Cleaning with bleach is a versatile and powerful way to maintain a hygienic home, covering everything from your shower curtain to your workout clothes.
Unlike the array of specialty cleaning products available in stores, classic bleach remains a highly effective disinfectant. Let’s explore the proper and safe use of bleach in your household.
Safely Using Bleach
Bleach is sold in a concentrated form, so it’s crucial to dilute it with water before cleaning. Failure to do so can lead to irritation of the respiratory system, skin, and eyes, or even damage to surfaces.
Diluting bleach doesn’t compromise its germ-killing capabilities, making it a safer choice. Always dilute bleach with water to ensure effective cleaning without any potential harm.
Using Bleach in the Laundry Room
While bleach is commonly known for brightening whites, it is also a useful tool for sanitizing laundry items like baby clothes or workout gear. For a deep clean, adjust the amount of bleach based on your washing machine type: use 2/3 cup for a standard washer or 1/3 cup for a high-efficiency machine.
Surprisingly, many colored garments can be safely laundered with standard bleach, depending on how the dye was applied. Before washing, perform a quick test on a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric (such as the inside of a hem).
Mix 2 teaspoons of bleach with 1/4 cup of water, apply a small dot, let it sit for a minute, and blot dry. If there’s no staining, you’re good to proceed with using bleach on the colored garment.
Using Bleach for Household Cleaning
Your kitchen, bathroom, and patio can benefit from the powerful cleaning abilities of bleach. No need for a variety of cleaning products – bleach can handle it all with a simple DIY solution.
In the Kitchen
Create a versatile, all-purpose cleaning solution by mixing 1/2 cup of bleach with a gallon of water. This can effectively disinfect countertops, sinks, tiles, floors, your refrigerator, stainless steel appliances, and other hard, non-porous surfaces.
For plastic trash cans, a slightly stronger solution works – mix 1/2 cup of bleach with 3/4 gallon of water. When tackling plastic cutting boards, a more diluted mix of 2 teaspoons of bleach with 1 gallon of water is sufficient.
In the Bathroom
Bleach is your go-to for a deep clean in the bathroom. For standard surfaces like toilets and tiles, it’s the ideal solution. Revive a mildewed plastic shower curtain by tossing it in the washing machine with detergent and 2/3 cup of bleach.
To combat mold and mildew on tiles, mix 3/4 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of warm water, wipe down the surface, let it sit for 10 minutes, and rinse with warm water.
On the Patio
Keep your outdoor spaces pristine with bleach. For plastic patio furniture, wipe down with a solution of 3/4 cup of bleach and 1 gallon of warm water, wait 10 minutes, and rinse (be cautious about runoff near your garden).
Clean planters to prevent mold or diseases in new plants by soaking last year’s pots in a solution of 1/2 cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water for five minutes, then rinse and air dry.
Natural Alternatives to Bleach
While bleach is known for its simplicity and effectiveness, it comes with environmental and health concerns. The release of chlorine into the environment can make plants, soil, and surroundings toxic for wildlife. Given these drawbacks, especially for households with pets and children, you might want to explore more eco-friendly cleaning alternatives.
If you’re hesitant about the environmental impact of bleach but still desire a potent cleaning option, consider choosing a chlorine-free formula.
Baking Soda
Use baking soda to naturally whiten and brighten fabrics. This versatile ingredient is a gentle yet effective way to keep your whites looking their best.
White Vinegar
For a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, turn to white vinegar. A mixture of 1/2 cup of white vinegar diluted in a gallon of warm water can help prevent mildew buildup on kids’ plastic bath toys. Additionally, 1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed with hot water serves as an excellent solution for deep cleaning reusable water bottles.