Chlorine Bleach Vs. Oxygen Bleach: What's The Real Difference?

You've got a nasty stain on one of your favorite shirts. You know that bleach can get rid of stains, but which one should you use — chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach? The two aren't interchangeable, and using the wrong one can mean ruined laundry. The main differences between chlorine and oxygen bleach are their ingredients, whether they are color-safe or not, and the types of materials or surfaces they clean.

Chlorine bleach isn't color-safe, meaning you should only use it on white laundry when you want to get stains out of clothes using bleach. Get a drop or two of chlorine bleach on a colorful shirt, and you'll end up with white spots. That said, chlorine bleach is very effective at removing stains and generally brightening up white fabrics. Oxygen bleach is color-safe, so you can typically use it as a stain-fighter and brightener on colorful clothing and other types of laundry.  However, it's still a good idea to do a spot test on the fabric first, just to make sure the oxygen bleach won't discolor it.

The two types of bleaches work differently because they contain different active ingredients. The whitening agent in chlorine bleach is sodium hypochlorite, which removes stains by breaking them down. The active ingredient in oxygen bleach is either hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, or sodium perborate. Hydrogen peroxide is a liquid, while sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate are solids that break down into hydrogen peroxide when added to water. 

Another notable difference between chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach is that you can use chlorine as a disinfectant, killing germs like bacteria and viruses on hard surfaces, which can be useful after an illness. You can use oxygen bleach to clean surfaces, but it's not intended for use as a disinfectant. Always follow the instructions on the bottle or package when using either type of bleach to clean.

To use chlorine bleach in the laundry, follow the care instructions on the garments and the directions on your washing machine, as bleach isn't okay to use in certain machines. For really bad stains, you may want to presoak a white garment in a solution containing ¼ cup chlorine and 1 gallon water, but only for 10 minutes tops. To use oxygen bleach to remove yellow stains from colorful clothing, combine the oxygen bleach and water per the package directions in a basin, then add the garment and let it soak for about eight hours. To use as a brightener in the laundry, pour the powder into the machine before you add the clothing, following the instructions on the package.

Along with only being safe to use with white fabrics, chlorine bleach may damage the fibers of natural fabrics like silk or wool and shouldn't be used to wash laundry with spandex. You also want to avoid using bleach to clean items around your home unless you are sure that it's safe for that purpose. When in doubt, always read the item's care instructions before using either chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach on it.