Letter: Clorox Changed Formula

Hi Hugh,

Is the new Clorox Concentrated, splash-less bleach still recommended for purifying water? I can’t find the Clorox I bought for years. It seems all bleach is now concentrated. I am reading the blog this morning and people talking about bleaching their water (as we are taught to do). Well, it just occurred to me that the 3-pack Clorox that I bought from Sam’s Club awhile ago has not been doing the job it normally does. Yes, I know that they now have lemon and lavender, but I stay away from those. What I bought was the new “concentrated” splash-less regular bleach. I can’t smell the bleach in it. I cannot find the old Clorox that I bought before, not even in Walmart. Believe me when I tell you that the rags I wash do not come out clean the way they used to. I bleach my shower tile also, and that has not come out the way it did with the old Clorox. I called the company and talked to their service department. They said that people had complained about the smell, so they changed the formula but that it should still have the same cleaning power. I told them that with my repeated use of the old Clorox and now this new formula, there is a big difference and that I was not happy with the change. I went to Walmart and bought their “Great Value” brand. It says it is concentrated, but I can smell the bleach in it, and it works better than the new Clorox, concentrated version. Does anyone know what is going on in the bleach prepping world? Thanks for your time, – NM

Hugh Replies: A Google search reveals a dizzying array of information regarding the formula change but no definitive answers. It seems they changed the formula sometime in 2009 to contain a high percentage of sodium hypochlorite, in an effort to reduce the amount of chlorine shipped by rail (and the associated hazards and legalities). Clorox claims their new formula contains a higher percentage of Chlorine to reduce packaging costs. You are apparently not the only person who has noticed a reduction in its effectiveness as a cleaning product. However, I’m going to have to put this question to our readers.