Q:  Will Clorox® Regular-Bleach damage the elastic in my cotton briefs?  After several washes the white cotton starts turning yellow.  How much Clorox should be used in an average white wash?

A:  We’ve looked into the effects of bleach usage on fabric over time and found that even after 50 wash/dry cycles, Clorox® Regular-Bleach does not wear down fabric any more than using detergent alone, when used as directed.  As for the amount of bleach to use, we recommend three addition methods for normally soiled loads in standard washers:

1)       Add ¾ cup bleach (or fill the dispenser to the max fill line if you have a HE washer) using the washer’s bleach dispenser.

2)       Add ¾ cup bleach along with the detergent to the wash water as the machine is filling, before the clothes are added.

3)       Dilute ¾ cup bleach in 1 quart water and add to the wash 5 minutes after the wash cycle has begun.

If the fabric is yellowing, then you are probably using too much bleach.  If it’s just the elastic, then it might have a chlorine retentive component that is yellowing (most elastics can be safely bleached).   Underwear, especially white underwear, should be bleachable to ensure good cleaning and disinfecting.  As long as the yellowing on your briefs is not a permanent shift in the color of the cotton (typical with undiluted or too concentrated bleach contact) you might be able to reverse it with RIT Color Remover, which you can find at drug stores.

Q:  I have an in-ground pool and was told that putting Clorox® Regular-Bleach in the water would help prevent algae during the winter. Is this true, and if so, how much would I need if my pool holds 33,000 gallons of water?

A: There’s a protocol when using Clorox® Regular-Bleach for swimming pool disinfection.  On an ongoing basis, if you super-chlorinate the pool with 100-200 oz. bleach per 10,000 gallons of water, in addition to regular chlorination, algae growth can be prevented. However, it depends on several factors including how much the pool is used, sun exposure, and water quality.  It sounds like from your question you are getting ready to close your pool for the season, and the pool will not be used.  In that case, I would add 5 gallons + 2 ½ cups Clorox® Regular-Bleach to your 33,000 gallon pool.

(Here’s the math, if you are curious:  33,000/10,000 x 200oz. = 660oz/8oz per cup = 82 ½ cups.  80 cups is 5 gallons, so total to add would be 5 gallons + 2 ½ cups)

This treatment can be repeated as needed to keep algae growth under control—I would observe the pool and look for any signs of growth before repeating the treatment.  Also, if you decide to use the pool after super-chlorinating, you should use a pool test kit to confirm that the ppm available chlorine in the pool is 3ppm or less.

Is anyone else getting ready to close their pools for the winter?

Q:  How do I make a neutralizing rinse?

A: This is an interesting question – what do you want to rinse?  In general, the rinse cycle that follows the wash cycle, will effectively neutralize a laundry load with bleach.  However, there are times when people are working on fabric projects where they use bleach for decorative effects!  Under these circumstances, you want to quickly stop the bleaching action from sodium hypochlorite (the active in Clorox® Regular-Bleach).  In that case, a hydrogen peroxide solution that’s 1 part hydrogen peroxide + 10 parts water will work. 

Readers, do any of you use bleach for decorative fabric effects?

Q:  Does Clorox® Regular-Bleach have an expiration date and if yes, where is it found?

A:  It’s great you are paying attention to how old your bleach is because yes, bleach doesn’t last forever!  When Clorox® Regular-Bleach is stored between 50°F and 70F° and away from sunlight, it will maintain label strength of the sodium hypochlorite active for up to 6 months (at this point hospitals should replace it).  After 6 months it starts breaking down into salt and water, but it will still work well for the home consumer up to a year.  Since it’s always diluted before use, you can just use a little more.  Beyond a year, it should be replaced because the rate of decomposition into salt and water speeds up, which is a big part of why it’s environmentally friendly.

The best way to identify the age of a bottle is to use the production code stamped on the neck of the bottle, which typically looks like this:

A8116010

5813-CA3

The top line provides the information on when it was produced, which would be A8-1-160-10 (if you added dashes).  You only need the first 6 digits and you read it from left to right as follows:

Plant Number—Last digit of year made—Day of the year made

         A8                              1                                   160

The bleach in this example was made in 2011 on June 9th, the 160th day of the year.  If any readers have other questions, or a specific production code you are wondering about, please let me know!

Q: How would I kill Staphylococci bacteria, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, and MRSA on scrubs?

A:  To disinfect laundry in a standard clothes washer (deep fill, top loading) add ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach for a regular load (and up to 1 ¼ cup for an extra-large load) along with your regular detergent.   If you have a clothes washer that requires you to use a bleach dispenser, and the dispenser’s capacity is less than ¾ cup, then soak the items of concern for 5 minutes in a solution of ¼ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water before washing in your clothes washer for guaranteed disinfecting of Staph, Pseudomonas, and MRSA.

Q:  I have an ink stain on my Police uniform shirt (cotton/poly blend).  What is the best way to remove the stain?

A:  I have a two-step process for dealing with ink stains that will hopefully help, but first you need to determine the colorfastness of the shirt.  Many colored dress shirts can be safely bleached. Check by doing a quick bleachability test:

• Mix 2 tsp. Clorox® Regular-Bleach in ¼ cup water, apply a drop to a hidden area (hem, inside cuff) and blot dry.  No color change means the shirt can be safely bleached (and is what I would expect for a poly cotton uniform).

Next, treat the stain as follows:

• Apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the stain and let it soak in for a few minutes.


• Wash in the hottest water allowed (check the care label) with detergent and ¾ cup Clorox Regular-Bleach.  Allow the shirt to air dry and check for success.

If the shirt doesn’t pass the bleachability test, then use Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster:

• Apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the stain and let it soak in for a few minutes.


• Apply Clorox2® directly to the stain, wait five minutes, then wash in the hottest water allowed with detergent + Clorox2®.  Allow the shirt to air dry and check for success.

The biggest problem with ink stains is when it is super concentrated (like when a pen leaks).  If that’s the case, then it may require multiple treatments to get the stain completely out.  Just be sure to continue to air dry the shirt until you achieve success. 

Has anyone else had an unlucky encounter with a leaky pen recently?