Household bleach

high hazard

Also: sodium hypochlorite, liquid chlorine bleach

WaterCleaning

The default emergency drinking-water disinfectant in U.S. public guidance. It is also a surface sanitizer. It is not soap, it is not a wound wash, and it is not to be mixed with anything else.

Shelf life: 6–12 months once opened; buy fresh for water duty
Container: Original opaque bottle, cool, dark, child-locked
Grade: Regular unscented, 5–9% sodium hypochlorite, no thickeners, no fragrance, no splash-less polymers if you can help it

What it does

▸Emergency disinfection of clear water (EPA / CDC method)
▸Sanitizing non-porous surfaces after cleaning
▸Laundry sanitizer when the machine still runs

Store

▸Degrades in heat and light — Arizona garages kill bleach fast. Interior closet only.
▸Rotate every 6–12 months. Date the bottle with a marker the day it arrives.
▸Never decant into a drink bottle.

Hazards

▸Mixed with vinegar, citric acid, or any acid → chlorine gas.
▸Mixed with ammonia, urine, or many glass cleaners → chloramine gas.
▸Burns eyes and skin. Fumes trigger asthma.

Never mix

White vinegar Citric acid Lye Hydrogen peroxide 3%Isopropyl alcohol 70%Ethanol Calcium hypochlorite

Also keep away from: ammonia, urine, glass cleaners that contain ammonia, acids of any kind.

Gear

Gloves · Splash goggles · Ventilation

In the field

Drinking water, unscented 6% bleach: 8 drops per U.S. gallon of clear water; 16 drops if cloudy, colored, or very cold. Mix, wait 30 minutes. You should smell a faint chlorine odor; if not, repeat the dose and wait 15 more minutes.

8.25% concentrated bleach: 6 drops per gallon clear, 12 if cloudy.

This follows EPA emergency disinfection tables. Prefer boiling when you have fuel.

Arizona note

Heat is the killer. Do not store bleach in a shed or car. Keep a fresh bottle for water; older bottles can still clean surfaces.

Source

Grocery. Read the percent on the label. No scent, no ‘color-safe,’ no splash-less if you need accurate drops.