How to Add Bleach & Laundry Detergent

Separate whites from colors before washing clothes with bleach.

Getting your clothes clean is a must, so it's important to use laundry detergent and chlorine bleach the right way. Simply dumping detergent and bleach into the washer is a quick way to damage your laundry. Add the right amounts of laundry detergent and bleach to your washer, and do it the right way, to prevent your clothes from becoming damaged or discolored.

Instructions

Top-Loading Washer

1. Set the washer to the appropriate load size and water temperature for the items you are washing.

2. Add chlorine bleach to the water as the washer is filling up. Use no more than 1 cup of liquid chlorine bleach. Refer to the bottle of bleach for exact measurements to use for each load size.

3. Let the washer fill up to the desired water level. Fill the cap from the detergent bottle to the appropriate line depending on the load size. Dump the detergent into the wash water, then add the laundry.

Front-Loading Washers

1. Set the washer to the appropriate load size and water temperature for the items you are washing.

2. Fill the chlorine bleach dispenser with no more than 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach. Fill the detergent dispenser with the appropriate amount of detergent for the load size.

3. Put the clothes in the washer and turn the machine on. The washer will dispense the bleach and detergent at the appropriate times during the wash cycle.

Tips & Warnings

• Chlorine bleach is not color safe. Do not use on colored fabrics.

References

• New Mexico State University; Getting Clothes Clean; Susan Wright; July 2001
• Clorox: Usage Instructions