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Water · Formula · Book recipe 12.1

Ascorbic acid to dechlorinate water and supply vitamin C

Ascorbic acid powder gives you a shelf-stable vitamin C source and a simple way to neutralize chlorine in treated drinking water.

Member articleHandle with careWorks without power

How it works

Dissolve
Daily vitamin C
Pinch / quart
Fresh water

Inside this article

What you'll need
Steps
Warnings
Storage and shelf life

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  • The method at a glance: dissolve, then daily vitamin c, then pinch / quart, then fresh water
  • The exact numbers: supplement, de-chlorinate, max / day, when, store
  • The full materials list (1 items, with grades and substitutes)
  • The 2-step method, with every measurement in the step
  • The hazard box and the caution notes: what never to mix it with and when to stop
  • Storage and shelf life for the raw compound and the finished mix
  • A printable one-page PDF of this article

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Prefer paper? This is Recipe 12.1, page 72, in Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

How do I remove chlorine taste from treated water?

A tiny amount of food-grade ascorbic acid powder reacts with chlorine and chloramine, turning them into harmless compounds and removing the chemical taste. It also cancels the disinfectant, so it belongs only in water that is already safe.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How much ascorbic acid powder equals 1000 mg of vitamin c?

A small kitchen-spoon measure of the powder covers a full daily supplement dose, and far less than that prevents deficiency, so a modest supply stretches a long way.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Can I add vitamin c to stored water ahead of time?

No. Ascorbic acid neutralizes chlorine and iodine, which removes their ability to kill pathogens, so it should never go into water that still needs disinfecting. Dissolved powder also loses potency quickly, so mix it fresh.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How long does ascorbic acid powder last?

Kept dry, dark, and sealed with a desiccant, the powder keeps for years and slowly loses strength instead of becoming unsafe. Yellowing signals oxidation and lower potency, not toxicity.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Does vitamin c neutralize bleach in drinking water?

Yes. Ascorbic acid reacts with chlorine and chloramine in treated water and converts them into harmless compounds. Because that also ends the disinfecting action, it is a finishing step for taste, not part of treatment.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Keep going

Read nextImprove the taste of treated or stored water (baking soda)Chemically treated water is safe but often tastes so unpleasant that people avoid drinking enough of it, and dehydration becomes a real risk when people refuse water because of the taste.Water · Formula

Related to this

Compounds and Cleaning · Compound Ascorbic Acid Shelf life: 5 to 10 years. Storage: Sealed, with desiccant. 5 TO 10 YEARS Water · Formula Purify water with calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) Stock: ~1,000 ppm; Dose: 1 tbsp stock / gal; Wait: 30 minutes Hazardous Water · Formula Purify water with Lugol's iodine (2%) Clear water: 5 drops / quart; Cloudy/cold: 10 drops / quart; Per gallon: 20-40 drops Handle with care Medical · Formula Citric acid for mineral absorption When your diet depends heavily on grains, beans, and preserved foods, you may be eating enough minerals but absorbing far less than you think. Handle with care
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Water · FormulaSource: Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Recipe 12.1, p. 72 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

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