroxide in laundry

Bottles of bleach next to a basket of laundry and linens

​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 1 - 2 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $0 to $5

Washing clothes with bleach helps to whiten, brighten, and even disinfect fabrics. Through oxidation, bleach changes laundry stains and soil into soluble particles that detergents can remove during washing. Three types of bleach are commonly used for laundry:

  • Chlorine bleach or sodium hypochlorite (e.g., Clorox, Pure Bright)
  • Oxygen bleach or sodium percarbonate (e.g., OxiClean, Nellie's Oxygen Brightener, Clorox 2)
  • Hydrogen peroxide (3 percent solution)

Never use bleach on spandex (elastane), wool, silk, mohair, leather, rubber, polypropylene foam, or some flame-retardant fabrics since they will get ruined. One exception: if you must use bleach on spandex, always choose oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide; they are your safest bets as long as the article of clothing is colorfast.

Follow these steps to correctly wash clothes with chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, and hydrogen peroxide.

Warning

Never mix any bleach with ammonia, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or rubbing alcohol. Any of these combinations will cause dangerous fumes.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Washer or large sink
  • Measuring cup (optional)

Materials

  • Bleach (chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, or hydrogen peroxide)
  • Water
  • Cotton swab (optional)

Instructions

Infographic on how to use bleach on clothes

The Spruce

How to Wash Clothes With Bleach
Detergent Regular detergent
Water Temperature Varies by fabric
Cycle Type Varies by fabric
Drying Cycle Type Varies by fabric
Special Treatments Follow specific instructions for each type of bleach
Iron Settings Varies by fabric

How to Use Chlorine Bleach in Laundry

Chlorine bleach is a 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite solution, a powerful home bleach, a chemical compound. The liquid version is the most common, but a dry formula is also available. Both must be diluted with water for safe use on fabrics.

  1. Test Fabric for Colorfastness

    Before you use chlorine bleach on a garment, test the fabric for colorfastness.

    • Mix 1 teaspoon bleach with 2 teaspoons warm water.
    • Find an inconspicuous spot on the garment, such as an inside seam.
    • Dip a cotton swab in the bleach and water solution and dot the fabric.
    • Allow the spot to dry completely. If you see any change in color on the fabric or a transfer of color to the swab, don't use chlorine bleach on this fabric. (This often happens when chlorine bleach is tested on colored clothing.)
    Someone swabbing bleach on the seam of a garment with a cotton swab
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  2. Add Chlorine Bleach at the Correct Time

    Chlorine bleach should never be poured directly onto clothes in a sink or washer because it can remove color entirely and dissolve the fibers. Add bleach to an automatic dispenser or the washer water before adding the laundry. Add laundry detergent as you would normally.

    Someone adding chlorine bleach to a washer dispenser
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  3. Use Fresh Chlorine Bleach for Best Results

    Liquid chlorine bleach has a limited shelf life. Over time, it loses its effectiveness due to exposure to light and air. If the bottle has been open for over six months, the bleach should be replaced because it might not disinfect clothing or remove stains properly.

    Someone checking the expiration date on a bottle of bleach
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

How to Use Oxygen Bleach in Laundry

Oxygen bleach, often called all-fabric or colorfast bleach, is safe for most fabrics and colors. It has a variety of uses. Oxygen bleach works more slowly than harsher chlorine bleach, and it has no disinfecting qualities to kill bacteria. However, having patience when using oxygen bleach will yield great results.

  1. Use the Most Effective Formula

    Oxygen bleach is most effective when a powdered formula is used and mixed with water to activate it. Liquid formulas of oxygen bleach lose effectiveness soon after the product is opened and exposed to air, and the bleach solution turns to water. Even though some detergents include oxygen bleach, use a full oxygen-bleach formula to boost your regular detergent.

    Containers of oxygen bleach and linens
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  2. How to Add Oxygen Bleach to the Washer

    • If using powdered oxygen bleach to wash laundry, add the powder to the empty washer tub first.
    • Or you can add it to the wash water before adding clothes, depending on your washing machine type.
    • Liquid formulas can also be placed in the automatic bleach dispenser.

    Warning

    Never put powdered oxygen bleach directly onto clothing because it can cause uneven spotting.

    Someone adding oxygen bleach to an empty washer tub
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 
  3. Create an Oxygen Bleach Solution

    • When mixing powdered oxygen bleach with water to create a stain-removal solution, use warm water to ensure that all the powder dissolves.
    • Once dissolved, add cold water to cover the fabric if needed.
    • Completely submerge the stained garment, and allow it to soak as long as possible—up to eight hours or overnight. 
    Garments soaking in a tub with bleach and a container of powder bleach
    ​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide in Laundry

The same hydrogen peroxide you use to clean minor wounds or achieve "sun-bleached" hair can be used in the laundry room. It's most commonly available at pharmacies in concentrations of 3 percent to 6 percent in a water-based solution.

Even though hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach, it should never be poured directly onto clothes in a sink or washer because it can remove color. Add bleach to an automatic dispenser or run a cup into the washer water before adding the laundry. Add laundry detergent as you would normally.

adding hydrogen peroxide to a washer dispenser

​The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

How Often to Wash Clothes With Bleach

You don't necessarily need to limit how often you use any of these bleaches. However, be mindful to use each bleach on the right fabrics correctly. You also don't want to overbleach clothing, especially with harsher chlorine bleach. Repeated use of chlorine bleach can weaken cellulose, cotton, ramie, and linen fibers and cause yellowing of white synthetic fabrics by stripping the outer fibers and revealing a yellow inner core.

Treating Stains With Bleach

If you prefer to spot-treat a stain with any of the three types of bleach rather than wash an entire load, dilute your choice of bleach in cool or lukewarm water to make a weak solution. Dip a clean white cloth into the diluted bleach solution and dab it on the stain until it is gone. Then, launder the item as usual.

Ironing

For best results, iron a bleached item inside out using a press cloth, a cooler iron setting, or one that the garment's label suggests. Excessive heat from an iron can cause a yellow hue on bleached parts of a garment. It's also possible to scorch a bleached part of a garment with a hot iron. (On the flip side, you can sometimes remove scorch marks using bleach.)

Storing Clothes Washed With Bleach

Bleached clothing has a way of yellowing when stored unless you take some precautions. When hanging or storing clothing washed with bleach, ensure your hands are free from lotions, oils, soaps, or water—store items in a cool, dry space. If you store bleached items in a container, ensure they are wrapped in acid-free archival tissue paper and placed in a box made from polypropylene (the box will say "PP" on it).

Tips for Washing Clothes With Bleach

  • Never pour full-strength chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide into a washer filled with clothes, even if the load is filled with whites. Dilute in cold water before adding to clothes. Cold water helps dilute chlorine bleach, as opposed to warm which helps dilute oxygen bleach.
  • For each garment, read and follow care instructions and any warnings on the fabric care label regarding the use of bleach.
  • If you're spot-cleaning a layered garment with bleach, be mindful that you only bleach the layer you need brightened. You don't want bleach to seep into and accidentally damage the bottom layer of the clothing.
  • Do not overly dry an item washed in chlorine bleach or peroxide; the heat could yellow the garment.
FAQ
  • Can I use bleach and laundry detergent together?

    Yes, but you must put bleach into your washer or laundry water before adding detergent. Dilution is essential, making sure the bleach dissolves evenly in the wash.

  • Where do I put bleach in my washing machine?

    It depends on which type of bleach you are using. Add chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to an automatic dispenser or the washer water before adding the laundry. Add powdered oxygen bleach to the empty washer tub or the wash water before adding clothes.

  • How much bleach do I add to laundry?

    Read the label on the oxygen bleach product to determine how much to add for an entire load of laundry. You can add 3/4 cup for an average-size load of liquid chlorine bleach. For hydrogen peroxide, add 1 cup to the dispenser or dilute 1 cup in 2 cups water and add to the washer water or drum.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Cleaning and Disinfecting With Bleach. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  2. Dangers of mixing bleach with cleaners. Washington State Department of Health.