All-Natural Bleach Alternative (That Works) - The Eco Hub (2024)

Brighten whites, kill germs, and soften clothes with this all-natural bleachalternative!

The smell of bleach literally makes me ill, if you have allergies or migraines this toxic crapola is a big no-no, not to mention the harmful effects bleach has on the environment.

If you are using bleach, I really hope you'll kick it to the curb after trying this recipe. And don't forget to dispose of it properly, this is key for any toxic household cleaners you may have hidden under your sink!

Now the makers of bleach tout its safety and effectiveness, but when our cleaning products come with warnings like hazardous, dangerous, or corrosive, I tend to stay away.

Do your homework and get to know the products you are using and what they contain. The Environmental Working Group is an excellentresource.

How to make this All-NaturalBleach Alternative?

This All-NaturalBleach Alternative has three very active and effectiveingredients all working together to give your laundry its best bang for its buck. I've tried a million recipes and found this one — by far — works the best.

Hydrogen Peroxide is cheap, safe, and easy to buy and should be in any DIY diva's cleaning closet. It's super versatile too, you can use it to clean just about anything in your home. It's basically the same chemical makeup as water, just with an extra oxygen atom called H₂O₂. It breaks down quickly intooxygen and water, which is why it's safe to use at home in place of bleach. Just make sure you store it in a cool, dark place.

Citric Acid is better used if you have hard water. It's a naturalwhitener too.

Lemon juicehas these enzymes in its acids that are strong enough to whiten everything from your teeth to your cotton blouse.

This recipe is so versatile you can use it in other areas of your home in place of bleach. But for this post, it's all about the laundry. It will be good for one month.

Ingredients

• ¾cupHydrogen peroxide
• ¼cupLemon juiceReal or bottled
• 1tbspCitric acidOptional - See recipe note
• 15 - 20dropsof Lemon essential oil
• Distilled water
• ½ gallon jug, if you use plastic, make sure it has the number 1 on the bottom

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients to the jug, then fill the remainder with distilled water
• Shake before using
• Add ½ cup to 1 cup to your machine's bleach cycle. If you have really stained whites you can go to 2 cups. Store in a cool, dark place

Recipe Notes

A good rule of thumb — If a garment says no bleach, then I would not recommend using this. You can use it on colors too but remember, always do a patch test before.

Usage notes for this All-Natural Bleach Alternative

For whites, like towels and heavily soiled kids' clothing you can add up to 2 cups to the bleach cycle. For really toughstains you can soak them overnight in a bucket.

Use 1 cup, leave clothes overnight, then wash the next day and see the magic happen. I don't tend to use this on delicate clothing, like silk or wool, and recommend you try it out for yourself by testing a small area first. A goodrule of thumb is if you wouldn't use bleach on it, then don't use this on it. Make sense?

A note about the citric acid, it will do a bang-up job at whitening and softening your laundry, making it better used if you have hard water.

The lemon essential oils give this solution a fresh, citric twist, which I love if you'd prefer no scent, then leave it out. It does have some pretty good cleaning benefits, though, just saying.

And finally as mentioned before, you can use this mixture in place of bleachin the bathroom, kitchen, on floors, tiles, and in the toilet too. Just spray and wipe.

If youare looking for an all-natural bleach alternative I hope you will give this one a try.

It's more effective than chlorine bleach (a no-noin my home) and safer too. Have you used hydrogen peroxide in your home? I'd love to know more, tell me in the comments below.

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