HOW IS BLEACH MADE?
Bleach is an industrial chemical, and it’s produced on an industrial scale. It involves two methods: the chlor-alkali process and the Hooker process. The chlor-alkali process produces the raw materials for bleach production: sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda or lye, and chlorine gas. It begins with salty water, also known as brine. The chlor-alkali process uses a technique called electrolysis to break the chemicals in brine apart and remake them into something new. When a current passes through the liquid, it turns water (H2O) and salt (Nacl) into sodium hydroxide (NAOH), chlorine (Cl2) and hydrogen (H2). Two of these three ingredients go on to the next stage, the Hooker process. In the Hooker process, the sodium hydroxide is cooled and the chlorine gas is bubbled through. This produces NACLO, also known as sodium hypochlorite, the active ingredient in household bleach.