Bleach - What is it?

Have you ever wondered what exactly is bleach and how does it work?

There are several types of bleach. Chlorine bleach usually contains sodium hypochlorite. Oxygen bleach contains hydrogen peroxide or a peroxide-releasing compound such as sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate. Bleaching powder is calcium hypochlorite. You can find descriptions of the scientific names below.

An oxidizing bleach works by breaking the chemical bonds of a chromophore (part of a molecule that has color). This changes the molecule so that it either has no color or else reflects color outside the visible spectrum.

A reducing bleach works by changing the double bonds of a chromophore into single bonds. This alters the optical properties of the molecule, making it colorless.

In addition to chemicals, energy can disrupt chemical bonds to bleach out color. For example, the high energy photons in sunlight (e.g., ultraviolet rays) can disrupt the bonds in chromophores to decolorize them.

Sodium hypochlorite is a chemical compound with the formula NaClO. Sodium hypochlorite solution, commonly known as bleach, is frequently used as a disinfectant or a bleaching agent

Sodium percarbonate is a white crystalline water-soluble adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. Sodium percarbonate is the active ingredient in many powdered oxygen eco-friendly bleach products, including OxiClean.

Is bleach safe on the environment? Sodium hypochlorite has been used for the disinfection of drinking water, at a concentration equivalent to about 1 liter of household bleach per 4000 liters of water is used. For emergency disinfection, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends the use of 2 drops of 5%ac household bleach per quart of water. If the treated water doesn't smell of bleach, 2 more drops are to be added.

Note: Do Not mix it with acids or any other organic chemicals. The chlorine gas given off is toxic

Lastly, cleaning with a neutral detergent alone will remove 80-90% of bacteria. So you don't have to over use bleach in your home.