漂白剤(ひょうはくざい)

漂白剤(ひょうはくざい) is bleach — any whitening or stain-removing agent. Formation: 漂白(ひょうはく) 'bleaching' + 剤(ざい) 'agent', the same suffix as in 洗剤(せんざい) and 柔軟剤(じゅうなんざい).

Japanese households distinguish two kinds, and the label always says which:

• 塩素(えんそ)系(けい)漂白剤(ひょうはくざい): chlorine bleach — powerful, whites only, will strip colour
• 酸素(さんそ)系(けい)漂白剤(ひょうはくざい): oxygen bleach — gentler and safe on colours and patterns

Collocations

• 漂白剤(ひょうはくざい)を入(い)れる: to add bleach
• 漂白剤(ひょうはくざい)につける: to soak something in bleach
• 漂白剤(ひょうはくざい)禁止(きんし): 'do not bleach' — the wording on a care label

Chlorine bleach must never be combined with acidic cleaners; Japanese products carry a prominent 「まぜるな危険(きけん)」 ('do not mix — danger') warning for this reason.