The key difference between chlorine and bleach is that chlorine is a natural element, whereas bleach is a solution consisting of many elements.
Chlorine bleach can be described as any chlorine-containing bleach that has sodium hypochlorite as the active agent. Bleach is any chemical compound we use on an industrial scale and domestic applications for the removal of stains and cleaning surfaces.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Chlorine
3. What is Bleach
4. Chlorine vs Bleach in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Chlorine vs Bleach
What is Chlorine?
Chlorine bleach is any chlorine-containing bleach that has sodium hypochlorite as the active agent. Sodium hypochlorite releases chlorine gas, which is useful for cleaning purposes. Chlorine is a gas at room temperature, having the chemical formula Cl2. It has a pale yellow color appearance, and it is an extremely reactive agent. Therefore, it can act as a strong oxidizing agent. Apart from that, this gas has a pungent and irritating odor similar to bleach that we normally use. In the IUPAC nomenclature, we name this compound molecular chlorine. The chlorine gas molecule contains two chlorine atoms bonded to each other via a covalent chemical bond. Therefore, we name it a diatomic molecule. Moreover, this gas is slightly soluble in water.
Chlorine bleach is commercially available as a liquid: sodium hypochlorite in water. We can find this compound included commonly in laundry bleach. However, it may remove the actual color of the cloth as well, so we have to use this bleach for white clothes. Also, this bleach is used as a disinfectant.
What is Bleach?
Bleach is any chemical compound we use on an industrial scale and domestic applications for the removal of stains and to clean surfaces. Usually, it is a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite. This is also called “liquid bleach” in common use. There are two types of bleach compounds mainly in use: chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach.
Oxygen bleach is any non-chlorine bleach that has sodium percarbonate as the active agent. It is very useful on occasions where we need to remove stains on clothes without removing the actual color of the cloth. Therefore, these bleaching compounds are color-safe. Moreover, they are eco-friendly.
Sodium percarbonate is a compound of natural soda crystals and hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, this form of bleach is common in many detergents and other cleaning agents. It is commercially available as a solid powder. We have to dissolve this powder in water before using it. When we dissolve this compound in water, it releases oxygen. These oxygen bubbles help to break down dirt particles, germs, etc. The only byproduct of this compound is soda ash, which is non-toxic and safe.
Most bleaching agents have a broad spectrum of bactericidal properties. That means these compounds can act against a number of bacterial species that are harmful to us. Therefore, bleaching agents are very useful in disinfecting and sterilizing surfaces. Furthermore, we can use these compounds to clean water in swimming pools. These chemical species can also act against algae and viruses. In addition to the purpose of cleaning, there are some other applications of bleach, including removing mildew, killing weeds, increasing the longevity of cut flowers, bleaching wood pulp, etc.
What is the Difference Between Chlorine and Bleach?
Chlorine bleach is any chlorine-containing bleach that has sodium hypochlorite as the active agent. On the other hand, bleach is any chemical compound we use on an industrial scale and domestic applications for the removal of stains and to clean surfaces. So, the key difference between chlorine and bleach is that chlorine is a natural element, whereas bleach is a solution consisting of many elements.
Below is a summary of the difference between chlorine and bleach in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Chlorine vs Bleach
Chlorine and bleach are important as disinfectants in many places. The key difference between chlorine and bleach is that chlorine is a natural element, whereas bleach is a solution consisting of many elements.
Reference:
1. “Sodium Hypochlorite.” Molecule of the Month October 2011 – HTML-Only Version.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Clorox” By Vox Efx from Baltimore, United States – Bleach Bypass Efx (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia