What's the difference between bleach and sodium hypochlorite?

Here's a clear breakdown of the difference between bleach and sodium hypochlorite, explained practically:

1. Core Identity
Sodium Hypochlorite: Raw chemical compound (formula: NaOCl), typically sold as a concentrated liquid (12-15% strength) or powder. Industrial-grade product.
Bleach: A pre-mixed consumer product containing diluted sodium hypochlorite (usually 3-6%), plus added water, stabilizers, and sometimes fragrances.

2. How You Use Them
Sodium Hypochlorite:
Must be manually diluted before use (e.g., 1 part concentrate to 10 parts water).
Used for heavy-duty tasks: professional disinfection, pool treatment, wastewater management.
Bleach:
Ready-to-use straight from the bottle for household cleaning (e.g., wiping counters, laundry stain removal).
Never diluted unless specified for specific tasks (e.g., ½ cup bleach per gallon of water for sanitizing).

3. Safety & Handling
Sodium Hypochlorite:
Highly corrosive – burns skin instantly, damages surfaces if overused. Requires gloves/goggles even when diluting.
Degrades rapidly if stored improperly (loses potency in weeks). Sodium hypochlorite spray gun
Bleach:
Safer for casual use (still requires gloves/ventilation).
Contains additives (sodium hydroxide) to slow degradation – lasts ~6 months unopened.

4. Real-World Scenarios

5. Key Risks if Confused
Using raw sodium hypochlorite like household bleach: → Ruins fabrics, eats through rubber seals, causes chemical burns.
Using bleach for industrial tasks: → Too weak to kill tough pathogens in large-scale settings (e.g., farm equipment).