Can I Mix Laundry Detergent With Bleach?

Often asked questions I receive regarding cleaning cloths: "Can I mix laundry detergent with bleach?""Or, I have these stubborn stains that won't come out what can I do to get it out?"

Laundry detergents and bleaches are similar in that they are both used to make clothes cleaner and remove stains from clothing. The difference is that detergents work while you are washing clothes, and bleach is used when you are trying to make clothes whiter or disinfect clothes or you wash with bleach while you have a load of clothes you are washing or after you are done washing clothes. If you mix bleach and detergent, it can cause harmful fumes and it has a cleaning power decreases for detergents and bleach.

The Safe Way to Combine

If you do wish to combine laundry detergent and bleach, it is vital to follow the guidelines specified by the product. As a general rule, regular chlorine bleach will be safe to mix with detergent, if used as directed. Usually, this means that if the bleach is to be applied to your laundry, it must be added, prior to your laundry, to the wash water. Although this is the general rule of thumb, caution is advised because:

Dos and Don'ts:

To help get the best results and remain safe throughout your laundry endeavors, here are some dos and don'ts to remember:

• Do Read and keep all instruction on the containers of laundry detergent and bleach.
• Make sure that you are adding the recommended amount of bleach.
• Excessive bleach does not mean that you are cleaning better.
• When using bleach, add it into the water first before the clothing do not just pour undiluted bleach directly onto the clothes or you could damage the fabric directly.
• If you are consistently worried about the possibility of fabric discoloration, a color-safe bleach may be substituted when dealing with colored fabrics.
• Don't Ever mix bleach and cleaning products or chemicals! This could lead to the formation of dangerous gases.
• Do not pour bleach straight from the container directly onto your laundry, this could cause damage to both the fabric and bleach and cause the color to vanish in that spot, and possibly damage and bleach other spots throughout the article of clothing.
• Do not overuse bleach on delicate fabrics, the bleach may actually damage the fibers in the material.

In conclusion, you can mix bleach with laundry detergent, but it is essential to take certain precautions and to obtain sufficient knowledge. Knowing the chemical composition of bleach and of laundry detergents is essential to safely mixing the two. Keep safety first in order to make your clothes cleaning routine effective and safe.