How did they discover bleach?

Bleach was discovered in the late 18th century when Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele identified chlorine gas while experimenting with hydrochloric acid and manganese dioxide. Scheele's work laid the groundwork for the production of sodium hypochlorite, which became known as bleach. In the early 19th century, French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet further developed and commercialized bleach, using it for textile whitening and sanitation purposes. Its antibacterial properties and effectiveness as a disinfectant led to widespread use in various industries.