Q:  Can I soak my dentures in Clorox®?

A:  There are so many different uses for Clorox® Regular-Bleach, but unfortunately cleaning dentures isn’t one of them.  I checked with the ADA website hoping to find some guidance to pass along, and thought this information looked useful: http://www.ada.org/2996.aspx#takecareof

Does anyone have some great tips for cleaning dentures?

Q:  How do I treat laundry after a ring worm infestation?

A:  That’s too bad about the ringworm!  To disinfect white or safely bleachable colored laundry, wash in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach. For extra-large or heavily soiled laundry, use up to 1 ¼ cups.  Note that you should avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, spandex, and leather.

Unfortunately there is no product to disinfect any and all colored laundry.  For any product to make this claim it must have an EPA registration which is obtained by successfully completing required tests to demonstrate efficacy.  It’s good to know there are definitely some colored fabrics than can be safely bleached with Clorox® Regular-Bleach, and this primarily depends on which type of dye was used to color the fabric.  You can easily test bleachability as follows:

1.  Mix a test solution by diluting 2 tsp Clorox® Regular-Bleach in ¼ cup water

2.  Apply a drop to a hidden part of the item such as an inside hem, cuff, or seam and then blot dry

3.  No color change means the item can be safely bleached

I have had success safely bleaching many different colored items:  light colored linens and towels, cotton boxer shorts, and 100% polyester fleece, just to name a few.  Assuming your items pass, you can wash them in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach as directed above.  For items that don’t pass the bleachability test, you can try the following techniques to at least reduce the germ count.

• Wash in the hottest water recommended on the item’s care label


• Wash any items of particular concern separately from other items to avoid germ transfer, and consider washing them twice


• Use the hottest dryer setting recommended on the care label, and dry items separately from other loads; or at least with some white towels so the underwear tumbles properly in the dryer.


• Finally, consider following up with a washer clean-out cycle with ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach to be sure the clothes washer is disinfected and germs don’t transfer to other loads.  In fact, clothes washer manufacturers recommend doing this!

Does anyone else need disinfecting advice?

Q:  I have a question regarding the cleaning and sanitizing of diaper pads in a child care facility.  I have always been taught to clean with soap and water and then use bleach to sanitize.  Can Clorox® Clean-Up® be used for the washing procedure?

A:  You’re correct!  We recommend cleaning a hard surface before sanitizing with a solution of 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water.  With Clorox® Clean-Up® those two steps can be combined, except when the surface to be cleaned is heavily soiled.  In that case, the surface should still be pre-cleaned before the sanitizing step.

Also, here's the sanitizing protocol just in case you need it:

• Use the Clorox® Clean-Up® spray applicator for sanitizing


• Spray the product 4-6 inches from the surface until thoroughly wet


• Let stand 30 seconds


• Rinse or wipe clean and allow to air dry

I hope this helps!  Do any parents need additional sanitizing advice?

Q:  I've seen on a few posts that mention bleach can crystallize if proper conditions are met. I work at a company that uses Clorox to sanitize the floor and some of the equipment. I find that after cleaning, when the equipment is moved or the floor remains wet, a layer of “crystals” is found. Trying to clean it using a mop and room temp water causes the crystals to spread into a thin layer, which is eventually removed.  However, if I add more Clorox, it crystallizes further. I read in some of the other blogs that hard scrubbing and warm water is the best removal process, but I'm more interested in prevention. What are the causes of crystallized bleach? Could a constant source of airflow (air filter system for example) cause the liquid in Clorox to evaporate quicker than expected forming the crystals?

A:  The crystals you are observing are salt crystals.  That’s because the sodium hypochlorite active in Clorox® Regular-Bleach breaks down into salt and water (a big part of what makes it so environmentally friendly).  Also, note that undiluted bleach is mostly water – as the water evaporates, eventually salt crystals will remain. 

There are several possibilities as to why you are seeing salt crystals on the floor.  The most likely reason is that the floor is not being rinsed thoroughly following cleaning or the bleach solution being used is too concentrated, making complete rinsing difficult.  The correct protocol for disinfecting floors, walls, vinyl and tiles is:

• Pre-wash surface, then mop or wipe with a solution of 3/4 cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water. Allow solution to contact surface for at least 5 minutes. Rinse well and air dry.

If your job involves sanitizing food contact surfaces in a restaurant, you would use a different bleach solution and method than what we recommend for floors.  For all you “foodies”, here’s the protocol:

• To sanitize food contact surfaces: wash, rinse and wipe surface area with a solution of 1 tablespoon of bleach per 1 gallon of water for at least 2 minutes. Let air dry.

Has anyone else had problems with bleach crystalizing?

Q:  Does disinfecting with Clorox® Regular-Bleach “kill” scabies?

A:  Clorox® Regular-Bleach is an EPA registered disinfectant, and any bacteria, fungus, or virus that we can state efficacy for (aka the ability to kill it when the product is used as directed) must be listed as part of the EPA registration.  Unfortunately I could not find scabies on the EPA master label, and so I cannot tell you that using bleach will kill it!  I wish I could have been more helpful.

Q:  Are there any health/fire/safety risks associated with adding bleach to the rinse cycle (when already used in the wash cycle) to whiten dingy cleaning rags?

A:  Thanks for sending in your question — it’s a very interesting one!  There’s no fire risk with Clorox® Regular-Bleach.  From the product’s Material Safety Data Sheet, Fire and Explosion Data is as follows:

• Flash Point: None


• Special Firefighting Procedures: None


• Unusual Fire/Explosion Hazards: None. Not flammable or explosive. Product does not ignite when exposed to open flame.

Health risks associated with adding bleach to the final rinse cycle would be limited to potential skin sensitivity of people who use the rags in the future, and that would vary between individuals.  The biggest issue (and the best reason to not add bleach to the final rinse cycle) is residual bleach left behind in the washer that could carry over to the next wash load, meaning you could get bleach spots on items not safe for bleach! 

Adding an extra rinse cycle would eliminate the “bleach residue” problem, but I would recommend using a combined bleach pre-soak and bleach + detergent wash instead.  Start by rinsing the rags, and then soaking them for 5 minutes in a bleach solution of ¼ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of warm water.  Drain the soaking solution and then wash the rags in hot water using a good powdered detergent + ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.

Q:  How do I get mildew off sheets and towels?

A:  The best question to first ask yourself is:  are these items bleachable?  If you are not sure, you can do a quick bleachability test to check: add 2 teaspoons Clorox® Regular-Bleach to ¼ cup water; apply a drop to a hidden part of the items; wait 1 minute then blot with a towel; no color change means the items are safe to bleach.  If that is the case, the following approaches should work:

• At a minimum, I would wash them immediately in hot water using detergent + 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.


• If the mildew is very bad, consider doing a Clorox® Regular-Bleach soak (1/4 cup liquid bleach per gallon of cool water; soak 5-10 minutes), then wash in hot water with detergent + ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.


• If the mold/mildew is heavy, you may need to repeat treatment for complete stain removal.

For non-bleachable colors (or non-bleachable fabrics like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex for that matter) it’s difficult to remove mold and mildew completely since the best mold and mildew removers are products with sodium hypochlorite like Clorox® Regular-Bleach.  Even so, you can try the following:

• Carefully brush off any obvious spores and then wash in the warmest water recommended on the care label with detergent and an oxygen bleach like our Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster.


• Try a 1 hour presoak with Clorox2® Stain Fighter& Color Booster following label instructions.


• Air dry the items in the sun.

I realize testing for colorfastness on towels is difficult because there isn't a truly "hidden" area; applying a very small drop of the bleachability test solution on one side that will not be visible when the towel hangs on a rack is about the best you can do.  It may also be worth it to let the towels fade a little with a bleach treatment if it means getting the mildew off. 

Does anyone else have mildew on their towels or sheets?  This can easily happen if they are stored in a damp and dark location.

Q:  Can I use Clorox® Regular-Bleach in my old washing machine to clean it?

A:  This is an interesting question!  My first thought is yes, but your washer is old so it depends on the condition of your machine.  If enamel or metal surfaces inside the washer have been chipped or scratched, then the machine could be rusty.  In that case, it may be time to replace your washing machine to avoid rust stains from transferring to the clothes. 

However, if your washer is in generally good condition, you can run an empty cycle selecting hot water, two rinse cycles, and adding 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach as the washer is filling.  If you can't automatically select an extra rinse, then simply do that manually and restart the washer when the first cycle is over. 

Does anyone else need some helpful tips on cleaning their washer?

Q:  Our cat had a nasty virus. After it was resolved I went through and cleaned his litter box area with a Clorox® Regular-Bleach and water solution to get rid of the germs. Once this dries, is it safe for pets? Or should I make an effort to clean any residue before letting my pets in the area?

A:  A litter box that has been properly disinfected with Clorox® Regular-Bleach is definitely safe for pets; and here's how to do it:

1. Remove the litter from the box


2. Wash the litter box with soap and water


3. Mix 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water and fill the litter box with the bleach solution, let stand for 5 minutes


4. Thoroughly rinse the litter box and air dry

Since you mentioned residue, I'm wondering if you have adequately rinsed the litter box.  This is especially important if you used too strong of a bleach solution.

Is anyone else disinfecting your pets’ items in “celebration” for the New Year?

Q:  My Clorox® Regular-Bleach has lost its odor, what is the shelf life of bleach?

A:  It’s important to keep track of 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 will still perform well for home consumer cleaning needs for 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 really speeds up, a big part of why it’s so environmentally friendly.

The best way to identify the age of a bottle (people don’t always remember when they bought it!) is to use the production code stamped on the neck of the bottle, which typically looks like this:

A8116010

5813-CA3

The information on when the bleach was made is in the top line, 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.

Readers – have you checked the date of your bleach recently?