Sodium Percarbonate - Natural Oxygen Bleach
Sodium Percarbonate - Natural Oxygen Bleach
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This is easily my favourite DIY green cleaning ingredient - I genuinely use it nearly every day. It goes into my laundry and dishwasher powders, helps clean the grout, and even sorts out the tray when I’ve burnt dinner (yes, it happens!).
It's the main ingredient you'll find in products like Napisan and other heavy-duty cleaners, so you know it does the job well.
The What & Why
The What & Why
What is it?
Sodium percarbonate is known as natural oxygen bleach. When mixed with hot water, it breaks down into washing soda and hydrogen peroxide - releasing oxygen bubbles that lift stains, cleans, whitens whites, brightens colours and deodorises.
Why it’s in the toolkit?
Every ingredient in the toolkit needs to be useful, versatile, and able to replace a commercial cleaner. Percarbonate is in because I needed a way to whiten, disinfect and tackle stains without resorting to chlorine bleach. Bleach might be powerful, but it’s also toxic, damaging to waterways, and leaves a dangerous trail behind. Plus you can't use bleach on coloured fabrics!
Percarbonate gives you the results without the risk. You can use it on its own or in DIY recipes.
Your Packaging Choices
Your Packaging Choices
Hi, I'm Analisa the order packer. I pack everything fresh to order, and you have two options for how it arrives:
1. Apothecary Jar: It’s a wide-mouth jar made from recycled glass with a tinted amber look (not pure amber, but still charming). The lid even fits roughly a tablespoon, so it’s handy for scooping. Looks good on the bench and keeps your percarbonate airtight and ready to go.
2. Earth Bag: A compostable option made from Kraft paper with a plant-based inner lining. Great for transport and low waste, but not ideal for long-term storage. Just transfer it to a sealed container when it arrives - glass is best.
Whichever you choose, just keep it dry, sealed, and out of reach from little hands.





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Dig deeper into this ingredient
Sodium Percarbonate is what’s known as an oxybleach – meaning it cleans and whitens using oxygen, not chlorine. It’s the active ingredient in soakers like Napisan, just without the added fillers, fragrance, and synthetic brighteners.
It's made by combining two of my favourite ingredients: washing soda and hydrogen peroxide. When mixed with hot or boiling water, it activates and starts fizzing – and that’s your cue it’s working. The reaction releases oxygen, which gets in and breaks down organic stains like sweat, blood, food, and dirt at a molecular level. It doesn’t just mask stains or coat fabrics – it actually helps lift them out.
You’ll see the best results when you soak stained items in hot water with a spoonful of percarbonate added – you can do this with tea towels, cloth pads, whites, even coloured gear. Give it time to bubble away and the stains should fade out.
When it comes to whitening, it works by oxidising the compounds that cause dullness or discolouration. Think of it like a refresh for tired fabrics – whites look whiter, and colours come back to life without being bleached out. It’s safe for most colours because there's no harsh chlorine to strip dyes or cause that blotchy fading.
Once it’s activated, it stays effective for a few hours. After that, it settles down and breaks apart into oxygen, water, and washing soda – all of which are biodegradable and safe for the envionment.
One thing to note – don’t store it once it’s mixed with water. It keeps reacting and can expand in sealed containers. Just mix what you need and use it while it’s fizzing fresh.
DIY recipes & ways to use It
I use sodium percarbonate in a heap of situations. In particular recipes, you’ll find it in:
- Laundry Washing Powder – for stain removal, whitening and deodorising.
- Dishwasher Tablets or Powder – to cut through grease and lift grime.
- Supercharge cleaning paste – provide 'bleach like' power in my pastes
You can also use it on its own:
- Add a scoop to hot water for soaking stained clothes, towels, cloth pads, or even manky dish cloths.
- Sprinkle into the bottom of the toilet bowl with boiling water for a fizzing deep clean.
- Degrease cookware – soak trays and pots with baked-on bits
Just remember:
- Always activate it with hot or boiling water.
- Only mix what you need - it loses power after a few hours.
- Don’t store once activated - it can build up pressure and isn’t shelf stable once wet.
You'll find step-by-step recipes using it over in the DIY Recipe Hub.
Eco-friendly credentials
She is a beauty! Sodium Percarbonate when used in household cleaning, breaks down into washing soda, oxygen and water - all biodegradable and safe for your drains, waterways and septic systems. It also replaces the need to use chlorine bleach which is a win for the world and your families health!
Safety & handling tips
Sodium percarbonate is classified as a poison under the Therapeutic Goods Act - not because it’s harmful to the planet, but because it’s dangerous if swallowed or inhaled in large amounts.
- Don’t eat it (obviously), and keep it away from kids and pets
- Avoid contact with eyes
- Use gloves if soaking or handling solutions for extended periods
- Store in a dry, sealed container, away from heat and moisture
- Once mixed with water, do not store in a sealed bottle - it can expand and burst
Common myths or confusions
“It’s just like bicarb"
Nope. It fizzes like bicarb and vinegar, but this one actually deep cleans, disinfects, and whitens and is much more stronger than bicarb
“It’s bleach - so it must be bad.”
It’s oxygen bleach, not chlorine. Big difference! No toxic fumes, no scary residues. Percarbonate actually whitens by removing stains, not masking them.
“It must be good for delicates if it’s eco.”
It’s powerful! Not safe for delicates – skip silk, wool, and anything marked hand-wash only.
“I can dilute and store the solution?”
Nope - once mixed with water, it keeps reacting and can build pressure. Always use it fresh. Plus after 5-6 hours it not longer beneficial.
"It's a poison so it must be bad"
Only if you eat it, snort it, breathe in huge amounts or rub it in your eyes! All things you should apply common sense not to do with a cleaning product anyway! This does not mean it bad for the environment either, Sodium percarbonate is not known to bioaccumulate or persist in the environment for more than a few days. The degradation products of sodium percarbonate (sodium carbonate, water and oxygen) are non-toxic.

Clean on Your Terms
With DIY, you have full control over every ingredient. That means fewer chemicals in your home, less demand for their production, and a cleaner planet in the process.

One Ingredient. Endless Uses.
Ingredients that work on their own and play well together too! It's all about versatility, every product is multi-purpose and can be used across different cleaning tasks.

Full green approach
All ingredients are biodegradable, plastic-free, vegan, and fragrance free - better for your home, your health, and the planet. Sourced with care and packaged responsibly (and with love) they help cut down on waste and reduce pollution.

Clean on Your Terms
With DIY, you have full control over every ingredient. That means fewer chemicals in your home, less demand for their production, and a cleaner planet in the process.

One Ingredient. Endless Uses.
Ingredients that work on their own and play well together too! It's all about versatility, every product is multi-purpose and can be used across different cleaning tasks.

Full green approach
All ingredients are biodegradable, plastic-free, vegan, and fragrance free - better for your home, your health, and the planet. Sourced with care and packaged responsibly (and with love) they help cut down on waste and reduce pollution.
I have been using Percarbonate for some time now and love that I can purchase it easily from Under Your Sink. It removes stains safely and without any harmful chemicals. It can be used pre-wash as a soaker or can be added to the wash in the machine.
Arrived within a few days or ordering
Quick postage and lovely service. Thankyou!
Love the potential of this product! My bathroom says thank you and I have even used it to rejunvinate the above ground pool for the upcoming summer!
My neighbour was cleaning the pool with H*ndy *ndy and was totally impressed when I bought out this product in some boiled water!
Works better than I had imagined on whites. So pleased I can use a more sustainable alternative
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