Chlorine History

• In 1774 the element chlorine gas was discovered, but it wasn't until 1785 that chlorine was found to have whitening properties in fabrics. Scientists experimented with chlorine gas and found that it whitened materials much quicker than previous methods. They tried to turn it into a bleaching powder with varying levels of success. Some tried soda ash as a means to absorb the chlorine gas, others used slaked lime.
  
  

Liquid Chlorine Bleach Is Made

• In the early part of the 20th century scientists created sodium hypochlorite solution (chlorine bleach) by introducing an electrical current to salt water. In doing this they caused the salt molecule to break down and formed a compound called sodium hypochlorite. Common household bleach is sodium hypochlorite diluted with water.
  
  

How Chlorine Bleach Is Made

• The ingredients for making bleach are water, chlorine and caustic soda. Caustic soda is diluted with water and allowed to cool, as the reaction to water causes heat. Liquid or gaseous chlorine is then introduced into the caustic soda solution to produce sodium hypochlorite. This is then diluted further, bottled and sold as household bleach.
  
  

Types of Household Bleaches

• There are two main types of household bleaches. The most common one used in the U.S. is chlorine bleach. It is used mainly for disinfection purposes and for getting rid of stains. Chlorine bleach does, however, have very strong properties which can lead to the degradation of fabric fibers. In Europe peroxide bleach is the more common bleach found. Like chlorine bleach, it too gets rid of stains but it does not bleach the color out of most fabrics. It is often used in color safe laundry detergents and it has a much longer shelf life than chlorine bleach. Peroxide bleach has no disinfecting properties but it won't weaken materials as fast as chlorine bleach will.
  
  

Dangers of Chlorine Bleach

• Due to its strong properties, chlorine bleach is considered a hazardous material and should be handled with caution. Gloves and a face mask should be worn when dealing with bleach. Inhalation of the chlorine gas can cause the skin, eyes and lungs to become irritated. It is also very dangerous to mix bleach with other chemicals as they can react negatively and create toxic gases. These gases if inhaled can cause nose bleeds, headaches, neurological problems, coma and even death.