PREP Water Question---Bleach Bottles?

Does anyone know of a reason why I couldn't used well-rinsed bleach bottles to store water in for washing purposes in an emergency? I've heard from a variety of sources not to use them for drinking water, but what would be the reason I couldn't use them as described? I hate to get rid of them as they seem useful.

Thanks!

I believe the plastic itself isn't healthy; look at the bottle, and their should be a number inside a triangle. Google what that number means.

mbabulldog said:

I believe the plastic itself isn't healthy; look at the bottle, and their should be a number inside a triangle. Google what that number means.

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While that's a worthwhile sentiment in a world with lots of choices, in a SHTF or hardship scenario, I would wash with water that had been stored in bleach bottles. I wouldn't wash for surgery, but general cleaning? You betcha!

Just to be clear, I don't use bleach in my daily life. That's a choice not about the plastic but about the bleach itself. I don't use chemicals in my home but use all natural cleaning and personal care products. I try to keep packaging and especially plastics to a minimum. I buy fresh foods locally - but I'm also a pragmatist and if things get tough, I'd rather have those empty bleach bottles full of water that could be used for washing *something* rather than having them in a landfill.

So - lofty ideas aside, when TSHTF, bleach bottles full of water may be a Godsend.

Karnie said:

While that's a worthwhile sentiment in a world with lots of choices, in a SHTF or hardship scenario, I would wash with water that had been stored in bleach bottles. I wouldn't wash for surgery, but general cleaning? You betcha!

Just to be clear, I don't use bleach in my daily life. That's a choice not about the plastic but about the bleach itself. I don't use chemicals in my home but use all natural cleaning and personal care products. I try to keep packaging and especially plastics to a minimum. I buy fresh foods locally - but I'm also a pragmatist and if things get tough, I'd rather have those empty bleach bottles full of water that could be used for washing *something* rather than having them in a landfill.

So - lofty ideas aside, when TSHTF, bleach bottles full of water may be a Godsend.

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Agree.

In a SHTF situation I don't see why not. When we lost water do to a power outage, I grabbed everything close to put some extra water in. I filled some 5 gallon buckets from the garage that I use for car washing, that type of thing. I didn't plan on drinking it, but for hand washing, or wiping up a spill, you wont want to waste valuable drinking water.

We also needed water to fill the toilet tank so we could flush.

Go ahead. For washing water the only drawback I see is that is is difficult to stack.

Years ago when the New Madrid Fault was getting attention in the news for the first time after a small tremor in Memphis, folks were told by the powers that be that bleach bottles were the perfect thing to keep water in since there was just enough residual bleach in an empty, unrinsed bottle to take care of any bacteria the water may contain. Til this day, when I empty one like I did today, I take it straight to the Berkey, fill it up, date it and stick it in the well shed. I wouldn't hesitate to use it to wash with and in a pinch would run it back through the Berkey and drink it. So far we've only used it for commode flushing and hand washing (newly filled bottles) but in a pinch would run it back through the Berkey and consume it. With a large creek and two wells on the property, I don't anticipate needing to but you never know.