What is Hypochlorous Acid?
Hypochlorous Acid:
Hypo-say what now? What is hypochlorous acid?
Hypochlorous acid is nature’s oldest disinfectant, and it happens to be walking around in about 7.5 billion people right now. As in inside all humans, this very moment. Why? It’s the substance your white blood cells produce to fight off infections. It’s also the active ingredient in electrolyzed water, which is an industrial technology used for green cleaning and sanitizing. Electrolyzed water is made when electricity is used to change the chemical structure of salt, water & vinegar into a green cleaner as effective as bleach, but with no harmful chemicals, fumes or residues. Pretty cool, right?
How is hypochlorous acid made?
To make hypochlorous acid is pretty simple chemistry. Start with precisely the correct proportions of three ingredients: salt, water and vinegar. You may remember that a salt molecule is made up of the elements sodium and chloride (NaCl) and a water molecule is made up of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O). When an electrical current is applied to the solution, the molecules break apart and the elements form two new molecules:
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl)
Nature’s super powerful disinfectant, and also the ingredient that gives bleach its anti-microbial power. When the pH of the solution is lowered to the correct level, HOCl is created, exactly the same substance that is your immune system’s germ fighter. So when you take your child to that indoor play area/petrie dish – your white blood cells get to work creating hypochlorous acid.
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
A common detergent used at different concentrations in everything from toothpaste to skin moisturizers to cleaning products. Because concentration levels vary so widely across products, so do toxicity levels.
Healthcare & medical uses of hypochlorous acid
Hypochlorous acid is so gentle that it has several uses in the healthcare and medical space. It’s FDA approved for use in wound healing, wound care and eye care products and is also common in veterinary care products. It’s even used to eradicate biofilm. There has been extensive research on the gentleness and efficacy of HOCl when it comes to killing bacteria. It is so trusted and effective, that hospitals use it as a disinfectant in both the US and Japan.
Hypochlorous acid for disinfecting
Given how effective it is at killing microbes without leaving behind harmful residues, hypochlorous acid is also used for preserving fresh produce. It’s even USDA approved for use in organic crop production. At Force of Nature, we’ve harnessed the power of hypochlorous acid by miniaturizing the industrial-grade electrolyzed water technology to fit on your countertop. Our small appliance with its patented electrolyzer transforms tap water, plus a capsule of salt, water and vinegar into a powerful multipurpose cleaner, disinfectant and deodorizer that replaces bleach, deodorizers, kitchen, bath, glass and even rug cleaners. Really! It’s just as effective as the top conventional cleaners, but with zero toxic chemicals. It even earns the 100% top allergen-free rating by the Mayo Clinic’s SkinSafe product safety rating system. It’s EPA-approved for fighting Covid-19 and Green Seal certified. Here’s a little video about the science.
Learn more about how Force of Nature kills viruses and bacteria and about how the electrolyzed water technology works. And if you want to learn even more, we’ve also got the scoop on how to compare electrolyzed water vs bleach, how Force of Nature is safe to use on just about any surface in your house, and about how Force of Nature actually works.