h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Household bleach consists of NaOCl, and nothing else. It is the active ingredient, but it is also the only ingredient, so the phrase, "The active ingredient in household bleach" seems a mote excessive.

Granted, it may be a solution of bleach and water, but water will have no effect on the reactions.

Hence the term 'active' ingredient. But I'll change it back anyway. That'll be a rap then.

Hi i'm an australian and in Australia our bleach contains two active ingredients
1. sodium hypochlorite
2. sodium hydroxide

of both of these there are only tiny percentages used so when refering to the active ingredient it should be made clear that for cleaning purposes the active ingredient is usually but not limited to sodium hypochlorite.

An example in which the NaOH is often more effective is in the unclogging of drains (bleach is not often used in this senario but i know some people who used it when desperate), where as the hypochlorite ions tend to sit back and relax.