Where to Buy Liquid Chlorine
Sodium Hypochlorite is commonly called liquid chlorine or bleach. Most household bleach that you will find in stores in 6% chlorine. Pool chlorinating liquids may be 10% or 12.5% chlorine.
If you buy household bleach, you want pure liquid chlorine with no additives. Additives such as fragrances, thickeners (splashless), or surfactants (outdoor bleach) may cause foaming. Bleach with fabric protectors (chloromax technology) may also cause foaming.
Most Clorox bleach today says it has Cloromax Technology. They are polymers that create foaming and are not suitable for pools. Clorox Germicidal Bleach did not have additives but the December 2019 label on their website now shows Cloromax Technology. So look carefully at the label and ingredients on any Clorox bleach products you intend to use in your pool.
Most retail bleach is manufactured by a few chemical suppliers. KIK corp is probably the biggest. They all use the "ChloroMax" technology that Clorox patented and then licensed out. So even the store brands like Target or Walmart will say their bleach is regular unscented, etc and somewhere on the bottle will be the phrase "Fabric Protection Technology" (or some combination of words like that).[1] Read bleach labels carefully and look for code words that may imply it has additives other then chlorine.
Check the date code on any liquid chlorine. You want fresh chlorine preferably bottled within the last 3 months. Liquid chlorine strength breaks down with time and temperature.
Don’t buy liquid chlorine if its stored outside in the garden center. The heat and sun weakens the chlorine.
All bleach and liquid chlorine is a mixture sodium hypochlorite, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide (lye) and water. The sodium chloride and lye come from the manufacturing process, there is no way to get rid of it and the lye is needed to raise the pH of the end product so that the sodium hypochlorite remains stable during its shelf life.
Liquid Chlorine Tracker Map
The Liquid Chlorine Tracker Map is a work in process that allows members to report where they find Liquid Chlorine available and to search by zip code to find sources in your area.
Give it a try and contribute locations of sources of Liquid Chlorine you find.
You can also check the latest entries in the Best Places to Buy Liquid Chlorine thread.
USA
Check your local pool stores for 10% or 12% “liquid shock” or “chlorinating liquid”. They are usually not the least cost but can be available and convenient.
Use their websites to check for availability in stores around you:
- Home Depot - HDX 128oz Chlorinating Liquid 3 Pack or HDX 121 oz. Germicidal Bleach which will likely be 8.25% and located near the cleaning products
- Wal-Mart - Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid 2 Pack
- Lowes - Kem-Tek
- Ace Hardware - should have 10% bleach
- Ollies Bargain Outlet
- Menards
- Rural King
- Fleet Farm - Swim Shock Liquid Pool Chlorinator - 4 Pk
- check any of your local stores to see who carries liquid chlorine-janitorial services might offer liquid chlorine if you have your own containers
Canada
- Canadian Tire normally carries liquid chlorine
- Wal-Mart
Unable to Find Bleach/Liquid Chlorine
Read Unable to Find Bleach for other options if you cannot find any sources for Liquid Chlorine.
