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Detergent vs Bleach - What's the difference?

detergent | bleach |

As nouns the difference between detergent and bleach

is that detergent is any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant while bleach is a chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening.

As adjectives the difference between detergent and bleach

is that detergent is having the power to clean while bleach is pale; bleak.

As a verb bleach is

to treat with bleach, especially so as to whiten (fabric, paper, etc.) or lighten (hair).

detergent

English

Noun

(wikipedia detergent) (en noun)
  • Any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the power to clean.
  • bleach

    English

    (wikipedia bleach)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) bleche (also bleke), from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • (archaic) Pale; bleak.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) blechen, from (etyl) (English blake; compare also bleak).

    Verb

  • To treat with bleach, especially so as to whiten (fabric, paper, etc.) or lighten (hair).
  • * Ure
  • The destruction of the colouring matters attached to the bodies to be bleached is effected either by the action of the air and light, of chlorine, or of sulphurous acid.
  • * Smollett
  • Immortal liberty, whose look sublime / Hath bleached the tyrant's cheek in every varying clime.
  • (intransitive, biology, of corals) to lose color due to stress-induced expulsion of symbiotic unicellular algae.
  • Once coral bleaching begins, corals tend to continue to bleach even if the stressor is removed.
    Synonyms
    * blanch

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening.
  • (countable) A variety of bleach.
  • Derived terms
    * bleachfield

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) bleche, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (bleaches)
  • An act of bleaching; exposure to the sun.
  • Etymology 4

    From (etyl) bleche, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (bleaches)
  • A disease of the skin.