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A Safe, Natural Disinfect to Combat COVID-19: Hypochlorous Acid

Updated: Aug 7, 2024



By now, we've been incorporating common sense practices to prevent illness: thorough and frequent washing of hands with soap, staying home when you feel ill, and disinfecting and cleaning surfaces.  In terms of cleaning, I have always been weary of harsh chemical cleaners, which can pose potentially serious health effects (especially for the young and for those with pre-existing conditions) and harm the environment.  That's why I was so excited to learn about Hypochlorous Acid as a means to disinfect, sanitize, and more.  


Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) is a safe, non-toxic, antimicrobial that is made from simple ingredients: salt, water, and electricity. 


It deactivates viruses, bacteria, fungi, and biofilm and is currently registered with the EPA to be effective against COVID-19. (1)


SALT + WATER + ELECTRICAL ENERGY = HOCl

HOCl is the human body's natural first line of defense.  It is produced naturally by our white blood cells in response to an infection to promote recovery and healing.   HOCL attacks pathogens by degrading proteins, DNA, RNA, and lipids without discrimination. It acts quickly and much more efficiently than bleach. (2) Currently, HOCl is being used in various industries such as hospitals, childcare centers, gyms, cruiselines, food services and janitorial services. It is completely non-toxic and does not harm the environment. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is produced when passing an electric current through a saline solution, and was first discovered in 1834 by the French chemist Antoine Jérôme Balards. Since it loses its potency rather quickly, it was difficult to manufacture and store, and it was not as well known. Those in the older generation were often aware of its potent sterilizing effects as it was used in WWI on the battlefield as an antiseptic. (4) Nowadays, you can make HOCl at home in unlimited quantities with a machine, or you can buy a shelf stable version from various commercial brands. The most popular devices for producing HOCl at home are Eco One, Force of Nature, and Naturechlor. HOCl loses its potency over time, so it is recommended to use it up within a month for the best effectiveness.  When making HOCl at home, vinegar is added to the salt and water mixture to optimize the pH.  It is best to use distilled water, distilled white vinegar (5%), and pure salt without iodine, like Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. It is also good to test at least the first few batches you make with chlorine test strips and pH strips to make sure that you are in the right zone for accurately producing HOCl. For general use on the skin and the environment, 200 PPM and a pH between 4-6 is ideal. There are also many shelf stable commercial products of HOCl that you can buy which are made to last longer. With a quick search on Amazon you can find various companies selling their version of stabilized HOCl, including Cleansmart, Puracyn, MicrocynAH, SkinSmart, and Briotech. Of these, Briotech has been recommended for use on the body (skin, nebulizing, etc) and claims to produce HOCl in its purest form without any byproducts.


There are so many uses for hypochlorous acid! In the home- it will become your multi-purpose disinfectant and sanitizer. In the garden, it can also be used to as an antifungal to stop molds on plants.  In the medicine cabinet, HOCl takes the place of eye, mouth, and skin medicines when used topically on skin or mucous membranes- sprayed on the throat, in the nose, and in the eyes. (3) Topically, as an antiseptic it accelerates healing and reduces potential for infection by inactivating bacterial toxins and stimulating new skin cells.  Spraying it on your skin just feels good! I liken it to the fresh feeling you get from being near the ocean. It is short acting, but potent, so start slow especially when using it on the body. As an oral rinse, it reduces plaque and gum bleeding, and is safe for all ages. (2, 5)


There are no allergy risks or problems with antibiotic resistance.


It is potent, safe, and effective!


HOW TO USE HOCl

Topical use on skin: -Use as a hand sanitizer. -Spray on face, neck, and arms after being out in public places. -Use as an antiseptic for wounds, cuts, burns and skin infections. -Use to accelerate healing skin issues like rashes, eczema, fungal infections, or acne. Topical use on eyes/nose/mouth (mucous membranes) -Spray it in your eyes, in the back of your throat, or as a nasal spray to disable viruses during COVID/flu season (Briotech recommended) -Swish it in your mouth as an antibacterial mouthwash.

Environmental Use: -Disinfect a room using a spray bottle or mister, cool mist humidifier/diffuser, or fogger.

-Disinfect by spraying on commonly used surfaces such as door knobs, steering wheels, shopping cart handles, etc. -Use it to wipe down your phones, keyboards, tablets, and remote controls. -Use it to clean mirrors and windows. -Use it to as a vegetable and fruit wash. -For laundry, use HOCL in place of bleach to whiten clothes. Be careful to use it with whites only as it will bleach clothes. -Spray on plants and in garden to stop molds.  References:



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