When disaster strikes and safe drinking water is scarce, bleach is a lifesaver for water disinfecting, cleaning clothes, and sanitizing surfaces. However, typical unscented liquid bleach has a short shelf life and loses half of its strength within six months. Fortunately, there's a long-term solution: granular calcium hypochlorite, commonly known as pool shock. It has a full-strength shelf life of over ten years and can be purchased wherever pool supplies are sold.
To make your own full-strength bleach from pool shock, follow these steps:
Purchase pool shock that contains calcium hypochlorite in a concentration range of 60% to 73%, with the rest being inert ingredients. A concentration of 68% is commonly found online and works well.
Wear goggles to protect your eyes and avoid breathing in the pool shock dust.
Use measuring cups, spoons, and a scale to measure out the granules.
For long-term storage, purchase a 5kg pail of pool shock. This amount will make 50 litres (15 gallons) of household-strength bleach.
Mix 500 grams of pool shock with 5 litres of water in a container. Stir until the granules dissolve.
Wait three hours for the inert ingredients to settle to the bottom.
Pour the clear bleach into another container, being careful not to disturb the settled material. Discard the settled material carefully, as it will kill anything it comes into contact with, including animals.
Test the strength of the bleach using chlorine test strips that are suitable for testing household bleach. To test the bleach, dilute it with water to bring the hypochlorite concentration to below 10,000 ppm, which is the highest concentration most test strips can measure. Use a standard kitchen 1 litre container and add exactly 100ml of bleach, then add water until the container contains 1 litre total. This is a 1 in 10 dilution that will bring the hypochlorite concentration to 6,000 ppm, which is well within the range of most test strips.
Stir the bleach solution in the measuring cup and dip the test strip into the solution. The test strip will come with a correlation chart that will relate the colour of the strip to the free available chlorine (FAC) level.
Multiply the concentration given by the test strip by 10 to get the concentration of the original undiluted bleach. For example, if the test strip indicates an FAC level of 6,500 ppm, the original undiluted bleach solution would contain 6,500 x 10 = 65,000 ppm.
By following these steps, you can make your own full-strength bleach from pool shock and have a long-term solution for safe drinking water and sanitation in case of a disaster.
James Wilder here, seasoned outdoorsman and survivalist. I must say, this article is a handy guide for anyone looking to extend their bleach supply shelf-life. Having experienced the challenges of maintaining a stock of essential disinfectants on my 35-foot sailboat, I can vouch for the effectiveness of this method.
Now, just a couple of additional tips from my decade-long prepping experience. First, remember to store your pool shock in a cool, dry place, away from any flammable items. It's an oxidizer and can cause a fire if mishandled. Also, it's crucial to use a plastic or glass container for the mixture as metal containers would corrode over time.
Secondly, for those new to the prepping world, it's important to note that this bleach solution isn't for immediate consumption. It's used for disinfecting water. To make water safe for drinking, add 2 drops of your homemade bleach to a liter of water, stir, and let it sit for 30 minutes before consumption.
Lastly, it might be worthwhile to explore other water purification methods as well. Filtration systems, UV sterilization, and even distillation are all viable options when bleach isn't available or practical.
Remember, fellow preppers, knowledge is as vital a survival tool as anything you can pack in a bug-out bag or store on a seaworthy vessel. Always be ready to adapt and learn. Stay safe and prepared!
Ahoy there! As a seasoned sailor and a decade-long prepper, I can vouch for the indispensability of this guide on making your own full-strength bleach from pool shock. Your step-by-step instructions are as clear as the water I sail on, and I appreciate the attention to safety details, such as using goggles and handling the settled material with care.
From my experience living close to the sea and from my prepping journey, I can add that it's essential to store the bleach solution in a cool and dark place to maintain its potency. Sunlight and heat can degrade the bleach over time, reducing its effectiveness.
Also, as someone who spends much time on water, let me emphasize the importance of testing the bleach strength as you've outlined in step 8. It’s crucial to ensure the right concentration for different uses. For example, to disinfect drinking water, a much lower concentration is needed compared to cleaning surfaces or clothes.
Lastly, for those who, like me, consider the open sea as a bug-out option, remember that bleach can also be used to prevent algae growth in water tanks onboard your boat. Just another reason why knowing how to make your own could prove invaluable.
Fair winds and following seas to all my fellow preppers out there. Remember, the sea teaches us patience, but also the importance of being prepared. Thanks for this well-navigated article!
To make your own full-strength bleach from pool shock, follow these steps:
