Is it safe to use household chlorine bleach as a disinfectant?
In general, EPA-registered products are preferred for disinfection, but if these arent available household chlorine bleach can be used. Chlorine bleach is a broad spectrum disinfectant that can inactivate or kill germs, including staph and MRSA. It should never be used at full strength for disinfecting. If you are using household chlorine bleach, read the label to see if the product has specific instructions for disinfection. Some bleach products are EPA-registered for this purpose. If no disinfection instructions exist, then use 1/4 cup of regular household bleach in 1 gallon of water (a 1:100 dilution equivalent to 500-615 parts per million [ppm] of available chlorine) to disinfect pre-cleaned surfaces. As with other cleaners and disinfectants, household chlorine bleach might damage some surfaces and items for instance, some metals, plastics, and non-colorfast clothing. Also be aware that household chlorine bleach, like other disinfectants, can be skin, eye, and respiratory irritants
