Thin bleach

[Caecilius]

I use a fair amount of bleach for general cleaning and disinfecting jobs: cleaning the sink, pouring down sink traps and drains occasionally etc.

I use "thin bleach" for this, as I don't need or want a thickened product. But I find that the supermarkets in my area only sell their own brand "value" thin bleach which is very cheap but also very weak. It seems all the "strong" bleach is the thick stuff.

The thin bleach is something like 1% sodium hypochlorite, so what I'm lugging home is almost entirely water. Is there a better way to buy sodium hypochlorite solution at a higher concentration?

[Andy Bennet]

We buy decent 'thick' bleach and fill old Fairy liquid bottles with 9 parts water to 1 part bleach and use that for general purpose sink/cup/drain cleaning.

Of course fully label the new concocoction with elfansafety labels and warnings etc etc.

[rick]

I use Sodium Hypochlorite and Lauryl Dimethylamine Oxide to clean my sandstone patio. I buy it in 25L containers .. they also sell in 5L ... from Bonnymans

[damduck-egg]

Larger quantities at an agricultural supplier, This one just chosen at random

Every region has one but closer to the Home Counties ring you may need to follow horse boxes rather than cattle trailers to find a location.

G.Harman

[jkn]

I'm interested in this too ... but I thought that without some sort of 'stabiliser', well-diluted bleach loses efficacy after a few days.

I would be interested in knowing whether this is true or not,and if so what sort of stabiliser bight be suitable for a d-i-yer.

J^n

[Chris Hogg]

You can't get solid sodium hypochlorite as it decomposes as you try to evaporate down a solution. But calcium hypochlorite is a dry powder, widely used in disinfecting swimming pools, kitchen work surfaces etc.

and would seem a very satisfactory alternative, although I've never used it. Available in various quantities on e-bay.

[Tim Lamb]

Or your nearest agricultural wholesaler. Used a lot on dairy farms. You have probably drunk a fair bit when it is used to clean milk pipelines:-)

[Caecilius]

I think the main stabiliser is something to keep the pH high enough. Normally caustic soda. But if the water you dilute it with has anything that can be oxidised, like organic material, then the sodium hypochlorite will oxidise that and reduce its effectiveness.

[Caecilius]

Thanks for the link. That's the sort of thing I'm looking for: 14% sodium hypochlorite solution for £7.80 for 5L.

[harry]

There is absolutely no point in pouring bleach down the drain.

[T i m]

Whilst I'm no eco warrior I do wonder just how much (and often unnecessary) risk we put ourselves and the environment to?

Example ... daughter recently decided to put one of those electric air-freshener things in her bedroom and after suffering respiratory problems, has linked them and her issues to any locations where such things are used (and it appears what they contain and blow into the atmosphere is currently unregulated and contain many vocs etc). I would never use one (or any such aerosol spray etc) 'indoors' (or in my car) because I guess that they ... or anything like that wouldn't be 'good' for us?

The thing most people don't seem to consider is where is this 'away' when we wash, flush or throw something 'away'?

We helped a mate pressure wash his large patio a while back and offered us *several* gallon containers of bleach to slosh over the patio whilst we were cleaning it. We declined, not just because didn't particularly want to work in the fumes but because we were concerned for the vegetation in his garden and because we considered it's use unnecessary?

Just my general thoughts ... I'm not a chemist. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Andrew]

Blag your way into and out of a Booker cash'n'carry. Much cheaper.

Another good source is agricultural suppliers. Dairy hypochlorite for washing milking machines and bulk tanks is what you want.

[harry]

Bleach is actually not too bad. Ir soon breaks down to something harmless. Phenol based disinfectants on the other hand.......

[harry]

If you want something to worry about.