bleaching powder

Bleaching powder is a white powder primarily composed of calcium hydroxide, calcium chloride, and calcium hypochlorite. It has been used since the early 19th century as a bleach, disinfectant, and deodorant. A key component, calcium hypochlorite, is also a white powder utilized for bleaching and disinfecting.12

Historically, bleaching powder, a solid combination of chlorine and slaked lime, was introduced in 1799 and became a standard bleaching agent for cloth and paper until the 1920s. While easier to handle than chlorine gas, it was unstable and contained inert material. Today, other chemicals like sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide are more commonly used for bleaching and disinfecting purposes.3