Bleach for Clothes – Oxygen or Chlorine?

Oxygen vs chlorine bleach: the difference

The two types work in completely different ways. Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) releases oxygen in water and lifts stains and yellowing gently – it is colour-safe and safe on most textiles. Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is much stronger: it tears dye and stains apart quickly, but the fibres too over time, and can only be used on white natural fabrics. For home use, oxygen bleach handles almost every job – whitening, yellowed fabric and organic stains – without the risks that come with chlorine.

How to use oxygen bleach

Oxygen bleach works best in warm water, which activates the oxygen. Here is how:

1. Dissolve the powder in warm water (around 40–60 °C, as far as the garment allows) before adding the fabric.
2. Soak the garment for a few hours, or overnight for stubborn yellowing and old stains.
3. Use it on white and coloured fabric – it is colour-safe, but test a seam first if the colour is strong or dark.
4. Wash as normal afterwards. Repeat the soak rather than sharply increasing the dose.

When – and whether – to use chlorine

Chlorine bleach is rarely needed at home, and does great harm if used wrongly. Use it only on pure white cotton or linen, and never without care:

• Always dilute well, and never leave a garment sitting in undiluted chlorine.
• Ventilate well – chlorine gives off harmful fumes in enclosed rooms.
• Never mix chlorine with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners; it forms toxic gas.
• Expect chlorine to yellow some fabrics rather than whiten them – and that damage is hard to reverse.

What you should never bleach

Some fibres do not tolerate bleaching at all, and some take only gentle oxygen treatment. Keep these away from chlorine entirely, and be careful even with oxygen:

• Wool and silk – protein fibres that break down; chlorine destroys them, and strong oxygen weakens them.
• Elastane/spandex, leather and most synthetics – can yellow or lose structure.
• Coloured fabric with chlorine – the colour disappears in patches, permanently.
• Anything marked with a crossed-out triangle: the symbol means 'do not bleach'.

When to leave the whitening to professionals

If the garment is valuable, delicate or marked 'do not bleach', or the yellowing is so stubborn that you are tempted to reach for chlorine, it is safer to let someone with the right equipment do the job. Bleaching mistakes cannot be undone. Send the garments to us and we brighten white and light fabric by fabric type and care label, gently and across all of Norway. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions