You Can Make Your Own Germ Killer

It’s a potential game-changer, and I wish I’d known about it sooner.

Over the last few months, a disinfectant called hypochlorous acid (HOCl or HClO) has popped up occasionally when we talk about dealing with germs and emerging pandemics. It got a little bit of attention at the beginning of the 2020s. Since then, not many people talk about it very often, probably because attention has shifted away from fomite transmission (surfaces) to the need for better masks, better clean air technologies, and more access to both.

Now that we’re facing threats like H5N1 bird flu, Mpox, Marburg, and other viruses that last longer on surfaces, we need to bring fomites back into the conversation. It’s gaining attention in the food industry, where it’s recently been shown to outperform other methods. It kills salmonella, listeria, and E. coli, which is good news. Fortunately, HOCl can work on surfaces and in the air. There’s even some evidence that it can work as a therapeutic.

You can make it yourself.

First, let’s talk about virus tiers and why they matter:

The EPA breaks viruses down into three tiers, from weakest to toughest. Fortunately, viruses like Covid, Mpox, flu, and even Ebola fall into tier one. That means a standard solution of HOCl at .025 percent (250 ppm) can kill them. Disinfectants with strong concentrations of HOCl (500 ppm) can kill tier 3 viruses when you follow the instructions, which work about the same as any other chemical. You spray. You wait several minutes. You wipe. You relax.

You can also use HOCl to purify water, the same way you’d use bleach.

Medical researchers have known about HOCl for a while, but they’re still learning surprising new things about it. A 2024 study in Nature even found that a HOCl solution helped treat diabetic mice. Research has also linked excessive amounts of HOCl to some autoimmune disorders.

How sure are we that HOCl works?

Very sure.