The kit · oxidizer
Oxygen bleach: what it removes and where never to use it
Sodium percarbonate powder, which releases hydrogen peroxide in water. Colour-safe on most dyes, but alkaline.
- pH
- 10–11
- Safe on
- 0 materials
- Never on
- 6 materials
- UK name
- oxygen stain-remover powder
01 How to use it
Use the exact product label for dose, temperature, contact time and compatible materials. Do not use on wool, silk or dry-clean-only items unless that exact product explicitly permits it. Never store a prepared solution in a sealed container.
- Never mix with chlorine bleach or unapproved cleaning products.
- Can tarnish metal buttons, zips and trims during long soaks.
How it works
Oxidisers break the chemical bonds that make many stains coloured, so the stain stops absorbing light even if some residue remains. They work on tannins, dyes and plant pigments, not on grease or mineral particles.
On a label
On an ingredient list, oxygen bleach shows up as sodium percarbonate, sodium perborate or "oxygen bleach".
Oxygen bleach is ruled out on a wool sweater, silk, a wool rug, leather, suede and a wood table. Avoid routine home use on a painted wall. The table gives general restrictions; an unlisted restriction is not proof that a product is compatible.
02 What it works on
- Tannin
- Dye
- Oil-soluble pigment
- Living mould
- Protein
- Pigment particles
- Urine residue (urea, uric acid)
Oxygen bleach is strongest against tannin, dye and oil-soluble pigment, and useful on living mould. It is part of the method in 387 stain files, for stains such as red wine, coffee, tea, cola, orange juice and matcha.
03 Where it is safe
| Material | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wool and cashmere | Never | Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so. |
| Silk | Never | Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so. |
| Wool rug | Never | Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so. |
| Leather | Never | Oxygen bleach strips and blotches leather dye and finish. |
| Suede and nubuck | Never | It will bleach and stiffen suede. |
| Wood furniture and floors | Never | Alkaline peroxide can lift a finish and bleach the wood under it. |
| Painted walls | Avoid | It can dull and lighten wall paint. |
| Clothes | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| White shirt | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Jeans | Test first | Usually safe on denim, but a long soak can lighten indigo unevenly; test a seam. |
| Linen | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Sheets and bedding | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Towels | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Baby clothes | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Polyester | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Leggings and activewear | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Rayon and viscose | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Carpet | Test first | On carpet use a weak solution and blot; it can lighten some dyes. |
| Fabric couch | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Microfiber couch | Test first | Use a weak solution and blot, not a soak, and rinse with a little clean water. |
| Velvet upholstery | Test first | Colour-safe on most dyes; check a hidden seam with a dab of solution first. |
| Car seats | Test first | Use a weak solution and blot, not a soak, and rinse with a little clean water. |
| Mattress | Test first | Use a weak solution and blot, not a soak, and rinse with a little clean water. |
| White sneakers | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Marble | Test first | Not acidic, so it will not etch, but rinse it off fully and test on a hidden area. |
| Granite | Test first | Not acidic, so it will not etch, but rinse it off fully and test on a hidden area. |
| Quartz countertop | Test first | Most quartz makers recommend a pH-neutral cleaner; use it briefly and rinse. |
| Tile grout | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Plastic containers | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
04 How the files use it
Oxygen bleach appears in 387 stain files. The steps it is used in most:
- Oxygen bleach soak (208 files): It breaks down the tannins and pigment that washing leaves behind, and it is colour-safe on most dyes.
- Oxygen bleach dab (153 files): Oxygen bleach breaks down the tannins that soap leaves behind, without the damage chlorine would do.
- Brief oxygen wipe (18 files): Quartz resin is non-porous; a short contact is enough to lift surface colour.
- Oxygen bleach paste (8 files): It whitens porous grout without chlorine fumes or acid that would erode it.
05 Mixing
The combinations people ask about most, and what actually happens.
- Can you mix chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach? Hazard a burst of oxygen, heat and splashing
- Can you mix white vinegar and oxygen bleach? Backfires a weaker soak, and some peracetic acid
- Can you mix baking soda and oxygen bleach? Caution a product-dependent combination
- Can you mix hydrogen peroxide and oxygen bleach? Caution a product-dependent combination
- Can you mix oxygen bleach and dish soap? Caution a product-dependent combination
- Can you mix oxygen bleach and borax? Caution a product-dependent combination
- Can you mix oxygen bleach and enzyme laundry detergent? Caution a product-dependent combination
06 Files that use it
- Red wine on clothes
- Coffee on clothes
- Tea on clothes
- Cola and soda on clothes
- Orange juice on clothes
- Matcha on clothes
- Grape and cranberry juice on clothes
- Tomato sauce and ketchup on clothes
- Turmeric and curry on clothes
- Mustard on clothes
- Chocolate on clothes
- Berries on clothes
- Beetroot on clothes
- Ice cream on clothes
- Soy sauce on clothes
- BBQ sauce on clothes
- Avocado on clothes
- Lipstick on clothes
- Self-tanner and fake tan on clothes
- Hair dye on clothes
- Sweat and yellow underarm stains on clothes
- Drool and yellow pillow stains on clothes
- Baby poop on clothes
- Baby formula and spit-up on clothes
- Baby food purée on clothes
- Crayon on clothes
- Slime on clothes
- Play dough on clothes
- Highlighter on clothes
- Candle wax on clothes
- Grass on clothes
- Bird droppings on clothes
07 Myth files
- Does aspirin remove yellow sweat stains? Crushed aspirin is a mild acid, so it helps a little. Use a labelled fabric treatment instead of assuming a homemade aspirin paste is effective.
08 Questions
What stains does oxygen bleach remove?
It works best on tannin, dye, oil-soluble pigment and living mould, which is why it appears in the files for red wine, coffee, tea, cola and orange juice.
How do you use oxygen bleach safely?
Use the exact product label for dose, temperature, contact time and compatible materials. Do not use on wool, silk or dry-clean-only items unless that exact product explicitly permits it. Never store a prepared solution in a sealed container. Never mix with chlorine bleach or unapproved cleaning products.
What should you never mix with oxygen bleach?
chlorine bleach. Hypochlorite and peroxide-based bleaches react with each other, releasing oxygen quickly and generating heat. Do not combine commercial cleaners unless their exact manufacturers explicitly permit the use.
Where should you never use oxygen bleach?
On a wool sweater, silk, a wool rug, leather, suede and a wood table. Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so.