Sodium percarbonate: let's find out what it is and how we can use it in everyday life
To wash and disinfect laundry and working surfaces at home, we often use commercial chemical products. In some cases, however, it is preferable to use more naturalistic products that are less aggressive and more eco-friendly. To this end, many use vinegar, lemon and baking soda (amongst others) as cleaning agents.
There is, however, a product that not everyone knows about, but which has magnificent cleansing properties. We are talking about sodium percarbonate. Let's find out what this product is exactly:
What is sodium percarbonate?
Perhaps less well known than baking soda or hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate is a natural product that has excellent cleaning and whitening properties. Used as a substitute for classic detergent, sodium percarbonate comes in the form of a white powder and has releases oxygen when placed into water that is at at 40 degrees C or higher. This reaction is the basis of sodium percarbonate's cleaning abilities.
Given this, sodium percarbonateis frequently used to clean laundry and other household tasks. But let's find out more about the precise properties of sodium percarbonate:
What are the properties of sodium percarbonate?
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So, why is sodium percarbonate used for doing the laundry and other cleaning chores? Well, check out its properties, below:
- Stain remover. When in contact with water, sodium percarbonate releases oxygen and this means that it works effectively on stains on clothes and other surfaces. Sodium percarbonate can help remove even the most resistant stains from fabrics such as wine, tomato or coffee stains. Its best feature is that it can even be used with colored fabrics. Unlike bleach, in fact, sodium percarbonate does not react with color dyes, but only acts on stains and dirt.
- Whitening. Like bleach, however, sodium percarbonate also has whitening power, but without risk of damage to colors. Ideal for both hand and machine washing, sodium percarbonate is fantastic for combating the yellowing of white clothes and fabrics. So, if you don't like using bleach and are looking for a substitute, sodium percarbonate is perfect not only because it is less aggressive, but also because it is much more environmentally friendly.
- Disinfectant and deodorant. Sodium percarbonatehas excellent disinfectant qualities making it very suitable for cleaning surfaces in the home - be they in the kitchen, the bathroom or the bedrooms. Sodium percarbonateis also excellent for cleaning household appliances and dishes. Always combined with warm or hot water, sodium percarbonate is an effective anti-bacterial for your home. And it can be used to eliminate unpleasant odors.
- Anti-mold. Sodium percarbonate is very effective in preventing or eliminating mold. All you need to do is mix one teaspoon of sodium percarbonate, one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid with 500 ml of water. The mixture can then be sprayed on and rubbed over the affected areas until the the mold is removed.
A highly versatile product
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If you don't have (or don't want to use) bleach, baking soda, lemon, vinegar or some other natural cleaner, you can use sodium percarbonate for many household cleaning chore. Be mindful, however, not to overuse it and make sure first that it will cause no damage.
For garments, for example, always read the washing instructions label and, if you are not sure if sodium percarbonate will cause damage (or not), test first on an inconspicuous spot. The same applies to particular surfaces which, when in contact with the oxygen released by sodium percarbonate, could get stained or marked.
When you are sure sodium percarbonate can be safely used for these chores, you will find it to be a valuable cleaning ally - and which is non-toxic, poses no health risks and is eco-friendly.
Finally...
Having detailed all the advantages you can enjoy by using sodium percarbonate, all we can do now is wish everyone... good luck!
