Why Purchase HOCl Produced by a Manufacturer When You Can Do-It-Yourself?

Story At-A-Glance

• All HOCl products are not equal. The ability of HOCl to kill germs on human skin is highly dependent on its pH and the stability of its formulation.
• Attaining a consistent pH – and stability of HOCl formulation – are highly dependent on strict adherence to correct manufacturing procedures, and the quality of the ingredients used in making it. The concentration of electrolyte, water flow rate, and water source (hardness) all affect the efficacy of a particular HOCl formulation.              
• Many pharmaceutical companies have not developed a pure HOCl product because of the challenges encountered when attempting to create a stable commercial formulation.
• With an inexpensive, on-site, Do-It-Yourself HOCl generator, it is extremely difficult to control manufacturing parameters.
• Generating an efficacious and consistent HOCl product is quite rare, and only a few manufacturers around the globe are able to do it well. The best HOCl manufacturers have specific – and often proprietary – manufacturing procedures and ingredients which allow them to create a highly stable and optimum pH level.
• There are many cliches which have been created to justify the manufacturing of a premium product. In the HOCl world, “premium’ is not a cliche, it is a necessity!

Factors Affecting HOCl Efficacy

All HOCl products are not equal. The ability of HOCl to kill germs on human skin is highly dependent on its pH and the stability of its formulation.¹ Stability refers to how long the HOCl formulation maintains the same level of ability to kill germs. Stability is normally optimized between a pH range of 3.5 to 5.5.² A study compared the germ-killing efficacy of a stable HOCl formulation against a non-stable HOCl combined with an acidified bleach.³ The stable HOCl outperformed the non-stable/acidified bleach formula.⁴ 

HOCl is produced as a byproduct of generating “electrolyzed water” (EW). The terms “HOCl” and “Electrolyzed Water” are often used interchangeably, since HOCl is the active ingredient in EW. Attaining a consistent pH and stability of HOCl formulation is highly dependent on strict adherence to process and the quality of the ingredients used in generating the EW. The concentration of electrolyte, water flow rate, and water source (hardness) all affect the EW’s chemistry.⁵ Water temperature has some, but only marginal, impact on generating EW.⁶ To ensure the most efficacious HOCl product, it is best to select one which is stable and has a neutral pH. The process in generating the HOCl must use a consistent amount of salt concentration from one mix to the next, the correct type of water hardness, and consistent water flow rate in its manufacturing process.⁶ Consistency in process makes all the difference!  

A Comparison of HOCl Generation

The authors of a 2007 research paper suggest many pharmaceutical companies have not developed a pure HOCl product because of the challenge of creating a stable commercial formulation.⁷ This leads one to question whether there is a difference between HOCl that is produced by bulk producers of pure HOCl, and that produced using onsite, Do-It-Yourself EW generator equipment sold for as low as $200 to $300. Is there really a difference?

Manufacturers that produce HOCl in bulk use equipment that can be carefully calibrated for optimal performance, and that typically cost in excess of a million dollars. They also use high-quality ingredients, and strict manufacturing processes.  Often these manufacturers have trade secrets which allow them to create a highly stable and optimum pH level. By using very specific inputs and processes, these manufacturers can make a HOCl product which remains the same from one bottle to the next. With this strict adherence to inputs and process, these manufacturers can make claims about the efficacy of its product, which is governed by a national regulatory body such as the FDA in the United States.