They also have tabs (Javel) in Migros and Coop, these are great for toilets, sinks etc and are easy to store and perfect if you have kids as have safety lid.

Coop have also started selling white vinegar which is great for cleaning, you can find it with the English foods (pickle, marmite, bisto etc).

to find a bottle of domestos would be bliss

I get a 2L white plastic bottle of Javel - Axxel - classic (same as UK thin bleach) at Manor in Basel. I use it for cleaning and laundry.

We had to same question when we arrived as we do like a little clorax bleach in our wash. After many trips to the grocery, we finally found someone that introduced us to javel. I agree if can be a bit strong, but I find it works well. Wish I had known about the English Forum then!

They are two different things.

Household bleach (drains, washing , cleaning etc) - sodium hypochlorite.
and Hydrogen Peroxide (Hair , piercings etc)

Just bought the 2.5% Javel. Hopelessly weak and not up to the job

So go to a droguerie and get the 5% version and end of story. You may need to ask for it.

Link: http://yellow.local.ch/fr/q/Gen%C3%A8ve/Droguerie.html

It exists in different concentrations, the heavy stuff in France would be just chlor, more or less forbidden in supermarkets for security reasons. Javel is just chlor with water, totally right, but the % depends on the latest fashion in domestic safety culture, it changes regularly.

All a bit bizarre if you ask me; having to buy bleach at the chemist but we will roll with it

Had this thread a while back. Javel is horrible. After having Clorox for whites or other household issues you can't go back. We bought a bleach in Italy (can't remember the name), made by P&G and it works ok. Better than Javel. I think there might be some law or regulation I remember seeing that Clorox strength bleach is not allowed to be sold here.

Procter uses the ACE brand name in Italy for a number of cleaning products - one of them being a bleach.

Since the bleach question comes up fairly often, I thought I would add a photo of what the bottle of 5% Javel looks like.