Some washing machines come with a bleach dispenser. Others don’t. If your washing machine has one, use it. However, it would help if you used the bleach dispenser correctly.

The bleach you also use is essential. The quality and quantity of the bleach you use will influence how white your clothes would turn out to be.

Usually, the bleach dispenser in your washing machine dispenses the quantity of bleach you need at the appropriate time in the washing process. 

Most times, it adds bleach after the detergent has done its work on the clothes. At that point, the bleach will be left to tackle the tougher stains on the clothes.

Now, here’s the question. 

How does the bleach dispenser in the washing machine work?

Using bleach in washing your whites would make a lot of difference. However, if it is not done correctly, you will damage your clothes and have uneven bleaching stains over them.

Before putting bleach in the bleach dispenser, ensure that the washing machine is set to the right temperature. Preferably, the temperature should be high. 

The high temperature of the washing machine would help to activate the bleach and make it more effective. However, you must check that the type of bleach is compatible with a high temperature.

If your bleach is not compatible with hot water temperature, you could resort to using warm water.

Continue reading to know more about how the bleach dispenser works in a washing machine.

Using The Bleach Dispenser In The Washing Machine

Before using the bleach dispenser, use detergent to wash the whites and remove the statins. For a brighter wash, use detergents that are for whites.

Also, check the instructions on the bleach bottle to ascertain that it is safe to use in a washing machine.

Suppose your washing machine is a front-loading machine; open and fill the bleach into the dispenser at the front of the machine. Automatically, it will release the bleach into the water when the machine is full.

Where there is no bleach dispenser in your washing machine, pour the bleach into a liter of water to dilute it and add directly to the water in the machine.

If it is a top-loading washing machine, allow water to fill up the machine before adding a capful of the bleach. The reason for these directives is to avoid bleach staining your clothes.

Set the machine to the regular cycle and start the machine. If the clothes are delicate, then set the machine to the delicate cycle.

Safety Precautions When Using A Bleach Or Bleach Dispenser

Generally, bleaching is an excellent method to remove stains from clothes. However, if you do not take safety measures, it could be hazardous. 

It is crucial to use bleach safely, especially in a household with pets and kids. There are objects you can use bleach on and others that you can’t. Note the difference for safety reasons.

There are usually two kinds of bleach. One is chlorine-based bleach, and the other is peroxide-based bleach. As you shop for bleach, it is vital to take note of the one you are buying.

Usually, chlorine-based bleach is unstable. It tends to lose its effectiveness over time. Ensure to store it properly in plastic bottles that can store caustic materials. The ideal place for storing it is dark and cool.

Chlorine-based bleach is caustic and could bore holes in materials holding them if it is not the right kind of bottle.

Since the chlorine-based bleach loses its effectiveness over time, the longer it takes, the less potent it becomes. With every year that goes by, this kind of bleach gradually becomes less potent.

It becomes less potent when it is mixed with water. The water dilutes the potency of the bleach. The longer you keep bleach mixed with water, the more likely it will no longer work. 

If bleach is mixed with water and kept for a week, it will no longer work effectively.

Chlorine-bleach eventually turns into saltwater when it degrades. Initially, the bleach started as saltwater and would return to its original state when it degraded.

Unlike chlorine-based bleach, peroxide-based bleach is more stable. You can store peroxide-based bleach for more than a year. However, just like the chlorine-based bleach, water dilutes it. Ensure that you always use the container that the bleach came in for storing it. 

Peroxide bleach is oxygen-based. It is not so dangerous to the environment. Also, it is less dangerous to sources of natural water. For these reasons, people prefer peroxide-based bleach to chlorine-based bleach.

When you are using bleach in a washing machine, be mindful of the quantity. Also, do not leave undiluted bleach on a surface for longer than recommended.

Avoid direct contact with bleach at any point during the washing process. It is safer to use hand gloves when handling bleach. If your skin comes in direct contact with undiluted bleach, use water to clean the surface immediately.

You could also use a cloth soaked in water to scrub the affected area of your skin gently. When you finish handling the bleach, remove your gloves and discard them. Also, wash your hands with water and soap.

However, you need to see a doctor if the bleach burns your skin or gets into your eyes. You might also need to check with your doctor where you experience pain or itching hours after exposure to bleach.

What Effect Does Bleach Have On The Skin And Eyes?

Generally, the skin does not absorb chlorine. However, some chlorine could still get through the skin. When it does, having it in the bloodstream is toxic.

Some people also react to having bleach on the skin. It is called bleach allergy. Having a bleach allergy is one out of many reasons that underscore the need to be safety conscious when using the bleach dispenser in the washing machine.

When you come in contact with bleach while diluting it or mixing a cleaning solution, you can quickly resolve it and wash it off immediately. 

However, when you have to come in contact with a large quantity of undiluted bleach, the damage to your skin and body could last for a long time.

When your body comes in contact with bleach, it weakens the skin’s natural barrier and makes the skin more prone to tearing and burns.

Apart from the physical effect of bleach on the skin, regular exposure to bleach could also affect your lungs. The smell from bleach, when inhaled, can affect your respiratory organs.

It is why you should use bleach in a room or place that has proper ventilation. 

Does Bleach Destroy The Washing Machine?

Generally, using bleach in your washing machine does not cause damage to the washing machine unless you misuse it.

Do not mix bleach with detergents and other cleaning chemicals. Combining bleach with other cleaning chemicals could lead to a lethal combination that is dangerous to life. 

However, that is not the only problem you will have. Such a combination could also lead to an adverse reaction that will damage the washing machine.

Bleach is very reactive. Avoid mixing it with other cleaning agents. Also, when you mix it with hot water, it could generate so many bubbles. So, endeavor to use the proper temperature of the water. Otherwise, you would cover the entire room in foams.

Apart from the use of bleach, there are some other ways that you could be damaging your washing machine without knowing. One of such is overloading the washing machine.

Although putting too many clothes in the washing machine might sound like the best way to wash more clothes within the shortest possible time, it’s not a good idea. 

If the washing machine is too full, the detergent might not circulate as much as it should. The weight of the clothes in the machine could strain the motor of the washing machine and destroy it.

Also, endeavor to empty the pockets of your clothes before putting them into the washing machine. Underwear should also stay out of the washing machine. 

When coins or metal objects from your pockets or bras find their way into the washing machine, it damages the inside of the washing machine. It could also damage your clothes.

What To Do After Using Bleach In The Washing Machine

There might be no need to run a full cycle of the washing machine after you have finished washing a full load with bleach. Ordinarily, the machine would have disposed of the bleach in the process.

However, if you need further reassurance, after using bleach in the washing machine, open the machine and leave it for one hour. 

After that, you can close the machine, fill it with water and let it run its full course. The water in it will wash down the bleach.

Conclusion

Washing your whites and preserving the brightness of your clothing is a regular part of our laundry routine. However, you need to understand how the bleach dispenser in your washing machine works.

Using bleach and the bleach dispenser correctly will help you achieve the desired effects for your clothes. It will also help you attack all the tough stains that could build up and destroy your whites.