Homemade Bleach for Laundry

Lemon Juice

• Lemon juice has long been used for removing stains and whitening clothing. Use full-strength as a pre-treatment substitute for chlorine bleach. Dampen stained or discolored areas, then rub a cut lemon or a small amount of lemon juice into the spot. Yankee Magazine's Earl Proulx suggests combining lemon juice with a bit of salt for extra scrubbing power -- particularly on stubborn rust stains. Mix a cup of lemon juice and a cup of baking soda in the water in the washer to bleach a full load.

Vinegar

• Vinegar is acetic acid, another potent, non-toxic disinfectant and deodorizer that is far less expensive than lemon juice and more practical for use in the washing machine. Soaps and detergents perform better where there is little or no water-hardening lime or calcium present in the water. Because it is an acid, vinegar dissolves those minerals and counteracts the effects of the hard water, allowing the soap to clean more efficiently and brighten clothing. Use white vinegar for best results -- apple cider vinegar can discolor fabrics.

Baking Soda and Borax

• Use baking soda by itself in the washer to freshen and lighten clothing or mix it with an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. The foaming action helps break up grime, which allows detergents to penetrate fabrics and work better. You can also rub baking soda into stains as a pre-wash treatment, but avoid borax. Many homemade detergents and bleach formulas still include this common old favorite as an ingredient, but borax has recently come under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency, and while the jury is still out on the degree of hazard to human health, it is no longer considered as safe or green as previously. Animal studies prove it is both a short-term irritant to skin, eyes and lungs and a long-term health hazard linked to hormone disruption.

Hydrogen Peroxide

• Hydrogen peroxide is an effective bleach that in concentration is both explosive and corrosive. However, because it contains only hydrogen and oxygen, ordinary household peroxide -- at 3 to 5 percent dilution -- breaks down rapidly in the environment to water and oxygen, rendering it non-toxic. Household peroxide is safe to use on fabric straight out of the bottle and works well on stains. Mixed approximately 5 to 1 with baking soda and a few drops of liquid detergent, it also makes an effective, non-staining odor remover for laundry, carpets and furniture.