How To Make A Natural Bleach Alternative

This natural bleach substitute brightens whites and colors and removes stains.

A Natural Alternative You Can Use Instead Of Bleach

I first came up with this natural bleach substitute several years ago, after receiving an email from a reader who couldn’t use my miracle whitening solution because the bleach could harm her septic system. (Apparently, bleach can kill the enzymes and bacteria in septic systems that break down and treat waste. I had no idea!)

two natural ingredients, both of which have whitening and stain removal powers. And while I personally have no problem using bleach, I know that lots of you do, for a variety of reasons, so a natural bleach alternative is a mighty handy thing to have on hand!

I was happy to take on the challenge of finding a feasible bleach alternative, both for the reader who requested it and anyone else who might benefit! After some research and experimentation, I discovered that a combination of two versatile brightening agents — hydrogen peroxide and lemon essential oil — made a great bleach substitute!

This “homemade bleach” can whiten whites and brighten colors too, and it’s also highly affordable. I wouldn’t attempt to make a large batch ahead of time, though, as the hydrogen peroxide will start to break down once out of its dark-colored bottle. (But I figure that since there are only two ingredients, mixing them in advance wouldn’t save you much time anyway!)

How To Make A Natural Bleach Alternative

All you need for this bleach alternative is hydrogen peroxide and lemon essential oil.

Ingredients:

2-4 Tbsp hydrogen peroxide
1 drop lemon essential oil (optional)

How To Use This Bleach Substitute Instead Of Bleach

Add the hydrogen peroxide and the lemon essential oil (if using) directly to your washing machine’s bleach dispenser, where it will be diluted with water and added to the wash cycle. (No bleach dispenser? Add the peroxide and lemon oil to 3 cups of water and pour it into the wash drum, either while the drum is filling or before adding your clothes.)

(One more note about bleach dispensers: the dispensers in older, top-loading washers sometimes don’t get flushed out very well. If you have an older top-loader, flush the bleach dispenser out manually with water after using it.)

You can also dilute this bleach alternative and put it right in the tub of the washing machine.

Is This Bleach Alternative Safe For Colors?

Yes, you can use this bleach alternative to brighten colored clothing, as well as whiten whites. Avoid pouring undiluted hydrogen peroxide directly onto colored clothes though, as it could result in permanent bleaching.

Instead, dilute the hydrogen peroxide (and lemon oil, if using) in 3 cups of water as described above and add it to the wash basin. When used in wash loads of colored clothes, this bleach substitute can help brighten colors and dissolve residues that may be clinging to the fabric.

This before and after shows how effective this DIY Natural Alternative To Bleach is.

Does This Bleach Alternative Really Work?

My daughter-in-law Kaitlyn offered up one of her bathroom towels as a test subject for this bleach alternative. She was eager to see if it could handle stubborn makeup stains, and as you can see, it was more than up to the task!

Overall, I’m very satisfied with how well my natural bleach alternative works. Whether you have septic system or just want to avoid using chlorine bleach in your laundry, I’m positive you’ll be happy with it too!