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How to Make Hypochlorous Acid

Hypochlorous acid is the primary disinfectant used for swimming pool maintenance, and is also called free chlorine. It "burns" any impurities in water and also kills microorganisms by rupturing the cell membranes and walls, disrupting the work of enzymes and mitochondria. It is possible to make hypochlorous acid with easily available chemicals.

Things You'll Need

Citric acid; 5 percent
Sodium hydrochlorate; 5 percent
2 Beakers

Instructions

- 1
  Pour 100 mL of the citric acid in one beaker. Pour 100 mL of the sodium hydrochlorate into the other beaker.
- 2
  Pour the citric acid into the sodium hydrochlorate. Pick up the beaker with the combined acids and gently move your hand in a circle, stirring the acids together.
- 3
  Set the beaker down after roughly 15 to 30 seconds of stirring. You will see a precipitate forming in the bottom of the beaker, which is sodium chlorate. The liquid is hypochlorous acid.

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