STTP vs Sodium Carbonate

8 years ago

GW Laundry Soap Additive Noob here.

With that recent thread on towel, I have to ask the basic question.

When and where do you use STTP vs Sodium PerCarb.

Darks vs. Whites, concerns about color fade with either ?

I bought a Big Bag of perCarb from the Chemistry Store and I use it primarily to just run sanitize clean cycles on my machine. Occasionally I'll do a citric wash. The same citric acid I will use to clean out my espresso machine water tank

Featured Answer

mamapinky0

8 years ago

I was reading a laundry manual not long ago. Said sodium percarbonate will work at 120F depending on amount of time in solution...but works much faster at 140F and above.

At 120 it just takes longer which in todays washers with long wash cycles should give fine results.

140F will require less time.

Also I didn't think Oxiclean had a activator??

If a detergent that already has Oxygen Bleach such as Tide with Bleach powder is being used no additional sodium percarbonate is needed.

The regulars here already know the benefits of hot water expecially for whites, bedding, towels in which case a bleach activator isn't needed...but for folks that may be new and are affraid of hot water its best to stick to a powder detergent with oxygen bleach and a bleach activator.

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Comments (8)

mamapinky0
8 years ago
Are you asking about Sodium carbonate or sodium percarbonate?

Stpp is a complex phosphate.

Sodium percarbonate is oxygen bleach.

Stpp you could safely add to all loads. Sodium percarbonate I'd only use on whites or very lights.

I add stpp and sodium percarbonate to white loads with extra hot water. Lovely whites.

As per your specific question.

Sodium percarbonate will fade darks and colors. Its oxygen bleach.

Stpp shouldn't fade anything.
dadoes
8 years ago
STPP is an entirely different thing from sodium percarbonate.

STPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) is a complex phosphate which combats hard water (binds to and sequesters the mineral content) and "energizes" the wash water.

You may also run across reference to TSP (trisodium phosphate), which is similar to STPP but can be a bit harsh on fabrics and generates a precipitate when binding with mineral content (whereas STPP is non-precipitating). TSP is often used as a general-purpose cleaner for washing driveways or as a surface-prep cleaner before painting.

Sodium percarbonate is oxygen bleach, same as in OxiClean and detergents that contain "all-fabric" bleach.
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AvatarWalt
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Good question, and thanks for the replies, as I'm perpetually confused by these things. If sodium percarbonate is oxygen bleach, is there an advantage to buying it separately rather than just using OxiClean or all-fabric bleach?
a1an
Original Author
8 years ago
Sodium Percar is cheaper by the bulk volume and is just that versus the concentration you get with Oxi
mamapinky0
8 years ago
Oxiclean has more filler than oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) and I think costs more than just buying the more pure form of sodium percarbonate.
enduring
8 years ago
Straight up sodium percarbonate needs an activator or hot water at 140f; am I right? This is what I remember from past discussions. The top shelf detergents have the activator in the detergents iirc.

Help with this clarification please.
Jerrod
8 years ago
I think sodium percarbonate needs at least 120F to start working but works better at higher temperatures. If a detergent contains it, the detergent most likely has the activator in it which allows sodium percarbonate to activate at think around 90F. We will need further clarification because I might not be correct!