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Common Household Cleaning Products that Should Never Be Used Together

Common Household Cleaning Products that Should Never Be Used Together
August 30, 2019

Doing your household cleaning is something you don’t give much thought to. You have the tools and products to get certain jobs done, and clean away merrily looking forward to finishing the work. However, believe it or not, those common products you are using can create lethal combinations if you aren’t careful. Unless you had a strong desire to be a pharmacist as a teen, chances are you didn’t pay much attention in chemistry class. All the cleaning products you use contain safe combinations of chemicals. When you start experimenting to create your own combination, you could be creating a formula for disaster. With this in mind, we have put together a list of serious warnings for the products you should never use together!

Common Household Cleaning Products that Should Never Be Used Together

1. Bleach and vinegar

Both of these are such common products in most households. However, when these two things are combined, they create toxic chlorine gas. Used individually, they make excellent disinfectants, but together they actually burn your lungs and eyes simply by breathing in the toxic vapour they produce. Luckily, chlorine gas can be recognized by its pungent smell, which will act as a warning before the irritating odour can cause damage. If you doubt its potency, chlorine gas was used as a weapon in World War I.

2. Ammonia and bleach

Once again, bleach can be a culprit, this time when combined with ammonia. This combination creates toxic chloramine vapours. And it doesn’t just have to be straight up ammonia and bleach. Any products containing these ingredients can produce the same toxic vapours. Always read the labels of products before you try to create your own super cleaner. Beware of some forms of Windex that contain ammonia and products like Drano, which often contain bleach. If you aren’t careful, the results can be throat burns and respiratory damage. In fact, you could actually produce explosive liquid hydrazine! Proceed with caution.

3. Rubbing alcohol and bleach

A pattern seems to be forming with that potent bleach. In this case, the combination creates chloroform. We won’t get into the chemistry compounds that can lead to issues; just be safe in knowing you can suffer serious damage to your nervous system, eyes, lungs, skin, liver, and kidneys. Low levels can cause dizziness and nausea, while extreme levels can even result in death.

4. Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar

This combination creates peracetic acid, which is highly corrosive. This might explain why people are combining them for cleaning in the first place. However, the result will be highly corrosive and very irritating to the eyes, skin, throat, nose, and lungs.

5. Any two or more drain cleaners

Because you won’t know what is contained in each product, you can end up producing just about any of the toxic substances mentioned above. The major danger lies in the possibility of creating chlorine gas, which is not only bad when breathed in, but can also cause an explosion.

6. Mildew stain remover and bleach

This is another combination that can produce chlorine gas. As mentioned, it can be dangerous due to the risk of explosions while also causing irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

7. Bleach and toilet bowl cleaner

This combination will release toxic fumes leading to breathing issues and eye irritation.

8. Oven cleaner and bleach

This is yet another combination that will produce that troublesome, dangerous chlorine gas.

9. Dish detergent and bleach

This one might seem harmless, but there are dish detergents that contain ammonia. When combined with bleach, you will produce harmful toxic gas.

As you can see, bleach seems to pop up often on the list. It is best to stick to bleach use on its own to avoid issues. Some other basic safety rules include:

  • Never mix two different cleaning products together.
  • Try to stick to one drain cleaner in case there is residue left in the drain that might cause a reaction.

10. Bleach and lemon juice

What? You would think that something natural like lemon juice should be safe to use even when combined with bleach. Unfortunately, this combination can also create, you guessed it, chlorine gas.

11. Certain pesticides and water

Avoid watering down pesticides you use to rid yourself of bugs in the house. When combined with water, some pesticides will create deadly phosphine gas.

Combinations that Don’t Work

We’ve covered the products that could prove dangerous, but there are also some combinations that will result in producing a less effective cleaning solution. That means extra work for nothing. Here are the lazy cleaning combinations to avoid:

  • Antibacterials/Disinfectants and Detergent: This combination actually neutralizes the disinfectant properties in your cleaners, something you want to avoid, especially in the germ-filled bathroom.
  • Vinegar and Water (on Hardwood Floors): This is not only useless, but will also ruin your hardwood floors. You can dull the appearance of your floors and cause damage that will be very expensive to repair.
  • Castile Soap and Vinegar: These are two eco-friendly cleaners that, when combined, will create a horrifying curdled mess that you’ll have to clean up.

Although it can be tempting to create your own super powerful cleaning products, it is best to leave the chemistry to the experts. These tips will help you avoid serious health issues or explosive disasters. You will also avoid creating ineffective cleaners that will cause more harm than good.

If you want to play it safe, the cleaning team at Maid4Condos will clean your home safely using the right product to get the job done right. Click here to schedule your cleaning today!

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