Alternatively, you can add hydrogen peroxide to your washing machine to whiten your whites that way. Add your detergent to your machine as normal, and start your wash cycle. After the water starts running, rinsing the laundry detergent into the drum, you can then open the detergent drawer slightly and pour 200 ml of hydrogen peroxide into the detergent drawer. The thing is, even before switching to green cleaning, I was never a fan of bleach. I’ve always sought out alternatives because who wants their home smelling like a swimming pool? Not me! EcoRoots’ laundry sheets might have the first spot on this listing, but earth breeze’s eco-friendly detergent comes pretty close. In fact, these are our favourite option if you live in the UK and want to avoid EcoRoots delivery fees. After several loads using earth breeze laundry sheets, we are perfectly happy with the results. It doesn’t leave a strong “clean” smell but the clothes are totally clean nevertheless. To hand wash, pretreat stains and clean visible soils, rinse to remove loose soil and fully soak each garment for 5 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup bleach added to 1 gallon of cool water. Rinse and perform a regular wash following the laundry use directions.

Do not use chlorine bleach on wood, stone, or metal. If you read the label on your chlorine bleach container, you will find the words "not for use on porous surfaces" (or something similar). Wood and stone are porous. Also, chlorine bleach works by oxidizing. This means, using chlorine bleach on metal may corrode the metal. When using chlorine bleach, be sure to keep it away from stainless steel sinks and other metals. If you use bleach-based sprays to disinfect your chopping board, then you may be interested to hear that there is an alternative. Hydrogen peroxide is also effective at killing some food-borne micro-organisms. Wipe the paste over the stain, then leave to work for a few minutes. Rinse the chopping board well to remove any residue, then wash thoroughly before use.

And it’s not just the overpowering chlorine smell that makes me hate bleach. Conventional cleaning products have been associated with poor lung health. Meanwhile, chlorine bleach itself is known for its harmful impacts on the environment. Surely there’s got to be a better way to disinfect surfaces and keep our whites lovely and bright?

As the oxygen molecules react with the stain or dirt, they break down its chemical structure, leading to its removal. This oxidation process is highly effective in removing a wide range of stains, including those caused by food, wine, grease, and mildew. If that is too much hassle, then the other option is to dilute 200 ml of hydrogen peroxide with 400 ml of water and add the solution to the empty drum of your washing machine. Then, load your white clothes, and wash them as usual. Bicarbonate of soda is alkaline. This means when it is added to your laundry it cuts through limescale and detergent residue that can contribute to white clothes turning grey. Simply add a scoopful of bicarbonate of soda – either in the detergent drawer or directly into the drum. This helps to keep whites white for longer. Green bleach is often sold as a concentrated solution that needs to be diluted before use. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the proper dilution ratio to ensure that you achieve the desired cleaning power without using too much product. 6. Avoid Mixing with Other Cleaning ProductsTo find the best eco-friendly laundry detergents on the market, we dirtied a pile of cotton and polycotton clothes with common household stains such as tea, mud and makeup. We then ran them through a series of 40-degree cycles with each detergent, before assessing stain removal, whiteness retention and colour fading using a high-tech piece of lab equipment called a DigiEye. When it comes to keeping whites white and removing organic stains from white clothing, washable nappies or reusable sanitary towels, then there is nothing more eco-friendly than harnessing the power of the sun. For best results in a standard washer, dilute the measured amount of bleach in 1 quart of water. Add to wash 5 minutes after the wash cycle begins.

Green bleach is an eco-friendly alternative to conventional bleach. It is made from natural ingredients, such as hydrogen peroxide, which break down into oxygen and water after use. Unlike conventional bleach, green bleach does not contain harmful chemicals like chlorine, which can be toxic to humans and the environment. Is green bleach effective in cleaning and disinfecting? Looking for alternatives to chlorine bleach? Try these eco-friendly bleach alternatives that whiten clothes and kill germs without leaving a toxic footprint. Buy on earth breeze Best Smelling Option – Eco Friendly Laundry Detergent, by Method Source: @methodproducts To whiten your whites using oxygen bleach, you will get the best results by using the bleach as a pre-soak. In this case, add 2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach per 4 litres of warm water, and then soak your clothing for six hours. Then wash your clothes as normal for whites so bright you’ll need sunglasses! White VinegarTablets: Tablets are a highly concentrated form of bleach. You can use them in much the same way that you would use liquid bleach. They can be added to a laundry load, dissolved in the toilet for sanitizing purposes, or added to water to make a potent disinfectant solution. Plant-based: Some ingredients which are totally safe and non-toxic, may not be entirely vegan. So, we made sure to consider laundry detergents that are completely plant-based or certified as vegan (not just empty claims) on our list. Hydrogen peroxide, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, lemon juice, sodium percarbonate, and even the sun all make for great substitutes. Here’s just why these six green bleach alternatives will help you ditch the chlorine bleach: Hydrogen Peroxide To use the sun as an alternative to bleach, simply hang out your freshly washed garments on your washing line or clothes horse on a sunny day. Ensure that any stains are facing the sun. Meanwhile, for whitening and brightening white clothing, make sure the clothes are turned the right way out. Leave them there to dry, and let the sun do all the work whilst you put your feet up!