# Oxygen as a cleaning agent in water

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-as-a-cleaning-agent-in-water/51221>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 22, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-as-a-cleaning-agent-in-water/51221 "2001-01-22T04:58:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-as-a-cleaning-agent-in-water/51221/1 "2001-01-22T04:58:29Z")

</div>

Just saw a commercial for something called “Oxiclean.” It purports to use oxygen as a cleaning agent, making your clothes brighter, cleaner, yadda yadda yadda. I’ve also seen a similar product advertised on TV called (I think) Oxygen8.

The guy touting the Oxiclean was just raving about how wonderful this stuff is. He raved on just enough to make me think it’s a load of hooey. However, I’m no expert (I’ve yet to master the intricacies of adding ordinary bleach to my laundry). Is there anything to this, or is it really the hooey I think it is?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![honkytonkwillie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@honkytonkwillie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/honkytonkwillie)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-as-a-cleaning-agent-in-water/51221/2 "2001-01-22T07:16:48Z")

</div>

The oxygen in this cleaning agent is most likely ozone, or O[sub]3[/sub]. It is a strong oxidizing agent, like bleach is.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-as-a-cleaning-agent-in-water/51221/3 "2001-01-22T14:14:54Z")

</div>

This explains how the two common forms of bleach work:  
[http://www.prowearapparel.com/oxygenbleach.html](http://www.prowearapparel.com/oxygenbleach.html)

Basically, “oxygen bleach” which comes in powder form turns into hydrogen peroxide when combined with water. I imagine the stuff they sell in the informercials is the same as “Clorox 2” that you can get at the grocery store.