7 Surprising Uses for Chlorine Bleach Around the House

Chlorine bleach has been hanging around American laundry rooms for so long that we may have seriously underestimated it.

Whiten the sheets, remove a stain, disinfect something particularly disgusting — we know the routine.

But that inexpensive jug can do some jobs I certainly wouldn’t have thought to assign it.

Before we get clever, bleach has rules. The recipes here call for regular, unscented household chlorine bleach containing 5% to 9% sodium hypochlorite unless otherwise noted. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar, acids or other household cleaners. Use good ventilation and protect your skin, eyes, clothing and surrounding surfaces.

More is not better. More is just more.

1. KEEP CUT FLOWERS FRESHER

A tiny amount of bleach added to vase water helps control microorganisms that can shorten the life of cut flowers.

Here’s a recipe from University of California Cooperative Extension: To 1 quart warm water, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and just 1/4 teaspoon household chlorine bleach. The sugar feeds the flowers, lemon juice helps with water uptake and that tiny bit of bleach helps control microorganisms that can clog the stems.

We’re talking 1/4 teaspoon here, not a glug. Too much and you’ve gone from extending the life of your bouquet to conducting an unfortunate botanical experiment.

2. DISINFECT GARDEN POTS AND TOOLS

Plant diseases can hitch a ride from one plant to another on pots and garden equipment.

University of Minnesota Extension recommends removing all dirt and debris first, then disinfecting with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water — 1 cup bleach plus 9 cups water, for example. Dip, douse or spray, then allow everything to dry completely.

One caveat: Bleach corrodes metal and is not recommended for pruning and cutting tools that need to maintain a sharp edge.

3. BRIGHTEN WHITE CANVAS SHOES

Those white canvas shoes that looked so crisp in the store eventually become grayish-white canvas shoes with mysterious marks nobody remembers acquiring.

Bleach can brighten some bleach-safe white canvas, but this is one place I wouldn’t invent a universal recipe. Check the shoe’s care instructions and your bleach label first. Test an inconspicuous spot, use sparingly and rinse thoroughly.

Never assume bleach belongs on a shoe simply because the shoe is white.

4. CLEAN A HUMIDIFIER

Think about what a humidifier does all day: It holds water. That makes regular cleaning important because microorganisms can grow inside the tank.

Some manufacturers permit bleach for periodic disinfecting; others specify something else. Follow the instructions for your exact machine, and use only the amount specified.

This is one of those jobs where I do not recommend Mary’s School of Close Enough.

Read the manual.

5. REVIVE OUTDOOR FURNITURE

Mildew and grime can make bleach-safe, hard, nonporous outdoor furniture look ready for the curb.

Start with the directions on your bleach bottle. If there are no disinfecting directions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s general formula for regular household bleach is 1/3 cup bleach in 1 gallon of room-temperature water — or 4 teaspoons per quart. Clean away visible dirt first, apply the solution and keep the surface visibly wet for at least one minute before wiping or rinsing as appropriate.

Test first. A cleaning job is considerably cheaper than a new patio set.

6. REFRESH CONCRETE

Moss, algae and mildew can turn concrete walks and patios dingy and slippery.

For regular Clorox Disinfecting Bleach, the manufacturer recommends 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon water. Pre-wet the concrete, apply the solution, scrub stubborn areas and rinse thoroughly.

Here’s the catch: Bleach doesn’t know the difference between unwanted growth on your sidewalk and the petunias growing beside it. Thoroughly water nearby plants before you start and again after rinsing.

7. DISINFECT AFTER A FLOOD

This is where precise measurements really matter.

For hard, nonporous non-food-contact surfaces exposed to floodwater, the CDC recommends cleaning first with soap and clean water, rinsing, then sanitizing with 1 cup regular unscented household bleach in 5 gallons of water and allowing the surface to air-dry.

For food-contact surfaces that may have touched floodwater, CDC’s current guidance calls for 1 tablespoon bleach in 1 gallon of clean water after washing and rinsing, followed by air-drying.

Some porous items exposed to floodwater cannot be safely rescued with bleach and should be discarded.

One last thing: Don’t make gallons of diluted bleach and save it for next month. Diluted bleach solutions lose effectiveness and should be made fresh daily.

Chlorine bleach deserves a little respect in the household budget. One inexpensive product can tackle flowers, gardening equipment, shoes, appliances and outdoor cleanup.

Remember: Bleach is useful precisely because it’s powerful. Measure it. Follow directions. Keep it away from incompatible cleaners. And whatever you do, don’t introduce it to the vinegar. Those two will never be friends!