| Combining bleach and the common household cleaner | | | | Products consisting of acids are vinegar, drain cleaner, |
| could result in extremely toxic chemicals. You've | | | | automatic dishwater detergent, and toilet bowl |
| probably heard this already, but continue to use bleach | | | | cleaners. Merge bleach and an acid, and the outcome |
| to clean with right before or after using products with | | | | is chlorine gas. People exposed to even the lowest |
| chemicals that react with bleach. Do you use bleach to | | | | levels of chlorine gas experience irritated nose, eyes, |
| clean with? If yes, do you know exactly which | | | | and throat, and eyes that feel like they're on fire. Chest |
| products interact with bleach? Chemical interactions | | | | pain, vomiting, pneumonia, and severe breathing |
| can cause the deadliest chemical combinations, | | | | difficulties could be the consequence of exposure to |
| because we cannot see the finished product. It would | | | | higher levels of chlorine gas. The highest level of |
| be normal to assume that if products are made to | | | | chlorine gas could cause death. Chlorine and |
| clean the house, they are compatible. This assumption | | | | hydrochloric acid are irritating to the skin. |
| could not be further than the truth. | | | | The products described in this article should constantly |
| Bleach, better yet, chlorine bleach is formulated with | | | | be kept away from children. Besides the fact that |
| the active ingredient sodium hypochlorite. Chemicals | | | | children don't understand the deadly concoction that |
| used to clean pools also contain sodium hypochlorite. | | | | these chemicals exude, the Poison Control Center |
| Remembering back to chemistry class, we may recall | | | | receives thousands of calls about these types of |
| that sodium hypochlorite reacts with drain cleaners, | | | | products. From a child drinking some variety of poisons, |
| acids, and ammonia. Mixing a combination as described | | | | to whether products that are mixed together seem to |
| produces a toxic gas. Bleach also reacts with | | | | be causing breathing symptoms, the Poison Control |
| hydrogen peroxide and some pesticides. | | | | Center would rather you take proper safety |
| Common examples of products that contain ammonia | | | | precautions. |
| include glass and window cleaners, some toilet bowl | | | | Proper safety precautions start with utilizing the |
| cleaners, exterior and exterior paints, and, yes, there's | | | | products wisely. While cleaning the different rooms in |
| ammonia in pet and human urine. Blend bleach and | | | | your house with more than one type of cleaner, be |
| ammonia, and the result are toxic gases, or | | | | sure to read labels. All household cleaning products |
| chloramines. People that are exposed to chloramines | | | | come with labels that present guidelines for usage. |
| may experience: shortness of breath, coughing, chest | | | | Keep different types of cleaning products away from |
| pain, wheezing, nausea, watering of the eyes, irritation | | | | each other, and use on at a time. This will ensure that |
| of the nose and throat, and/or pneumonia and fluid in | | | | chemicals that may cause a reaction are kept |
| the lungs. If you think that you've mixed the chemicals, | | | | separate and safe. Finally, gloves should be used when |
| and you're experiencing these symptoms, you need to | | | | handling any of the aforementioned products, |
| get to the hospital. | | | | especially bleach products. |