Sodium Percarbonate, 5 kg

Sodium percarbonate releases active oxygen when dissolved in water, which bleaches, removes organic stains and suppresses odour without chlorine. It forms the base of oxygen bleaches for laundry, laundry soaking products and powdered household cleaning products. It only starts acting on contact with water, making it easy to work with in powder and tablet formulations.

In water it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate. The peroxide provides bleaching and decomposition of organic soils, the carbonate gives the bath an alkaline pH, which helps release grease and softens water during washing. Both components break down into water, oxygen and soda after use, so after rinsing nothing remains in textiles or on surfaces.

What it is suitable for

• Laundry and bleaching – as an additive to laundry powders for white and colourfast textiles, for yellowed cloths, towels or nappies.
• Soaking laundry – removes stains from coffee, tea, wine, grass or fruit that a regular detergent leaves in the fibres.
• Household cleaning products – powder cleaners for grout, drains, cutting boards, thermoses and containers with odour.
• Washing machine and dishwasher cleaning – an empty cycle with warm water breaks down deposits and odour in the drum and hoses.
• Powder dishwasher detergent – as a bleaching component in combination with soda and other powder ingredients.

Use in formulation

Sodium percarbonate is processed exclusively dry. It is added to powder blends as the last ingredient at a temperature of < 40 °C, when all other ingredients are mixed and thoroughly dry. Moisture in the blend triggers decomposition while still in the packaging, the powder cakes and loses its effectiveness.

It is combined with alkaline ingredients, particularly with soda, sodium bicarbonate and powder surfactants. In an acidic environment, bleaching effectiveness decreases. It therefore only belongs in formulations with citric acid where the components are stored separately, for example in multi-layer tablets.

The bleaching effect depends on the water temperature. In cold water oxygen is released slowly and soaking must be extended. In warm water decomposition proceeds quickly and stains are removed with shorter contact time. When making a homemade washing powder this also governs the proportion of percarbonate: a higher proportion is used for washing at low temperatures, less is sufficient for hot washing.

Good to know

The powder is classified as an oxidising, irritating and corrosive substance. When handling larger quantities, gloves and eye protection are recommended; when pouring, dust whirling up must be avoided. It must not come into contact with acids, chlorine bleaches or flammable materials.

Not suitable for wool, silk and other protein fibres, which are damaged by an alkaline bath. With coloured textiles, a test on a hidden area is recommended first. Also unsuitable for aluminium, copper and galvanised surfaces, which are corroded by the alkaline peroxide solution.

The ingredient is supplied in technical grade for laundry and cleaning. It is not used in cosmetic preparations intended for skin contact.

Difference compared to chlorine bleach and soda

Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) bleaches more aggressively and works even in cold water, but damages fibres, decolours most coloured textiles and leaves a chlorine odour. Sodium percarbonate is gentler on fibres and dyes, can be used on colourfast textiles and after washing only soda remains in the laundry, which rinses out.

Washing soda (sodium carbonate) only softens water and raises the bath pH; it does not remove stains by oxidation. Percarbonate is a compound of soda and hydrogen peroxide, so in addition to the alkali it also provides active oxygen. It therefore deals with yellowing, stains and odour that soda alone cannot handle.

Frequently asked questions