Using chlorine bleach in the laundry

Chlorine bleach (standard household bleach) is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) diluted in water. It is sold in the laundry aisle of the supermarket. It is a broad antimicrobial spectrum. It removes minor and major stains, oxidises ammonia and sanitises against certain pathogens.

Unlike detergent, chlorine bleach is a commodity. This means all bleach is effectively the same regardless of the manufacturer or brand.

Purchase the least expensive bleach that you can find, taking note of the percentage of sodium hypochlorite. In Australia and New Zealand, it is usually diluted to 4.2% or 5.4%.

Using chlorine bleach

At Clean Cloth Nappies we use bleach for sanitising cloth nappies, removing stains from textiles, and as way to boost our nappy washes.

Bleaches oxidise substances. They sanitise and remove stains by breaking bonds within a molecule. This produces smaller fragments that do not absorb light in the visible light spectrum, making the broken fragments colourless.

Chlorine sanitisation is used across many industries and applications. For example:

• Drinking water sanitisation
• Swimming pool water sanitisation
• Hospital and medical equipment sanitisation
• Pharmaceuticals
• Textile production
• Polyurethane production (including PUL used to make modern cloth nappies)
• Food industry
• Household bathroom mould removal products
• Eczema and skin condition treatment

A few reasons why chlorine bleach is amazing

• Readily available
• Inexpensive
• Does not bioaccumulate in the environment
• Does not contribute to bacterial resistance
• Degrades to salt and water

Sodium hypochlorite is the active sanitising agent in Milton, which is used to sanitise baby bottles.

Sanitising with chlorine bleach

Sodium hypochlorite is effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi (mould) sanitising the same way as chlorine does. It is one of the most effective sanitisers, it kills almost every pathogen there is, including influenza virus and ebola, but unfortunately not tuberculosis.

Chlorine kills pathogens by breaking the chemical bonds within the organism, disrupting metabolism and protein synthesis. When enzymes come into contact with chlorine, the hydrogens in the molecule are replaced by chlorine. This causes the entire molecule to change shape or collapse. When enzymes do not function properly, the organism will die.

When chlorine is added to water, it reacts with organic matter and other impurities, forming chloride salts, and with organic material in water to form chlorinated organic chemicals. The amount of chlorine needed for disinfection will depend on the concentrations of these impurities, the concentration of available chlorine, pH and temperature of the water and contact time.

Stain removal with chlorine bleach

Chlorine bleach oxidises and removes certain stains easily. Our sanitise information provides the correct quantities to use. Why do you need the correct quantities? So that the process actually works and you don’t damage your laundry.

Health and environmental impact

Because of its mode of action, relatively short life span, and formation into salt water, sodium hypochlorite doesn’t bioaccumulate. Small amounts are septic tank system safe.

Benzalkonium Chloride, the active ingredient in Laundry Sanitisers eg Canesten or Dettol, does not readily degrade and can contribute to bacterial resistance.

Sodium hypochlorite is recommended to treat skin conditions like eczema. People with eczema, especially atopic dermatitis, tend to have dry skin. This is because the disease causes defects in the skin barrier. Skin prevents irritants, bacteria/viruses, and allergens from getting into our bodies and moisture from getting out. Chlorine bleach diluted in bath water decreases inflammation and the amount of bacteria on the skin, which can lead to skin infections.

Safe chlorine bleach use

Chlorine can irritate skin and mucous membranes, use gloves and ensure there is adequate ventilation, to prevent exposing skin or inhaling concentrated bleach. If the user has a specific allergy to bleach (eg it triggers asthma) don’t use it. Ensure it is thoroughly washed out of fabrics before use again.

Do not mix chlorine bleach with acids or ammonia. Mixing bleach with common cleaning products can create toxic fumes or corrosive products. Always read the product label before using a cleaning product.

• Chlorine bleach + vinegar = chlorine gas. 
  • This can lead to coughing, breathing problems, burning and watery eyes. Chlorine gas and water also combine to make hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids.
• Chlorine bleach + ammonia = chloramine.
  • This can cause red eyes, skin irritation, and respiratory issues.
• Chlorine bleach + isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) = chloroform. 
  • At low levels, this can cause dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and confusion. At high levels, it causes severe liver and kidney damage, heart problems (cardiac arrest), and respiratory issues.

Using chlorine bleach to remove ammonia from cloth nappies is not dangerous, as the bleach is diluted and the ammonia in the fabric is not a concentrated liquid.

Using chlorine bleach on dyed/ coloured textiles

Chlorine bleach can be used safely on dyed/coloured natural fibres to remove stains when it has been diluted to a low enough, colourfast concentration. However, it will irreversibly remove colour from natural fabrics such as cotton if used at a concentration that is too high.

Using chlorine bleach on porous material

Mould in household walls, internal fittings and other porous surfaces is not as easy to treat with chlorine bleach. The mould’s hyphae feet hook into porous surfaces.

This is not an issue with textiles as they can be submerged.

History of Napisan

Some members ask why we recommend a two-step wash routine instead of a Napisan soak. The main differences from 1980s style ‘soak’ routines is that terry cloth nappies were single-layer, and Napisan’s ingredients were drastically different.

Napisan no longer contains chlorine bleach. We do not recommend soaking nappies in Napisan or equivalent laundry boosters. Soaking nappies forms a bacterial breeding ground and is a drowning hazard.

In the 1970s and ’80s, the active ingredient in Napisan was potassium monopersulfate (KHSO₅) which oxidises sodium chloride to sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach). The formulation has since changed, with sodium hypochlorite replaced with sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach).