Work has severely dropped off the past three months so my drum of SH hasn’t seen much use. I had 10 gallons in my trailer tank today and it was so dead it didn’t even phase mildew spots on the flashing.
I had to break out the 12v for the whole house and even then it was struggling. I refilled my trailer tank tonight, has anyone had any luck adding a little lye powder to help preserve the strength? How about liquid sodium hydroxide?
I have twenty seven 15gal drums that will be sitting in a warehouse this winter because work dropped off so bad.
Hopefully I can use it next summer 
Sorry, but it is what happens to SH, it eventually breaks down into salts and water. If you add anything, you are just putting other stuff in there. Your best bet is to use it for something else. At the end of every season I use the remainder for river rock around my house and put some on my roof. I bottle a jug or two for inside cleaning of bathrooms.
All I have left is to finish staining a fence and maybe paint a silo if the estimate is accepted. I went from being super busy to dead. Couple of commercial inquiries.
Is it really that fast. I know a fella that got a couple barrels from January. Still using it with no problem.
I think it was purchased in July, all I know is what was left in the tank was almost ‘dead’, possibly same strength as shelf Chlorox. Hopefully the barrel stuff survived a little better.
After 4 months, especially if opened, I’ve seen significant deterioration
Don’t know if Elemonator would help at all? I thought the bottle said something about “chlora-boost” but it’s been a while since I’ve actually read the label.
Silly question but is there a meter or test to check for SH potency?
They sell test kits and I think I’ve seen strips you dip, but I don’t know how easy or accurate they are.
Short take, SH breaks down no matter what. You can slow the process, or more appropriately, not expedite the process, by storing it sealed, in a dark cool place. Sunlight and temps will break it down faster. After that it is the substances the get into your tanks, hoses, etc. that also help it degrade faster/quicker.
Doubtful that the guys SH lasts from January to October, the science says otherwise. I mean it is still SH, it will still work on stuff, but it is no where near 12.5 percent by then. As the percentage strength of SH decreases, so does the dilution rate. So after storing in perfect conditions for six months, you can’t use your normal chemical injector.
There are all kinds of test kits for SH, from strips to meters.
A really good a free test is to spray it on some green siding and see what it does 
From my own personal experience, if you keep it warm over the winter it will last.
Unfortunately, we usually have a little left over in carboys at the end of November. This season seems to have crapped the bed early, so we’ll see what happens to it by March.
I’ll wash my own house once it gets warm enough and see if its still usable.
Good news is that if it’s 6 or 7 percent l, it’s still good enough with the gold standard injector I’m using to work on houses, and I can still put it in my 12v setup and crank it from 3 to 6 to double the strength. As long as it’s not just straight sea water maybe I’ll be able to recoup some losses
Funny guy 
I forget who it was on here that said the test method is if you stick your finger in there and it burns a little its 15, if it tingles it’s 10, no tingly no good… Something along those lines. It is on this forum somewhere.
I was told if the bleach feels warm then it ‘s still good, but I’d like to have a better idea what percentage it is.
In a side note, I was in my local grocery store and had a look at the bleach bottles for the heck of it. I remember they used to be 1 gallon and were at 6%, now they have this Chlorox ‘concentrated’ at 2.7 quarts with 7.5%. The store brand was 3.7 quarts and 4.5%. Both were $7.
I have a feeling cool dark place is the way. We got a barrel three weeks ago. Haven’t touched it except opening and putting into 6 gal car boys and refilled our 20 gal tank. Just filled tank again. Used some on some houses. Seems like no difference in strength. So if it’s true and three weeks or around that area and it changes than the storage in cool dark place at least extends that.
We store our inside our building and have no issues with it being stored over winter. Being in the sun is what seems to kill it.
