Bleach is a chemical that whitens
clothing.
Clorox brand bleach
The bleaching process has been known for millennia,
[1] but the chemicals currently used for bleaching resulted from the work of several 18th century scientists.
Chlorine is the basis for the most common bleaches: for example, the solution of
sodium hypochlorite, which is so ubiquitous that most simply call it "bleach", and
calcium hypochlorite, the active compound in "bleaching powder". Oxidizing bleaching agents that do not contain chlorine are usually based on
peroxides such as
hydrogen peroxide,
sodium percarbonate and
sodium perborate. While most bleaches are
oxidizing agents, some are
reducing agents such as
sodium dithionite and sodium borohydride.
Bleaches are used as
household chemicals to whiten clothes and remove
stains and as disinfectants, primarily in the bathroom and kitchen. Many bleaches have strong
bactericidalproperties, and are used for disinfecting and sterilizing and thus are used in
swimming pool sanitation to control bacteria, viruses and algae and in any institution where sterile conditions are needed. They are also used in many industrial processes, notably in the
bleaching of wood pulp. Bleach is also used for removing
mildew, killing
weeds and increasing the longevity of cut
flowers.
[2]
Read the bottom line
But that is in pure form from bottle...