Calcium hypochlorite is a chemical compound and a biocide, which means it is lethal to selected living microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria and algae. Its chemical formula is Ca(ClO)2. Calcium hypochlorite is a key ingredient in bleaching powder, bathroom cleansers and other household disinfectants. Household cleaners sold in the United States claiming to be disinfectants must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and submit proof that they will kill all of the microorganisms they claim they can on their product labels.
Identification
Calcium hypochlorite is a white or gray powder in its dry, concentrated form. Manufacturers also sell calcium hypochlorite in tablets or briquettes, and as concentrated crystals. Packaging may also identify calcium hypochlorite as calcium salt, cal hypo or bleaching powder. The smell of chlorine is very strong in all forms of calcium hypochlorite. According to chemical manufacturer Arch Chemicals, calcium hypochlorite contains more available chlorine than sodium hypochlorite, which is sold as liquid bleach. Chlorine is a strong disinfectant.
Function
You will typically use calcium hypochlorite in its liquid form to disinfect items in your home. When mixed with water, calcium hypochlorite becomes hypochlorous acid and calcium hydroxide. Hypochlorous acid is a strong sanitizer that is approved by the EPA to kill germs in swimming pools and in commercial meat and poultry processing facilities, among other sanitizing applications. However, calcium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid are not cleansers. They will disinfect an area only after you have cleaned it.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Always check the product label carefully when choosing a household disinfectant. According to EPA rules, manufacturers must specifically identify ingredients and detergents on labels, and must name the types of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms their disinfectants and cleansers will kill. You should use a disinfectant cleanser containing calcium hypochlorite and detergents or cleansers if you intend to clean and disinfect an area in a single application. Those products will be labeled with the claim “cleans and disinfects.”
Benefits
Calcium hypochlorite is registered with the EPA as an effective public health sanitizer, biocide and disinfectant, according to its Arch Chemicals product fact sheet. This means the federal government vouches for the chemical compound's effectiveness as a public and household disinfectant under the federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Calcium hypochlorite has not been found to cause cancer or to cause genetic mutations. It is a fast-acting sanitizer and deodorizer that its manufacturers note can kill many germs.
Precautions
Calcium hypochlorite is a strong biocide. In its concentrated form, the compound can cause skins burns if you allow unprotected skin to maintain prolonged contact with calcium hypochlorite. Don't inhale the concentrated fumes for more than four hours at a time. When sold as a household disinfectant, it is diluted with water and other chemicals and inert materials. According to Arch Chemicals, the diluted formula poses no significant risk to humans or animals unless you drink it or get it in your eyes.
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