Household Cleaning Products You Must Never Mix

January 15, 2017 by admin


Chemical Cocktails to Avoid Bleaches, anti-bacterials, drain un-blockers, toilet bowl cleaners, kitchen cleaning sprays, window sprays, woah, the list of cleaning products on the market is endless.  We’re using them liberally in our homes and it’s inevitable that some could get mixed together.  Whilst often this mix of chemicals remains relatively harmless, there are times when we could be creating a potent mixture akin to something from Dr Frankenstein’s labs.  Here is a guide to some combinations which you will want to avoid.

Household bleach has long been a staple in many a cleaner’s arsenal and you’ll want to use it with plenty of ventilation.   Over-exposure to the fumes of this corrosive chemical can cause irritation to the eyes, mouth, lungs and skin, and those with asthma or breathing difficulties are especially susceptible.  However, worse still is combining bleach with other products:

Bleach and Ammonia

Mixing bleach and ammonia creates chloramine.  This is a toxic gas that can cause respiratory problems, throat burns and chest pain. (Ammonia is found in many glass and window cleaners.)

Bleach and Vinegar

Mixing an acidic product such as vinegar with your bleach releases toxic chlorine and chloramine vapours.  Both of these can cause burns and shortness of breath and should be avoided.

Bleach and Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is an effective cleaning product and is mild and non-toxic unless you mix it with bleach.  The two products create chloroform.  Yes chloroform, the chemical any self-respecting kidnapper carries in their kit-bag.   It can cause dizziness and nausea but at worst, can lead to damage to the eyes, lungs, skin, liver, kidneys, nervous system and even death!

 

Aside from the bleach combos, you should avoid the following chemical cocktails too:

Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide

Whilst both are fairly innocuous in their own right, combining them in a container will create peracetic acid.  In high concentrations, peracetic acid can irritate and damage skin, eyes, throat, nose and lungs.

Two or More Types of Drain Cleaner

You should never mix different makes or types of drain cleaner and only use the products following the instructions on the bottle, no matter how blocked your plugs are.  The potent mix can release chlorine and can even cause an explosion which could give you far more problems than your build-up of hair and soap scum.

Scary stuff.

For more advice on which cleaning products are safe to use, visit https://www.604maids.ca who have a wealth of knowledge in this area.

If you have any other product mixtures to avoid, send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll add the best ones. We’d love to hear from you!

Montpellier Maids

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