Does Benzoyl peroxide bleach clothes - Sanitisation Singapore

Although Benzoyl peroxide may not be as readily available as hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol at homes, its usefulness should never be underrated in comparison. Benzoyl peroxide can also be used for a wide range of things ranging from treating acne to removing ink and dye stains, bleaching agents for bread and cheese, tooth whitening, and cosmetic hair coloring.

However, as impressive as its uses may seem, there are a couple of downsides to its usage: it can easily stain surfaces. Asides from that, Benzoyl peroxide bleach clothes pretty fast! In people’s interest, it is important to know how these two situations can be remedied so as not to discourage them from using it: and that is why in this article, I will be providing useful tips on how this can be achieved.

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Does Benzoyl peroxide bleach fabric?

Yes, Benzoyl peroxide bleach fabrics. Benson peroxides leave orange stains on fabrics, although this largely depends on the kinds of ingredients the acne medication is made of.

Apart from staining the fabric, if not treated almost immediately it happened, it will bleach the material. This is so true of materials made from natural fabrics: although this does not mean synthetic materials are resistant to bleaching.

Do Benzoyl peroxide bleach towels?

Yes, Benzoyl peroxide bleach towels. When your towel gets bleached by Benzoyl peroxide, it leaves it with orange smudges on them especially when they are wet. Although some manufacturers claim that their towels are resistant to bleaching, there may be some element of truth to that claim as some towel has proven to be resistant against Benzoyl peroxide (checklist below) in general, Benzoyl peroxide cannot bleach out white towels.

Therefore, anytime you are treating Benzoyl peroxide stains, make use of white towels or any of the towels in the list below.

List of towels that are resistant against Benzoyl peroxide

Real simple bath towel.
L.L. Bean cotton towel.
Quick-dry textured hand towel made by Sonoma good for life.

Does Benzoyl peroxide bleach clothes?

Yes, Benzoyl peroxide bleach clothes. Although this depends on the clothing fabric, in general, Benzoyl peroxide beaches clothes pretty fast and easily.

Does Benzoyl peroxide bleach clothes when dry?

Yes, Benzoyl peroxide can bleach clothes when dry. Rubbing in Benzoyl peroxide nicely and leaving it to completely dry will not save you from getting your cloth, towel, or sheets bleached by the solution. And therefore, it is not a sure way to prevent your cloth, towel, hair, or skin from being bleached.

Best Benzoyl peroxide stain removal

When you have a Benzoyl peroxide stain on your cloth, the best cleaners you can use to get rid of the stains are Oxygen-based bleach and dishwashing detergent/vinegar solution. But for skins, you can make use of rubbing alcohol.

How to remove Benzoyl peroxide from clothes

Benzoyl peroxide is one of the hardest stains to remove, hence they have to be treated immediately to prevent them from setting because when it does, the stain could be permanent. Check below for details on how you can pretreat and remove Benzoyl peroxide from clothes.

Pretreatment stage

Once you notice you have Benzoyl peroxide stains on your cloth, the first thing you have to do is remove as much of the stain residue as possible from the cloth with a dull knife or spoon without rubbing so as not to drive the substance deeper into the fabric.
Place under running tap water, turning the cloth to the other side so that the water can flush the stain out of the fabric instead of pushing it further in if the stained side was placed under the running water.
Wash afterward as recommended in the care label of your cloth.

Removing Benzoyl peroxide stain using Oxygen based bleach

Soak the affected cloth in a sink or bathtub with an Oxygen-based bleach cleanser and cool water solution.
Leave the cloth in the solution for about 4 hours or overnight.
Check if the stain is completely lifted: if it is gone, wash the normal way. However, if the stain persists, prepare another solution of cool water and oxygen-based bleach and go through the process again.

Warning!!!

You must check the material your cloth is made of before proceeding. Although the method can be safely used on all washable clothes and white fabrics, it is not advisable to use it on wool or silk fabrics.

How to avoid Benzoyl peroxide stains on clothing

After applying medications rich in Benzoyl peroxide, ensure you wash your hands immediately with soap and hot water. This will prevent you from transferring the stains to your cloth.
During application, make use of white sheets or towel as the stain is less apparent on them compared to the colored ones.
Avoid putting Benzoyl peroxide stained cloth together with other clothes in a single laundry basket to prevent the stains from transferring to other clothes.
If you apply Benzoyl peroxide-rich medication on your skin, make sure it is completely dry before wearing clothes.
At first, I wanted to suggest that you should not sweat, but I changed my mind as it will be impossible not to sweat especially when you live or work in hot or humid areas. However, anytime you have Benzoyl peroxide stains on you, take steps to prevent the sweat from getting on your cloth.
If your first choice of acne treatment is Benzoyl peroxide rich medication, but you are tired of having to clean orange discolorations from your cloth, you can ask your dermatologist, for the next best alternative products that will be suitable for you.

How to prevent Benzoyl peroxide from bleaching clothes

At times, no matter how many preventive measures we put in place, we may still end up having Benzoyl peroxide stains on our clothes. However, if you are unable to protect your cloth staining, you should be willing to take steps to protect the stains from eventually bleaching out your cloth.

Check below for information on how to protect your cloth from getting bleached out by Benzoyl peroxide.

The most simplest and effective way of preventing your cloth from getting bleached out by Benzoyl peroxide is by wearing a white cloth after use. Benzoyl peroxide doesn’t bleach white cloth: even if it does, it is always minimal.
Use Benzoyl peroxide as a wash. Do this in the shower and make sure you rinse off the treated spot with water before hopping out. By doing this, there will not be enough residue left on your skin that can bleach your cloth. Although if used as a treatment for acne, it might be less effective compared to when left to dry on the skin.
Wear a white undershirt before putting on a top. Yeah, I know that may sound silly especially during summer, but you can try it out in colder times. This may not be the best option, but trust me, putting on an extra layer will protect your fancy cloth from bleaching and also provide you with some warmth.
Benzoyl peroxide will not react to bleach out your cloth immediately it appears on them, it takes a couple of minutes! Therefore, it is important to treat immediately and keep stained clothes away from others. This will prevent you from getting the stain transferred to other clothes without you knowing.

Does Benzoyl peroxide bleach skin?

No, Benzoyl peroxide does not bleach skin. Although I have heard people say Benzoyl peroxide bleaches their skin, that’s not true.

You should not get too comfortable because it can cause more irritation or make your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight if you are not aware of your skin condition or you are not careful enough with the application. Therefore, it is recommended that you use sun cream or stay away from the strong sun after use until you can find out how your skin reacts.

Does Benzoyl bleach hair?

No, Benzoyl peroxide does not bleach hair. Benzoyl peroxide may be a bleaching agent, but it will not bleach your hair unless it is applied liberally to a large section of your scalp and left to dry for a long time. Even at that, the chances of getting your hair bleached by it are very slim.

How to get rid of Benzoyl peroxide stains on the face

If you have Benzoyl peroxide on your face, you must have deliberately applied it on your face as a treatment for acne and not a stain.

To get rid of Benzoyl peroxide from your face, first of all, use warm water to wash your face to open up the pores and allow active ingredients to penetrate. Then rinse afterward with cold water to help close cleaned pores.

How to get rid of Benzoyl peroxide stains out of towels

To get rid of Benzoyl peroxide stains from towels, get an old soft-bristled brush and follow the simple instructions that will be discussed below.

Dip the soft-bristled brush in an undiluted distilled white vinegar or lemon juice.
Apply the solution on the stained spot with the brush until it gets soaked and srub gently.
Leave the stained spot soaked in the solution for about 15 minutes.
Use a damp sponge to blot off lifted stains and solution remnants.
Wash the towel afterward according to its care label.

Benzoyl peroxide FAQs

Will Benzoyl peroxide stains fade off by themselves?

No, Benzoyl peroxide stains will not fade away by themselves unless it is cleaned.

Is the Benzoyl peroxide stain permanent?

No, Benzoyl peroxide stain is not permanent as it can be effectively cleaned off from any surface. However, you should be careful not to allow it to bleach out your cloth because it will be permanent. Although the orange or rust-colored stains as a result of bleaching can be remedied.