Let's talk bleach

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Motomom34, Apr 12, 2014.


  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    One of the staples that we read about is bleach. It is to be stored and used to purify water and disinfect. Times change and so has the formula for bleach. Stores now carry concentrated bleach. It has come to my attention that this new concentrated bleach could be harmful if you don't read the label. Upon research I am reading the following:


     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    The sodium hydroxide is added to ensure the bleach (NAOCl) itself is stable, not a new ingredient. By the nature of the beast, bleach loses strength by outgassing (chlorine, the actual disinfecting chemical, and oxygen) from open containers, and the higher the concentration in the container, the faster it outgasses. NaOH reduces the potential for outgassing, and I forget how it does that (but I think it has to do with creating a pH neutral solution since NaClO is acidic.) Yes, bleach in any concentration will serve well as a disinfectant in water, but I don't know if it has any particularly harmful effects as long as the solution is aerated completely before consumption. I'll be interested in anything anyone knows about it.

    See the notes under safety in this link.
    Sodium hypochlorite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
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  3. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    I don't store a lot of bleach because it has a pretty short shelf life. Since I use a lot to disinfect the rabbit trays and bottles and whatnot, I generally have 4-5 gallons on hand at any given time, but I make sure to use everything up within 6-9 months. Hadn't heard about the concentrated stuff until now.
     
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  4. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    "Concentrated" is relative. Commercially (say in water and wastewater treatment plants) it is procured in much higher concentrations (like, digging madly in memory, on the order of 30%, a practical maximum) which are dangerous.

    More than you ever wanted to know -
    Chemical of the Week -- Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide
     
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  5. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    @Motomom34 , good eye for catching a possible threat.;)
    @ghrit , the knowledge base here, and the willingness to use it, never ceases to amaze me.
     
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  6. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Also finding articles or statements that say: ” Clorox splash less bleach” states in small print on the label , not for disinfecting use.

    My splashless bottle doesn't say that but it could be in the Spanish section.
     
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  7. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    I noticed the other day at the local grocery that exact situation. There was no unscented plain-old bleach on the shelf, just the regular scent, concentrated version, from Chlorox and a couple other manufactures. Going to keep looking around....

    Great subject to discuss!! I was wondering the same thing when I was looking over the new bottles....
     
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  8. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    I usually get it from Dollar Tree. Same dilution as Clorox, for a buck a gallon. I'll have to swing by this weekend and see if they still have it.
     
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Just remember the saying that we used in the water industry. "One drop equals one eye." Messing with bleach has the potential to make a world of hurts for the sloppy and careless. (BTW, that applies to laundry bleach as well as the high concentrations used in the industry.)
     
  10. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    One thing to remember, when looking at Bleach for Water Purification and DisInfectant purposes, You can buy a BOX of Pool Chlorinate, which is the Dry form of Sodium Hypochlorite, and then using the Dilution Formula on the Package, Make your OWN Bleach, as needed. The Powder stores dang near forever, in Cool, Dry, Non-sunlite storage. No need to pay for the WATER in those bottles, when you have LOTS of Water locally, that just needs to be made Potable..... ...... Personal Protection when dealing with Chemicals, REQUIRED.....
     
  11. Mountainman

    Mountainman Großes Mitglied Site Supporter+++

    I have almost the same thing BT. I use Calcium Hypochlorite that costs around $7 a pound from the pool supply store and can disinfect around 10K gallons. Great item to stock up on for trading purposes if SHTF since it is so cheap NOW. @BTPost...Can you post your mixture ratios so I can compare them to mine.
     
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  12. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Lots of good advice on here. @ditch witch I will look at the dollar store because they may have old bleach- the original formula. @BTPost & @Mountainman I have read about using pool products for water purification but am really unsure of the ratio and I would love to have one of you post your mixture.

    After seeing that bleach may be harmful to purify I have been thinking for the past few days of getting a Berkey Water purifier but those things are so expensive and I do wonder if it is worth the investment.
     
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  13. Mountainman

    Mountainman Großes Mitglied Site Supporter+++

    Here you go Moto:

    CH 65% 1.5 teaspoons in 1/2 pint of water for your solution. Will disinfect 250 gallons.

    1/4 teaspoon solution = 30 drops to purify 1.5 gallons.
    1 teaspoon solution = 120 drops for 6 gallons
    1 tablespoon solution = 360 drops for 18 gallons
    **Double the amount for turbid or colored water**

    Let sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking.


    Homemade Berkey water filter for around $110.
    Homemade Berkey Water Filter
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2015
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  14. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    HCL can be bought in small packets also. Have a couple 3 gallon buckets of them and like BT said--shelf life is nearly indefinite.
    On the Berkey filters---buy the filters and build your own system. Two buckets stacked make a nice water filter system for just over the cost of the actual filters( @ $80). Simply drill two holes into the bottom of the top bucket and into the lid of the lower. Place the "nipples" through and lightly tighten the thumb nuts. Add a spigot onto the bottom and fill with water.
    We had a survival campout using two a few yrs back. We dipped creek water and kept the filters going nearly constantly. The two kept about 30 of us easily supplied.
     
  15. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Keep and eye on details. Clorox once again has a new Bleach. Introducing Clorox Smart Seek Bleach. I just grabbed a jug of Clorox while shopping. When I got to the checkout I realized I had grabbed this new product. It uses the same colors on the package as the regular stuff.


    What's in it anyway?
    Here's what's in Clorox Smart Seek™ Bleach.
    Water
    Sodium Hypochlorite
    Cetyl Betaine
    Coco-Betaine
    Fragrance
    Sodium Carbonate
    Sodium Chlorate
    Sodium Chloride
    Sodium Hydroxide
    Sodium Polyacrylate
    Sodium Xylene Sulfonate
    - See more at: Bleach for White Clothes - Smart Seek | Clorox
     
  16. oldawg

    oldawg Monkey+++

    The monkeys here have convinced me. After 40 years of using Clorox to disinfect my water storage I'm will now use calcium hypochlorite. I also like the idea of of not having to rotate it as often as bleach and the cost figures to be less too.
     
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  17. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    Good scoop BT, we have a couple buckets of the stuff. One is filled with the little plastic packages and the other loose. I like the packs as they eliminate the moisture problem of loose stuff. Wear glasses as with any chem. Think the loose came from "Wally's world" and the packs from a pool supplier.
     
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  18. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 25, 2015
  19. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    If you do have water with particulates, but, don't have something large enough to strain it through, you can use a small piece of cloth (e.g., a shoelace, piece of rope that wicks, bandanna) to filter for you.

    Put the water you want to filter in a container above where you want the water to go. Put in the cloth, and in a while, you will have water without particulates. This is where you would apply the bleach (2x dose).

    upload_2014-9-3_13-48-2.
     
  20. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Finding and storing pure bleach is a must. I have found that Home Depot sells bleach and also has safety data sheets on-line so you can read the ingredients. I found this is helpful and thought I would pass along the info. I have been buying and storing Cloralen bleach.
    Cloralen 121 fl. oz. Regular Bleach-1765 - The Home Depot
    if you scroll down and on the right is
    Info & Guides

     
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