Chipmunk wrote in
:


I am not certain of the chemistry these type of compounds used, but is
it at all possible that the air is being reduced in volume by 20%?
That would tend to indicate that the cleaner as well as supplying its
own oxygen is somehow catalyzing a reaction using the oxygen in the
air too.

I can't find any reference to any reaction that would cause that, as
the chemical involved is sodium percarbonate which should *produce*
oxygen as you said, rather than taking it up. But it's possible it's
starting a reaction which then consumes all the oxygen including that
which was there to begin with.

My chemistry's a little rusty due to 10 years lack of use :-)

Mine too, but I think the effect is much more dramatic than the removal of
just oxygen could do; that shaould only drop the pressure by 20% or so.

This looked like a pretty hard vacuum, I couldn't squash it any flatter,
and it felt rock hard. The bottle was only about 1/3 full so a lot of air
had disappeared!

mike