What bleach is suitable for disinfection and how to dilute it?

Bleach is a long-used disinfectant. It is used to treat various surfaces, to clean wells and pools, to disinfect utility rooms and animal cages, and to clean toilets. The effectiveness of this remedy depends on how correctly it is used.

Chlorine and water

To date, no drug has been able to surpass the bactericidal properties of chlorine for water purification. Chlorination is still the main and most effective cleaning method. City water utilities also use other methods, but they are only an addition to chlorination and cannot give the desired effect on their own. Water in swimming pools is also purified using chlorine, and the same product is used for wells. When cleaning, it is also recommended to immerse all water filters in a chlorine solution.

To disinfect water in swimming pools, wells and plumbing, chlorine can be used in the form of sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. Both chlorine gas and bleach solution are used. To treat pipelines and filters, a solution of sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite, as well as chloramine, is used.

Pool chlorination

Owners of home pools rarely resort to adding chlorine-based reagents. This is due to the fact that if used incorrectly, a specific unpleasant odor spreads, and when water gets on the mucous membranes, irritation occurs.Such negative effects arise from ignorance of the dosage, incorrect selection of the reagent, or its use without taking into account the acidity/alkalinity of the aquatic environment.

What do you need to know for disinfection to be effective?

• The pH of the water should be between 7.2-7.6. If this parameter is not observed, chlorine dissolves poorly and evaporation occurs. This is what gives the smell of bleach.
• When adding a reagent, temperature must also be taken into account. The higher it is, the less chlorine will dissolve in water. For example, at a temperature of 0° C this figure is 14.8 g/liter, and at 40° C it is only 4.6 g/liter, that is, three times less.
• After using chlorine-based reagents, at least 20 hours must pass. During this time, the water will undergo a complete reaction and it will become clean and safe.

It is impossible to indicate the exact dosage of the reagent, since different manufacturers produce products of different concentrations. Therefore, you must adhere to the instructions for use: they are always included. At home you can use “Whiteness”. This is a sodium hypochlorite solution; a liter contains active chlorine at a level of 80-85 g/dm3. You can add 1 liter of “Whiteness” to the pool for every 10 cubic meters of water.

Daily disinfection of well water

There are two ways to disinfect a well with chlorine - constant chlorination and one-time disinfection. The first method is used when there is a danger of intestinal or other infections spreading through water. This is usually a seasonal phenomenon and is associated with changes in groundwater levels. During this time, disinfection must be performed daily.

It is very important not to make a mistake with the dosage.A 1% solution of bleach is added to the well in an amount of 600-800 ml if the volume of the well is 1500 liters. Pure chlorine is more concentrated and harder to dose, so it is not used for wells.

Advice

It is very convenient to use chlorine capsules for constant disinfection. They are lowered to a depth of half a meter from the bottom and replaced or recharged after a month.

One-time well cleaning

Before adding chlorine, water from the well is scooped or pumped out. Then the surface of the rings is cleaned mechanically and washed with bleach (25-30 ml of bleach per 1 liter of liquid). Next is preparing bleach for disinfection.

To do this you need to calculate the amount of water. A standard concrete ring (1×0.9 m) is 700 liters (0.7 m3) of water. In this case, it is enough to count the number of rings covered with water. In other cases, you need to measure the depth with a pole, as well as the cross-section of the well. By multiplying these indicators, you can get the volume of water. For every cubic meter, take 1 kg of bleach. It needs to be ground in a small amount of water and allowed to settle.

When the well is filled again, the clarified solution is poured into water and stirred with a bucket or pole for 15 minutes, after which the lid is closed. You cannot take water from this well for 8 hours, and after this time it is pumped out again until the smell and taste of chlorine completely disappears.

Disinfection of cages and premises for animals and birds

Animal cells can be disinfected using chlorine-containing preparations only in their absence. For example, after the slaughter of a group of animals/birds and before moving new ones in or if there is a possibility of moving to other enclosures. The frequency of treatment of animal premises or chicken coop is 1-2 times a year.

In the chicken coop, after removing the droppings and cleaning the surface, the floor is sprinkled with bleach and a solution is prepared - 200 ml of “Belizna” per 5 liters of water. It is used to treat all surfaces in the chicken coop - walls, bars, perches. For rabbit enclosures, a stronger concentration is used - 400 ml per 5 liters of water. But after 8-12 hours, the treated surfaces are washed. For rooms where animals live permanently, chlorine is not recommended.

Disinfection of toilets

Chlorine is indispensable for disinfecting toilets. It is used both in apartments and in “houses” - outdoor toilets. Bleach or “White” is rarely used in apartments. After all, chlorine-containing household chemicals for indoor use are now available, which will not overwhelm you with their smell and will effectively deal with bacteria. An example is Domestos and Deo-chlor tablets. Manufacturers always indicate how to use a specific brand, so you just need to follow their recommendations.

But for outdoor toilets they often choose “nuclear” preparations with a strong odor - bleach, chloramine, or at best “Whiteness”. Often these chemicals are chosen because they are cheap, and sometimes because “the stronger the smell, the better the effect.” In fact, modern chlorine-based reagents do not emit such “killer” aromas, but at the same time they act no worse than traditional means.

If, however, the usual bleach or “Belizna” is chosen as a disinfectant, it must be diluted as follows:

• “Whiteness” - prepare a solution of 100 ml per 1 liter of water;
• chloramine – dilute 2 g in 1 liter of water;
• bleach – 100 g of lime is ground in a small amount of water and poured into the toilet hole. Dry bleach is sprinkled on the floor.

Precautionary measures

When working with any substances containing chlorine, it is necessary to use a gauze bandage and safety glasses. Any concentration of this substance, if it gets into the lungs or eyes, can lead to poisoning and irritation of the mucous membranes.