Green Bleach 101: What is it and how to use it
- Rebecca Crallan
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Green Bleach, also called Natural Bleach or Oxygen Bleach, is one of our best-selling products at The GreenHouse. So what is it, and what's all the fuss about?
The Science Bit
Green Bleach is Sodium Percarbonate, which releases oxygen when mixed with water, leaving behind water and salts (sodium carbonate). It's much safer to use than chlorine bleach as no toxic chemicals are washed down the drains or released into the air.
Green Bleach comes as a white powder - ours is in a plastic-free, home compostable bag. To use, simply dissolve in water - the hotter the water, the faster the reaction, so as a general rule, use the hottest water for the item your bleaching - see below for more detailed uses.
Oxygen is a powerful stain remover that works really well on organic stains like mud, blood and wine, and works as a deodoriser and disinfectant. For me, Green Bleach has not only replaced all my Chlorine Bleach needs but I use it much more widely as it can be used on colours as well as whites, and doesn't leave you with pink spots on your clothes when you use it.
On your laundry
The most common way we use Green Bleach at home is on the laundry. We have a spaniel, so muddy towels, sheets, clothes... everything is a daily struggle!
For stained laundry, I sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Green Bleach over the item then run the hot tap to dissolve the bleach and cover the article, swishing it about with a wooden spoon (it's fine to put your hand in, but it might be quite hot). For cotton sheets and towels you can use very hot water; for more delicate materials, use just warm water and obviously test anything precious if you can first. Leave to soak overnight then wash in the machine as normal. As we have a white butler sink, this method has the added bonus of whitening the sink at the same time!
The great thing about Green Bleach is that while the oxygen is a tough stain remover, the solution can be used on coloured items as well as whites, brightening them and lifting off the dirt.
I've used this on bedsheets, towels, tea towels, shirts (with mucky collars), cushion covers, cardigans and jumpers (with grubby cuffs), and all have come up brilliantly.
In the kitchen
The second most frequent use in our house is on pots and pans in the kitchen. If you're trying to avoid so-called 'forever' chemicals in materials like non-stick coatings, you might find yourself with some stuck on food... this is where Green Beach comes in!
For burnt or stuck on food, or pans, pots or mugs that need brightening, sprinkle a tablespoon of Green Bleach on the surface then pour in a kettleful of just boiled water. Leave overnight and you'll be able to wipe away the burnt on food the following morning and rinse clean.
I've used this on enamelware and enamel-lined cast iron pans like Le Creusets, as well as metal baking trays and roasting tins. Works a miracle every time.
Other kitchen uses are for sink cleaning and unblocking plugholes - again a couple of tablespoons followed by boiling water will do the trick. And you can pop a spoonful in your dishwasher and run on a hot cycle to give that a clean too.
In the bathroom
When we think of bleach, we often think of cleaning the loo (well, I do), and Green Bleach can do this as well. To get a good clean, flush the loo so the pan is wet, then sprinkle Green Bleach around the sides and into the water. Then pour a kettleful of boiling water around the pan, dissolving the bleach, and leave overnight, or as long as possible, to work its magic.
You can also make a solution of bleach to use as a general cleaner by dissolving 4 tablespoon of bleach in a litre of hot water and decanting into spray bottle. Great for cleaning showers, baths and sinks - and ovens if you're heading back down to the kitchen. A customer recently reported back that she doesn't need to wear gloves when cleaning anymore because this solution doesn't irritate her hands but does the job brilliantly.
I tend to use Miniml Toilet Cleaner more than Green Bleach as I love the minty smell, but every now and then a blast with the bleach is called for. And it certainly gets used on plugholes in the bathroom too.
So there's your Green Bleach starter for 10 - if you've yet to give it a go, I've just stocked up so there's plenty in stock. And if you're already a convert, let me know what else you've used it for.
Brilliant! Where we live, no mains drainage, so it's a septic tank for us, and Positively No Bleach. This sounds the perfect solution, and much more user-friendly too, apart from being a better planet-friendly option too.