3 things you should know about bleaching your clothes

Bleach is a laundry additive used to get clothes whiter. But if you're not careful, bleach can do a lot of damage to your clothes. Here are some tips on how to efficiently and safely use bleach on your clothes.

White clothes are prone to all sorts of stains, from spaghetti sauce to wine. Bleach helps remove stains and it also works as a disinfectant.

• Chlorine bleach is a liquid; non-chlorine bleach is available in either liquid or granular form.
• Chlorine bleach is safe for all fabrics except wool, spandex, mohair and silk, but not for non-colourfast items; following label instructions is always the best policy.
• Chlorine bleach is fast-acting and strong; used improperly, it can severely weaken and damage fabrics.
• For convenience, some detergents include bleach.

• To use bleach safely, add it to the machine's bleach dispenser before loading. This avoids spilling undiluted bleach onto clothes.
• Should this happen, damage might not show up immediately, but clothes could eventually develop holes, rips, yellowing or colour loss.
• If the washer doesn't have a dispenser, dilute the bleach as recommended by the manufacturer, adding it to the wash after the load is completely wet.

• Do not use bleach if your water has a high iron content; it will spot your clothes.
• Never use bleach and ammonia at the same time, the combination can generate hazardous fumes.
• Non-chlorine, all-fabric or oxygenated bleach is simply a milder form of bleach. Because it is milder, it doesn't remove stains or whiten as well, but it is safe for all fabrics.
• All bleach works faster in warmer water.

Next time you need to use bleach, keep these tips in mind and keep your clothes stain-free!