Why does bleach whiten clothes?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: It breaks color molecule bonds
Bleach paints fabric white — Wrong. Bleach doesn't add white color—it removes color. It chemically destroys the molecules that give things their color.
Bleach fills in stain holes — Wrong. There are no 'holes' to fill. Bleach works by oxidation—breaking chemical bonds in colored molecules, making them colorless.
It breaks color molecule bonds ✓ — Correct! Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is an oxidizing agent. It breaks chemical bonds in chromophores (color-causing molecules), destroying the structures that absorb visible light. Without those molecules, fabric appears white! That's why it can damage colored clothes irreversibly.