: Bleach is a "basic" (alkaline) chemical, while hair is slightly acidic. The bleach neutralizes and breaks down the acidic protein (keratin) in hair.
: Do not use bleach if you have a septic tank; it kills the beneficial bacteria needed to break down waste. does bleach dissolve hair
| Property | Dissolving (e.g., sugar in water) | Bleaching Hair | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Physical | Chemical (oxidation) | | Bonds affected | Intermolecular forces | Covalent bonds (disulfide & peptide) | | Original molecule intact? | Yes | No (keratin is destroyed) | | Reversible? | Yes (evaporate water) | No | | Appearance in bleach | Clear solution | Swollen, mushy, eventually turns to paste | : Bleach is a "basic" (alkaline) chemical, while
The hair doesn't "melt" like plastic in acetone, but it becomes a swollen, gummy, elastic mess. If you rub over-bleached hair between your fingers, it will break apart into a grayish-white paste. This looks like dissolving, but it is actually disintegration of broken protein fibers. | Property | Dissolving (e
Hair is made of a protein called . Keratin's strength comes from:
Plumbers and chemists often describe the result of pouring bleach on a hair clog as the "Gummy Bear Effect." While bleach won't dissolve the hair, it can melt the oils, grease, and soap scum that are acting as the "glue" holding the hair ball together.
To understand why, let's break down what "dissolve" means vs. what bleach actually does.