Home use of HOCl 

Home Electrolysis Systems 

There are several home electrolysis systems that have been developed that can generate stable hypochlorous acid using table salt and water. Distilled vinegar is sometimes added to lower the pH allowing for a solution of free chlorine more dominated by the hypochlorous acid molecule. When choosing a home system, an important factor to consider is the quality of the electrolysis cell. Higher quality systems may cost more but will last much longer due to the durability of the alloys in the metals used to make the cells. 

What are the benefits? 

Hypochlorous acid, unlike chlorine bleach, is 100% safe and non-irritant. If it gets on your skin or in your eyes, it will not burn. Even if it were accidentally ingested, it is completely harmless. Yet, it is 70-80 times more efficient at killing microbial pathogens than chlorine bleach. 

Where can it be used? 

In the home, hypochlorous acid is useful anywhere you need a sanitizer but don't feel comfortable using a toxic chemical. A perfect example is in the kitchen. Instead of rinsing leafy greens with water, use hypochlorous acid. Or for pesonal items such as toothbrushes or razors, hypochlorous acid is safe. Want to sanitize laundry without damaging or discoloring clothing, hypochlorous acid is the answer. 

Commercial use of HOCl 

Membrane Cell Electrolysis 

The technology behind generating hypochlorous acid has evolved tremendously over the past 20 years. The market used to be dominated by membrane cell electrolysis that used high pressures to force saltwater into two separate streams, an acidic stream and an alkaline stream. The acidic stream would contain hypochlorous acid (HOCl), the anolyte or oxidizing agent, and the alkaline stream would contain sodium hydorixde (NaOH), the catholyte or reducing agent. The benefit of these systems were that two useful solutions were generated, a sanitizer and a degreaser. The downside of these systems were that they were expensive, required high maintenance, and would generate unstable solutions that lost their oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) within a short period of time. 

Single Cell Electrolysis 

With the development of single cell electrolysis, many of these obstacles were overcome. Single cell electrolysis does not use high pressures across a membrane therefore little to no maintenance is required. And because single cell electrolysis does not force the saltwater into two streams of opposite oxidation-reduction potential and opposite pH, a more stable solution is generated, a solution that is not seeking to regain an equilibrium. Single cell systems generate only one solution, an anolyte in the pH range of 5 to 7. This pH range is optimal for hypochlorous acid in regards to stability and effectiveness as a sanitizer.