sanitizing with bleach

I can't get anything else but bleach as a sanitizer. But, I always thought that bleach is very dangerous for humans, and I could never even imagine using it for sanitizing any dish that is used for food or drink consumption.

Now, the content of the bleach that is on the label is
sodium hypochlorite+hydrogen peroxide.

It has a sign for very dangerous solutions, and it says there that one should avoid getting it in the mouth.... The label looks very scary

Could you please help me with this? I'm not sure about it? Can you give me instructions on how to use it?


Thanks!

I'm using bleach to sanitize the bottles and it's working great,
just make sure you rinse it well.

Not sure about plastic equipment but i think there's no problem.

can you tell me the ratio of bleach/water that you use?

Very small amount of bleach, something like a cap of bleach for a gallon of water, i dont really measure.

and do it in a well ventilated place.

I don't know the exact amount, but there is a specific ppm (part per million) concentration to use. Do not use it undiluted. They also sell test strips to make sure you have the correct concentration if you are really worried.

I used 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water for almost 20 years, never had a problem. Just be sure to rinse until you can't smell it anymore.

mattmcl said:

I used 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water for almost 20 years, never had a problem. Just be sure to rinse until you can't smell it anymore.

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That is the correct amount. I never really measure though. I just pour it in until it smells real bleachy. RINSE RINSE RINSE...and when you think you are done...RINSE RINSE RINSE!

Wow, 1/4 c per gallon. Thats a lot of bleach. I think the effective no rinse level is closer to a capful for 5 gallons (for lack of better measurement). I guess if you are rinsing, the concentration is somewhat irrelevant.

I think you're right on the no-rinse concentration. I believe that requires a LONG soak though.

According to John Palmer, the correct proportion of bleach to water is 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water.

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Sanitizing Your Equipment

I've used 1 tbs per gallon, some say to use 2. I let it sit twenty minutes and then rinse with my trusted tap watter. If you don't trust your tap boil it first.

For instantaneous sanitation of mechanically clean (no visible dirt) non-porous surfaces in the Operating Room we use, among other things, a solution of 10% bleach to 90% water by volume. (about half a cup in 3.5cups H2O)

At 10%, contact time is right now, instant. Then rinse. At lower concentrations you need a longer soak time to kill bugs dead. Keep an eye on your temperatures. When
you get out towards one capful per gallon and twenty minutes or so you will need to stay sort of the middle of the range of normal room temperatures.

Among sanitizers bleach is relatively inexpensive and breaks down relatively quickly to relatively environmentally benign residues. The down side is the copious amount of water used to rinse. If you live someplace with lots of water, you are good to go.

Poindexter, RN.