Are you looking to brighten and whiten laundry without harmful chemicals and fumes? Here are 6 all-natural bleach alternatives and the best 2 recipes for brightening and whitening.
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Benefits of Using a Bleach Alternative
- Remove Stubborn Stains Without Toxic Fumes- Most of us look for safe alternatives to bleach because we want to avoid toxic chemicals and are concerned about the environmental impact of chlorine bleach or its potentially harmful effects on our health. Whatever your reason, you can use several effective alternative ingredients to remove stains and brighten clothes.
- Simple Ingredients – The best bleach alternatives are household ingredients, like lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. And you can use these ingredients to make other cleaning products.
How to Whiten Clothes Without Bleach: 6 Natural Ways
These eco-friendly bleach alternatives are the best ingredients to brighten clothes, sheets, and towels and remove stubborn stains.
Pro Cleaning Tip: You can’t just combine these ingredients haphazardly. For example, combining hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is a big no, resulting in peracetic acid (learn more about natural cleaning combinations to avoid). Keep reading to learn how to use each ingredient.
- Hydrogen peroxide – An oxygen-based bleach that’s also a natural disinfectant that can be used to whiten laundry and disinfect cutting boards and hard surfaces in your home. In the laundry room, hydrogen peroxide brightens clothes and removes stains. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide to the bleach compartment of your washer, then run the wash cycle.
- Citric acid – Often used to soften hard water (although I prefer this salt softener and scent booster). Puracy states, “Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons of citric acid for a regular-sized load. Dissolve it in warm water and add it directly to the washing machine drum and your regular laundry detergent.”
- Baking soda – A fantastic household cleaner with many uses. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the washing machine before putting dirty laundry in the washer, then add the laundry and turn on the wash cycle. The baking soda deodorizes, cleans, and brightens clothes. Safe for colors and whites.
- Vinegar – An effective cleaner with many uses, from multi-purpose cleaner to laundry softener. Add 1 cup white vinegar and 6 cups hot water (1:6 ratio) to a bucket or the sink for best results. Double the amount if needed. Soak the laundry overnight (for at least 8 hours), then wash in the washer with your favorite detergent. The vinegar smell will disappear after you wash the clothes, leaving behind brighter white garments. It is also safe for colors.
- Lemon juice – Lemon juice doesn’t whiten like hydrogen peroxide or baking soda, but it can bring dingy whites back to life. Soak clothes in 1 cup of lemon juice to 6 cups of hot/warm water overnight in a bucket. Or, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the bleach compartment of the washer before running a wash cycle.
Below, you’ll find my favorite two recipes, one a soaking solution and the other a solution you can add directly to the wash cycle in the washer machine.
The Best DIY Bleach Soaking Solution
When to Use
This method is best if you have heavily stained or dingy white laundry. You’ll want to soak the laundry overnight or at least several hours in a large bucket or sink. The ingredients may be doubled or tripled for sheets, comforters, or a large amount of laundry.
Ingredients
- 1-2 gallons hot/warm water – dissolves the baking or washing soda.
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% strength -this is what you’ll find in most stores) – brightens and removes stains
- 1/2 cup washing soda (also known as soda ash) or baking soda – used to brighten, deodorize, and whiten clothes. Choose the one you have on hand. Washing soda is even more powerful if you have heavily stained items.
- 1 large bucket or sink – to soak the laundry overnight or at least 4 hours (depending on desired results)
Method
- Add all the ingredients to a large bucket or sink.
- Whisk the ingredients into the water to dissolve.
- Soak your garment(s) in the solution for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight, for dingy or stained garments.
- Remove the garments from the soaking solution (discard).
- Wash the garment with warm/hot water and laundry soap in the washing machine.
The Best Natural Bleach for the Washing Machine
When to Use
This method is a great alternative to use in place of bleach when doing a load of laundry directly in the washing machine.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% strength found at the grocery store)
Method
- Add the hydrogen peroxide directly to your washer machine bleach compartment.
- No bleach dispenser? Add the hydrogen peroxide directly to the drum of your washing machine after it fills with water. Never pour hydrogen peroxide directly on garments without diluting it in water.
- If any hydrogen peroxide remains in the bleach compartment after the wash cycle is complete (which can happen with some older machines), flush it out with water before running a future load of laundry.
FAQs
- Are these solutions color-safe? Baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and citric acid are color-safe. However, you must be careful with hydrogen peroxide. You should be okay when used in the washer since the hydrogen peroxide is highly concentrated. For soaking, I recommend testing a small area first. I soak our black and white chevron print kitchen rug in this solution without any issue. However, hydrogen peroxide can have a bleaching effect on some dark colors. Avoid pouring hydrogen peroxide directly on dark colors.
- My hubby insists on cleaning the bathrooms with bleach; what can I use instead? I recommend using hydrogen peroxide. You can use straight hydrogen peroxide by placing a spray nozzle on top of the hydrogen peroxide bottle. Or, dilute the hydrogen peroxide in a dark amber spray bottle: 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup water.
- Will these solutions work with hard water? Yes, they should. I have hard water and have had success with these methods.
Free RECIPE Cheatsheet
8 Natural Recipes for Your Laundry Room
More Homemade Laundry Products
- Stain Remover – Use this natural stain remover spray to spot treat, and remove tough stains before washing.
- Homemade Laundry Detergent – Make your own liquid laundry detergent or powder laundry detergent. Both formulas clean, brighten and deodorize dirty laundry. If you don’t want to DIY, check out my first of the best store-bought detergents.
- Homemade Oxi-Clean Laundry Booster – Boost your laundry detergent with this natural oxygen bleach powder.
- Laundry Softener – Use vinegar to make this simple laundry softener.
- Laundry Scent Booster – Skip synthetic fragrances and use salt to naturally soften laundry and scent clothes.
Natural Bleach Alternative Recipes
I've gathered two favorite ways to brighten clothes, towels, and sheets and remove stains without harsh chemicals. Here are my favorite methods, one a soaking solution and the other a solution you can add directly to the wash cycle in the washer machine.
Cost: $5
Equipment
- 1 bucket or sink for the soaking solution method
- 1 washer machine
Ingredients
Soaking Solution (for dingy whites and tough stains):
- 1-2 gallon warm/hot water
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide 3% strength
- 1/2 cup washing soda or baking soda
For the Washing Machine (for brightening and freshening):
- 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide 3% strength
Instructions
Natural Bleach Soaking Solution
- Add all the ingredients to a large bucket or sink. Whisk the ingredients into the water to dissolve.
- Soak your garment(s) in the solution for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight, for dingy or stained garments.
- Remove the garments from the soaking solution (discard). Wash the garment with warm/hot water and laundry soap in the washing machine.
Natural Bleach for the Washing Machine
- Add the hydrogen peroxide directly to your washer machine bleach compartment.
- No bleach dispenser? Add the hydrogen peroxide directly to the drum of your washing machine after it fills with water. Never pour hydrogen peroxide directly on garments without diluting it in water.
Notes
Washing soda is also known as “soda ash.” For tough stains, I prefer washing soda. However, baking soda may also be used.
For the best natural laundry detergents, check out my list here.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Kristin, I just wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart. You saved me bookoos of dollars on this one. Here I was buying up oxiclean whitening pods, chlorine free bleach, resolve stain remover, etc., and you had the secret weapon the whole time. I make my own laundry detergent also, but could never find anything that would truly whiten my whites. It was like fate that I would run across your site as today was wash day and my used-to-be beautiful white mattress protector needed some serious tlc. It had a huge blue stain on it, which I’m not even sure how it got there. But anyway, I let it soak in the bathtub, filling the water about halfway before adding the washing soda and peroxide. I swished the water around for about 2 to 3 minutes and let it sit. It’s been over an hour and the stain is practically gone now. I’m gonna let it soak for another hr before I wash it so I can get that super duper whitening effect :))
Thats great!! Thank you for the kind words. It means a lot to Live Simply!
LS Team
This solution will last a lot longer if you store the leftover portion in the empty hydrogen peroxide container which is dark brown and protects the solution from any light source.
Hey Fred, Thanks for sharing. I recommend just making a batch at time when you actually need the solution for soarking and storing the actual hydrogen peroxide in its original bottle. It’s meant to be a one-time use solution.
Could I use borax instead of washing soda?
HI! Could I add (the new recipe) to the wash???
Probably so :).
Hi Kristin, I also have white IKEA slipcovered couches…what do you soak something that big in? A 5 gallon bucket won’t do the trick, and I have a front loading washing machine, so it’s not like I can fill the washing tub…any advice?
Hmmm, Melissa, that’s tricky. We have a top loader so I typically soak our slipcovers in there. Maybe the bathtub? If you’re doing all the slipcovers, you’ll probably need to increase the recipe (since you’ll be using more water).
‘Recently Dustin spilled red wine all over our white IKEA slipcover couch and didn’t realize it until several hours later (the glass had been pushed behind a throw pillow before spilling).’
hahaha… what was going on? lol. Thanks for the recipe as always Kristin. I’m keen to test it out.
Lol, Stacey, yea that sentence leaves much to the imagination! Netflix ;). You’re welcome!
I had thought about adding a bottle of peroxide to my homade liquid laundry soap but you say it will degenerate quickly? What could I add to my detergent besides oxyclean, that will help whiten and remove stubborn grease?
Hey Kathe, Yes, hydrogen peroxide will quickly degrade, so unfortunately there’s not a product that may be added to the laundry soap. You could add the hydrogen to a Downey ball.
Hi Kristin!
I know this may seem like a silly question, but once you are finished with the solution do you just pour it down a sink? I just wanted to see what you did since I am not sure if the washing soda/hydrogen peroxide combo could affect anything. Thank you!
Hey Rebekah, Yep, that’s exactly what I do :). It’s safe to pour down the drain.
Yes its right i already did that and got whiteness. Thanks for sharing
Hey Faith, I’m glad you’re enjoying the bleach alternative.
It looks like this recipe has changed. Have you found this to work better than the previous lemon mixture? Thanks
Hey Bethany, Yep, you’re correct. There’s a little note about it at the top of the post. I’ve found that it works about the same as the lemon juice mixture, but it’s a lot easier than blending the lemon juice in the blender.
I made this bleach alternative today and am hooked! I didn’t have a bucket, so I used a cooler. I soaked the clothes for an hour and when I put the clothes in the washer the soaking water was still hot because of the cooler! Love how bright my whites are!!!!
Awesome, Maureen! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the whites :).
Hi!
Has this mixture ever stained your whites yellow?
Thanks for the recipe!
Gillian
Hey Gillian, I haven’t experienced yellowing, yet. That’s not to say it can’t happen. So far so good.
Hi! I love your site. I’m wondering if I could premix this and strain it so I can just add it my washing machine. Would the mixture stay stable even if I added the peroxide and stored it? Thanks!
Hey Leah, I’m so glad you’re enjoying Live Simply! I don’t think this solution will work as a pre-mix. You may be able to use the method you mentioned, then dehydrate the solution? My concern would be the change in chemical structure. I’ve also found hydrogen peroxide and washing soda tend to form a hard crystal substance when they are mixed together and stored for 24+ hours. It’s worth experimenting–let me know how it goes!
About how much water would you say you mix this with? I tried it, but think I might have diluted it to much. Thanks. 🙂
Hey Jen, I use my bathroom sink or a bucket for soaking clothes, so a about 2 gallons. The water amount is updated in the recipe.
Hi! Thanks for sharing. My hubby insists on cleaning the bathrooms with bleach ugh! Would this recipe work in a spray bottle if substitued with lemon essential oils?
Thanks!!!
Hey Jackie,
Sounds like Kristin (me) ;). Well, the former Kristin.
I’m not sure if this will work in a spray bottle. I think the washing soda may clog the spray nozzle if it’s not dissolved in hot water first–maybe you could dissolve this ingredient in hot water and then add hydrogen and lemon essential oil?
Hydrogen peroxide is a great disinfectant!
This is a nice sight but I’d like to unsubscribe and can’t find the link. Thanks
Hi Donna, In the weekly email you’ll find a link at the bottom that says, “unsubscribe.” Simply click that link and our email service will unsubscribe you from the weekly email list.
Kristen – I have looked for years for cleaning products/recipes that would do the job – with no luck of course – until I found your recipes on Pinterest. I am so very thankful for your efforts – no more Tilex on the tub, no more bleach, no more toxic anything. Scrubbing the tub was my biggest challenge – with tendonitis. Now, piece of cake!
I have fabric shower curtains in my place but while I wash weekly & use an extra fan to dry the bathroom, there is one corner of the shower curtain that still gets moldy (we pull back the decorative curtain & hang one corner of the liner up so the air can circulate better). But with all that effort, I still get mold. I tried soaking that corner in 3% standard peroxide but the stain is still there. I guess I could soak that corner in bleach for 5 minutes but I’d rather not. Thoughts? Oh, I do have some stronger peroxide in the cabinet (40%) but have been a little nervous to try it.
Hey Carolyn,
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so blessed to hear you’re enjoying the recipes! I wonder if soaking the curtains in vinegar, or spraying them with a vinegar/water solution, and then soaking them in this solution would work? I’m thinking the vinegar will kill the mold and the whitening solution will give them a bit of a whitening boost.
Brilliant plan, thank you!
Thank you, Carolyn. Enjoy!
I too want to completely give up on bleach. I only use it as a laundry additive to clean the towels and sheets. Since this is a soaking alternative, I’m not sure I could add it to the he washing machine I have and get the same results. What do you think?
Hey Lura, My concern with the washing machine is the lemon pulp will clog the little holes in the washer. I’m going to post a laundry booster (like a homemade OxiClean) later this week. I add this booster directly to the washer with my towels: 1/2 cup hydrogen and 1/2 cup washing soda. You can also soak the clothes in this solution in the washing machine. Another idea is to peel the lemons and strain the juice and then add it to the washing machine with the remaining ingredients.
It’s the same story at my home, pretty stubborn (finger pointing at myself.) My husband is right about a few things now and then that I have to figure out for myself too. Though it’s not as often as he might think ;). At least we can admit we were wrong once we figure it out right?
Sounds great! Thanks for posting,im so allergic to chlorine bleach and I love to wear white.