Chlorine Bleach Vs Oxygen Bleach: Which One to Prefer for Domestic Cleaning?

Many of us do not prefer entering the bathroom which is just been cleaned using ammonia or chlorine bleach. The associated fumes from these cleaning agents can constrict your lungs, and thereby forcing you to leave that section.

However, over the years several harmful chemicals such as chlorine bleach have taken a common form in the domestic setup. With bleaches, there are safer alternatives available which can bring about numerous benefits as compared to the corrosive, harmful choices.

Let us try to understand the two popular versions, chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach, in order to check which one can be termed as the safest for household cleaning.

Introduction to Chlorine Bleach

When it comes to chlorine bleach products for household usage, they are usually a mixture of synthetic chemicals where the primary ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. Chlorine is one of the prime elements required to create sodium hypochlorite together with other products like PVC (polyvinyl chloride), for bleaching paper pulp white, as well as to kill bacteria from swimming pools and drinking water.  Do remember that it is highly toxic and was even used as a chemical weapon during WWI and Syrian Civil War.

Introduction to Oxygen Bleach

Sodium percarbonate or Oxygen bleach, is prepared using sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide.  It functions by releasing oxygen the moment it gets exposed to water. It is basically this particular oxygen release that lifts stains along with from whatever item you’re cleaning.

If we look at both of these bleach variants, then oxygen bleach does hold an upper hand when it comes to safety. Chlorine bleach can lead to health risks which are explained elaborately all over the internet.  However, the use of oxygen bleach still needs careful usage as you need to avoid any type of contact with eyes. Moreover, wearing gloves is important if your skin is sensitive.

The advantage of using oxygen bleach primarily comes down to its environment-friendly facet. This factor has profited thesodium percarbonate market since the eco-friendly chemical decomposes into water, oxygen and natural soda ash the moment it receives contact with water. This makes the substance biodegradable as well as septic safe.