What is the purpose of mixing HCl (hydrochloric acid) with NaClO (Sodium hypochlorite)??

Question

In bleaching process. What's the effect? Is it an oxidation-reduction reaction? Pls explain clearly....
Thx a lot!!!

Answer 1

They react to make Cl2;

Cl- + ClO- + 2H+ = Cl2 + H2O

This is actually an oxidation of the chloride and a reduction of the hypochlorite.

Chlorine itself is very reactive.