Re: How can detergent products contain bleach, but still keep colors bright?

Date: Wed Apr 15 23:29:33 1998
Posted By: Gregory Earl Webb, Masters in Chemical Engineering specializing in cleaning systems and chemicals.
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 892689460.Ch

Message:

The main reason is because detergent products contain other ingredients besides the bleach to maintain brightness in colored clothes. These include:

dye transfer inhibitors - these prevent colors from bleeding onto other clothes.
fluorescent dyes - these are dyes that you can't actually see unless you are exposed to an ultraviolet source such as fluorescent lights and sunlight. When expose to ultraviolet light they radiate visual light which makes the clothes appear brighter.
color safe bleaches - these bleaches work through oxygen versus the common chlorinated "chlorox" type bleaches. These bleaches are not as aggressive on the dyes in fabric. Bleach activators are typically added to these systems to increase there ability to remove stains.

Finally, modern dyes are very complicated chemicals and are designed to resist fading when exposed to oxygen type bleaching systems.

Good question, I hope this helps.

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