Red Mulch

Question

I have red mulch, can I remove the color with water and bleach? I would like to add it to potting soil.

Answer 1

According to this extension article, it's not the color you should be concerned about but the wood. The coloring is non-toxic, but the wood used for colored mulch is scrap wood and could contain creosote.

https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2019/05/17/is-colored-mulch-bad-for-the-environment/

You may want to skip the mulch altogether for your potting soil. You could use orchid mix if you have any on hand. It is basically bark.