Interesting Facts about Bleaching

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What do you want to know about bleaching?

Time for fun?

References

There are many interseting facts surrounding bleaches that one does not know.

Here are some of the facts obtained after substantial research.

A Word for the Consumers

Commercial bleaches are usually labeled with instructions. For example: --

1. "If swallowed, drink milk and seek for medical help immediately."

Now, why do we need to drink milk if we happened to swallow bleach?

As a matter of fact, NaClO has a pH value of 11.2, which makes it a strong base. Milk on the other hand, is slightly acidic with pH 6. If an alkaline solution of NaClO is taken into the body, an acid (milk) will be seen as the next best thing to consume to counteract the effect of NaOCl in the body through neutralisation.

2. "Add bleach in warm water to remove stubborn stains."

An increase in temperature increases the average kinetic energy of the molecules. This results in an increase in the number of collisions between the molecules. Activation energy is the minimum energy colliding particles need to possess to react with each other. Therefore fraction of molecules having energy greater or equal to the activation energy is significantly increased. Hence the number of effective collisions increased, leading to an increase in reaction rate.

The cleaning products on the market today are suited for a variety of cleaning chores. They are easy to use, but in many cases are expensive. They must also be used with extra caution and you must read the label and follow the directions. Never mix cleansers or household products. Seven fatalities in the United States between the years 1974 and 1977 were caused by chloramines, which are formed when cleansers containing ammonia are mixed with chlorine bleach. By following the manufacturer’s directions, you will get the best and the safest results.

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Powdered bleach Liquified bleach

In addition, many manufacturers claim that their bleaching products are more superior to others, by introducing ‘multi-purpose’ bleaches that boast cleaner and whiter results on stained fabrics than normal detergents. Some bleaches are even able to disinfect anything from toilet bowls to diapers. Some also provide ‘money-back guaranteed’, if their products do not meet the expectations of their customers. Other manufacturers produce bleaches with popular fragrances, such as the lemon scent or specific bleaches for precise usage. Ultimately, it is still up to us to find out for ourselves a bleach that is suitable for our use.

Here is a label found on a typical bottle of fabric bleach

Directions for use

Measure

Directions

For garments:

(laundry)

To bleach yellow or blackish clothes to white.

To deodorise baby diapers.

(stain removal)

To remove stubborn stains such as coffee, tea, ink, blood, fruit and seasonings.

Machine Wash:

Use 75ml to 30 litres water

Hand Wash:

Use 12ml to 5 litres water.

Use 20ml to 2 litres water

Soak for ½ hour and rinse with water. ( For stubborn stains, soak longer)

For Kitchen:

To disinfect and deodorise napkins, tablecloth, plates, cupboard and fridge.

To deodorise milk bottle

Napkins and dishcloth:

Use 12ml to 2 litres water.

Cupboard/fridge:

Use 5ml to 2 litres water.

Others: Use 12ml to 2 litres water.

Soak for 12 hours and rinse with water (for stubborn stains, soak longer). If material cannot be soaked, wipe gently with a wet cloth.

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Last modified: 4/7/99