How to properly use bleach on garments

You can, at most times, significantly improve the appearance of white and mostly white garments by using chlorine bleach or activated oxygen bleach. Articles of clothing made from bleachable fibers that are white and colorfast can benefit from being washed with some sort of bleach. 

Guidelines to follow when washing with bleach 
Bleach can help washable garments become whiter and brighter, plus disinfect by killing harmful bacteria. However, misusing bleach can stain and corrode clothing. For best results when using bleach on garments, follow these guidelines: 

• Always check fabric labels for colorfastness first, and then follow the instructions on the bleach container. 
• Combine pure whites with bleach-fast, nearly-all-white prints. 
• Using a permanent-press setting, wash synthetic and natural-fiber whites together. Synthetic whites that receive a permanent-press treatment usually take bleach, although they don’t need it. 
• Add bleach into the proper dispenser of the washer. Never pour it directly onto fabrics, even if the load contains all whites. 
• If your machine doesn’t have a dispenser, add the bleach, no matter the type, to the washer water and then add the clothes. 
• Oxygen bleach (also called all-fabric bleach) is safe on most fabrics and colors, but you should never use it on silk, wool, or leather. 
• Before using bleach, always read and follow the care instructions and warnings on fabric labels.  
• Do not let bleach come in contact with skin. 
• Never mix bleach with ammonia, as it produces toxic fumes. 

When sorting clothes, how can you tell what counts as white?
When referring to garments, the term “white” means only white, and nothing else. Off-whites, creams, and mostly white prints are not considered whites. Because white or light nylons will pick up even a faint hint of color in the wash water, you should never mix them with colored fabrics. Correctly separating garments will also prevent dyes from bleeding and ruining other fabrics. 

There is a shelf life of six months max for liquid chlorine bleach. So, if you don’t bleach that often, we recommend buying a smaller jug to keep at home. Using a bleach that is more than six months old may not remove stains effectively.