Swimming pool shock contains 12.5% sodium hypochlorite (bleach) vs. 6-8.5% for Clorox (bleach). Some Clorox products go as high as 8.5%. At a 12.5% concentrate, liquid pool shock is approximately 2x's stronger than Clorox bleach.
Bleach is safe and the only chemical you should be using in your pool unless cleaning pool tile with baking soda. So yes, you can use bleach to keep your pool water chemistry balanced.
One pound of 65% Cal-Hypo is equivalent to 117 fluid ounces (0.91 gallons) of 8.25% bleach. One pound of non-chlorine shock (43% MPS) is "equivalent" to 36 fluid ounces (0.28 gallons) of 8.25% bleach, but non-chlorine shock is not the same as chlorine.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on the formulation. The label on every bleach bottle should tell you the ratio of sodium hypochlorite (and available chlorine) in the bottle to everything else. A higher percentage is generally better, as you'll need to use less bleach to treat your pool.
Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine. Household bleaches often have unwanted fragrances and colors.
High concentrations of chlorine (above 1.5 ppm) will attack the liner and bleach it, thus damaging it. Any level below this range will weaken its ability to kill off bacteria.
Liquid chlorine
Household bleach (the same as you use for your laundry) and pool chlorine are the same thing. They are identical in every way, with the exception of strength.
Chlorine is a natural element and an ingredient of bleach, while bleach is a solution and the product of combining chlorine and other chemicals. 2. Chlorine exists in nature, while bleach is a manufactured product.
Answer: It is true that pool chlorine is stronger than bleach. For bleach and water to be the same strength as pool chlorine and water, you would have to adjust the ratio, increasing the bleach and reducing the water. But no matter which chlorine you use, make sure to test a small area before doing the job.
Bleach Versus Pool Chlorine
In addition to the chlorine itself, calcium and other inert ingredients make up the remainder of the chemical. Household bleach is a liquid that contains sodium hypochlorite, which is simply chlorine in its liquid form. Bleach, however, is typically only 5 to 6 percent chlorine.
WADING POOL DISINFECTION
When chlorinating wading pools, use 1/8 cup per 100 gallons of new water. Mix required amount of Clorox® Regular Bleach2 with 2 gallons of water and scatter over surface of pool.
Common unscented household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) works well to shock a pool.
Risks of Over-Chlorination. While slightly higher-than-normal levels of chlorine in your pool are harmless, exposure to an over-chlorinated pool can have adverse effects on your health and well-being. Excess chlorine can alter the pH level of the water in the pool, making it more acidic.
It is a good idea to wait at least 20 minutes after adding the water balancing chemicals. If you use calcium chloride in your pool, you should wait at least 2 hours to swim.
There are alternatives to chlorine including bromine, ionizers, and ozonators, though with each you'll still need to use some chlorine. A fourth alternative is PHMB, which doesn't require the use of any chlorine. All four have drawbacks, including cost.
*1 gallon of chlorinating liquid delivers the same amount of chlorine as 2 chlorinating tablets.
Calculate the amount of bleach you need based on the fact that 1 gallon will raise the free chlorine level of 30,000 gallons of water by 2 ppm. If you need to mildly shock a 30,000-gallon pool by raising the free chlorine concentration to 5 ppm, you need 2.5 gallons of bleach. To raise it to 10 ppm, you need 5 gallons.
If you need to calculate how much bleach or Clorox you need to shock your pool, you will have to use 1/2 gallon of bleach per 10,000 gallons of water to raise the chlorine levels by 5 ppm.
At a 12.5% concentrate, liquid pool shock is approximately 2x's stronger than Clorox bleach. The recommends 5 tablespoons of regular bleach per gallon of water to properly disinfect a surface. When using liquid pool shock, dilute it at a rate of 2.5 to 3 tablespoons per gallon of water.
How Often Should I Shock My Pool? Shocking your pool regularly will help to keep the water clean and free of contaminants. You should aim to shock your pool about once a week, with the additional shock after heavy use. Some tell-tale signs that your pool needs to be shocked are cloudy, foamy, green, or odourous water.
Finally, if it is not properly dosed, bleach can become dangerous for bathers! Pool water that is too concentrated in bleach can become toxic, irritating the eyes, skin and respiratory tract of swimmers.
Bleach is a caustic chemical that can kill your lawn and plants. It can also rust your downspouts and cause your shingles to shed their protective granules prematurely. Using bleach on algae requires brisk scrubbing and rinsing. This is not only time consuming, but it can increase the wear and tear on your roof.
Clorox is a bleach product from a company by the same name having its headquarters in Oakland, California. Though the company makes several chemical products, it is its bleach that is most popular.
The strongest bleach is Clorox Regular Bleach2, which is the best bleach for cleaning, stain removal, and whitening. It's the only bleach that can be used around the house to clean and purify a wide variety of surfaces.
Using bleach on colors
Peroxide bleach doesn't contain chlorine, and is referred to on garment care labels as “non-chlorine bleach”. If unsure bleach is safe for an item, test on a hidden area before washing with bleach. Always avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, leather, spandex, and non-fast colors.