Let’s talk about bleach pens. Aren’t they one of the handiest home cleaning helpers? I mean, want your grout spick and span? Whip out the bleach pen. Spot clean a white area on a shirt? Bleach pen. Add some designs to your plain jane t-shirts? Hellooooo bleach pen. And what’s even better than a bleach pen? A homemade bleach pen. (And also, how many times can I say the word bleach pen in one paragraph?) Bam.
The best part is, making your own is super simple and only requires 3 ingredients. Seriously, this is as easy as its gets.
Ingredients for Homemade Bleach Pen
1 cup cold water
5 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons regular bleach
Directions for Making Homemade Bleach Pen
Mix cold water and cornstarch together in a medium sized saucepan. It’s important that the water is cold so that the cornstarch doesn’t cause any lumps in the gel. Over medium high heat, stir the mixture continuously until it is very thick and pasty. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
You can see what the gel should look like at this point below.
Add the bleach to the gel and blend well. Carefully pour the gel mixture into container of choice. I have a bunch of these clear condiment bottles from Walmart that work great. An empty glue bottle would be even better if you need the nozzle to be a tad smaller.
When working with bleach, it’s always a good idea to wear gloves to protect hands, and clothing that you’re not too worried about in case of any splashing.
Use in the same way you would use a regular gel bleach pen. I made my version with regular strength bleach, so make sure to compensate if you are using an extra strength formula.
Below, you can see how I used it to take out a stubborn stain in my favorite white pants. Seriously, before this I had tried adding bleach to the wash cycle, but it still didn’t take the stain out. Whipped out this gel pen, and whalah! All things white again.
I also wanted to show you the consistency of the gel and the bleach power this homemade bleach pen has.
Pretty amazing, right?
Water: Free
Cornstarch: $0.14
Bleach: $0.11Total Price for Homemade Bleach Pen: $0.25
The store bought version costs about $3 or more, so our version is 92% cheaper!! Isn’t that the best? It also took little to no time to make. This homemade hack is totally worth it!
Instructions
Notes
When working with bleach, it’s always a good idea to wear gloves to protect hands, and clothing that you're not too worried about in case of any splashing. Use in the same way you would use a regular gel bleach pen. I made my version with regular strength bleach, so make sure to compensate if you are using an extra strength formula.
If you love this post, be sure to check out some of my other homemade laundry recipes below:
Homemade Liquid Fabric Softener Recipe
Homemade Fabric Softener Crystals Recipe
Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
DIY Recipe for Liquid Laundry Detergent
What are your favorite ways to use bleach pens? Have you tried a homemade version? I’d love to hear about it!
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Angela Benedetti says
Hola cuánto dura la mazcla de crema blanqueadora??
Gracias
Kim and her Canines 🐾💝🐾 says
Thank you thank you thank you ❤️‼️ For You’re Awesomeness ‼️👌
realdiobrando says
how well does this work when designing patterns on denim and how apperent it looks?
Tescha says
Love it
Schieba says
I had to make this 3 times to get the right combo. Following the recipe it was so thick I couldn’t mix bleach in and when putting in bottle it would clog. I found 1 cup of water, just under two tbsp of corn starch, then added three tbsp of concentrated bleach. It is a little runny but prefer that!
Tammy Mercer says
You didn’t need the right combo. You need the right coming time. In a flash, water and cornstarch changes with heat. Mere seconds turns this science experiment from liquid, to gel, to solid mass
Rob says
I loved the Clorox bleach pen, now that it’s discontinued, this recipe is great and doesn’t have all the plastic from the pen. Thank you!
Happy-Money-Saver says
So happy it works for you!
Heather says
Awesome:)
Christine Fowles says
Hey I made this and it worked fantastically, do you have any tips for washing it out so it doesn’t bleach the rest of the shirt. I used it to make a design in a black shirt
Bridget says
Hydrogen peroxide neutralizes and stops the bleaching process.
Naomi H says
From what I’ve read from the author and past comments, i chose to use a reusable hair dye bottle (purchased from my local Sally’s), as it’s much thicker and ment for harsh chemicals. Also, I use concentrated, splass-less, Bleach. So, I used 2.5 Tbs, as opposed to the 5 Tbs it called for using standard strength. Used my concoction on those unsightly red-ish stains along the insides edges of lunch boxes(which appear, no matter how clean you keep them!) Applied, let stand 5 min., rinsed with warm water, wipe out, hang dry. Store left over gel in bottle-UNCAPPED, in a gallon ziplock(sealed 3/4 of the way- it needs to release gases). I second past comment..Clorox pens need to come back!
Donna says
My tap water has it causing stains to show up on any thing that’s washed and put away for a season.
Your recipe is great and a money saver. Thanks
Jen says
Used this for a few spots on white shoes. Literally tried everything else and this worked in minutes!
Anna says
How long can you keep a recipe batch and how should you store it?
.misty says
I’ve heard u r suppose to neutralize…or something after ur shirt is rinsed. Just to prevent the bleached sections from disintegrating sooner. Bc my denim shirt fell apart about two weeks after just in the bleached areas
Meaghan Leavitt says
While I can confirm that this recipe definitely works, as far as stain removal; I can also, very emphatically, state that a condiment bottle (or at least the ones sold at Michael’s) is not the best dispenser for such a viscous substance, as I just had one such condiment bottle explode all over my washer, myself, a laundry basket three feet away and the wall, four feet away, despite me holding the lid onto the bottle, while trying to use it. It may, perhaps, be sufficient if the neck of the bottle is cut off to allow for a larger surface for the substance to travel through, but I DO NOT recommend it, just the way it’s made.
Jamie Leigh says
It’s the gases the homemade pen releases. Releasing the gas once in a while will help.
Sandra Gibbs says
I give it fiive starts because every time I get involved with bleach, I make a huge mess. This should help
sophia sideras says
hey what are the nutrition facts for this recipe?
Leena says
I certainly wouldn’t suggest doing something so harmful for your health such as ingesting bleach, contrary to what Donald Trump has once suggested.
Sharon Morgan says
🤔 think that was sodium chlorite (~22.4% BTW) keep watching that MSM 🍿🍿😜)
Cathy says
I’m curious as to whether or not this recipe/pen would be suitable to set bleach type designs. Your sample showing consistency is hopeful, but I’m wondering if you have any input on the matter.
Thank you, Cathy
Karrie says
I’m sure it could work for that, yes!
Stillbecoming says
How long did it take to bleach that line on the dark pink shirt? My son is making a bleach design on a shirt, and it doesn’t seem to be working. . . Any hints?
Susan says
Turned out too thick. Needs way more water. Should have described or shown consistency of how it should look before you put it in a tube. Mine was so thick it wouldn’t squeeze out so I had to dork with taking it out and adding more water. Not fun to play with stinky bleach! Wish chlorox would just make their pre made bleach pens again. This is to much of a time consuming pita.
Kj says
I made this recipe, a few hours later it turned into a liquid. Yes I also wish Clorox would bring back their bleach pens..
Keven says
I went by the recipe and it looked good until it sat for an hour or so, then it got very runny, any suggestions, and I too wish they would bring back the pen.
Dana says
Same issue. Started out as a gel, but 30 minutes later after adding the bleach it was like water.
Tammy Mercer says
Because of the chemical make up of corn starch and water, combined with heat you get a gel. When heart is gone you have corn starch and water, much like gravy or oobleck you get a product that releases water to go back to it’s own space. When you make gravy with corn starch, a day later the water rises from the corn starch. It is just science. When you compare the pennies you spend, only make what you need and throw the rest away. I doubt it will save well.
Cheryl Dunn says
I agree! I love the clorox bleach pen! Why did they discontinue? I am going to attempt this recipe to make my own…hope it works.
Brianna says
Hi so I made this because I use about 2-4 bleach pens a month. I wear a white coat at my job that needs to be white all the time. Is there anything I can do to keep it from breaking down and becoming watery after 24 hours? Either way I will still use this recipe because it’s cheaper and better on the environment and gets crazy food and oil stains off my shirt.
Karrie says
Hmmm… I’m wondering if maybe a small shaker bottle would work or if you keep the mix in a container you can quickly and easily stir?
Brianna Bessling says
Hello thank you for you reply. I found that making smaller batches and shaking together before each use helps the effectiveness of the bleach on stains. Although it does thin out after 24 hours. I make a half batch about once a week so it’s worth the ten minutes it takes because this gets out pen, protein, oily food residue, wine stains, pretty much anything I encounter at work.
Karrie says
So so happy you let me know that!!! Much appreciation!!!