| Few of us will have got through our lives without | | | | Cons: |
| knowing what chlorine smells like. Most public swimming | | | | 1. Chlorine can be fatal if the gas in inhaled. You know |
| pools - and nearly every private pool bigger than a | | | | how the fumes from swimming pools smell. You need |
| toddler's paddling pool - usually have chlorine added. In | | | | to be very careful when using chlorine in a small |
| many places, chlorine is added to the water as a | | | | enclosed space where you are likely to have your |
| disinfectant. | | | | head down low - the typical example would be if you |
| However, chlorine does have its "dark side" and can | | | | are cleaning around the outside of a toilet. Chlorine gas |
| be extremely dangerous if mishandled. Should you | | | | is heavier than oxygen and sinks to the bottom of the |
| have chlorine bleach in your household? Read the pros | | | | room, and if the room is poorly ventilated, you can get |
| and cons and decide. | | | | in trouble. |
| Pros: | | | | 2. Chlorine is lethal when mixed with other house |
| 1. Chlorine is extremely effective as a bleach. A good | | | | cleaning products. Never, ever mix any chlorine based |
| soak in a solution of chlorine bleach (not concentrated | | | | product with an ammonia based product, as the two |
| bleach - that's too tough on materials) will completely | | | | will combine to make ammonium chloride, which was |
| strip most stains from white cottons (the exceptions | | | | used in chemical warfare in the trenches of WWI. This |
| that this writer has encountered have been oil stains, | | | | gas reacts with the mucous membranes of the throat, |
| and grass stains on cricket whites). Be careful what | | | | eyes and lungs to become the highly corrosive |
| you soak in chlorine bleach. It strips colour completely, | | | | hydrochloric acid. Those of you who have read |
| so chlorine should never come near coloured items. | | | | Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum" will have |
| Also read the care labels on anything that isn't cotton | | | | read a description of the effects of inhaling this gas. |
| to check for "do not use chlorine bleach" warnings. | | | | You probably need to be careful when soaking |
| However, this bleaching action of chlorine makes it | | | | nappies in a chlorine solution, as urine can give off a bit |
| suitable for adding creative effects to darker coloured | | | | of ammonia, but as long as you're not using straight |
| cotton clothing, e.g. acid-washing or reverse tie-dyeing | | | | chlorine bleach or too strong a solution, and you |
| denim jeans. | | | | change the solution daily, you shouldn't have any |
| 2. Chlorine is a very effective germ-killer. It is three | | | | problems - this writer didn't). |
| times as effective as bromine at killing nasties like E. | | | | 3. Chlorine is an irritant on your skin - many people |
| coli, and is six times as effective as chlorine. This is | | | | often complain of itchiness and dry, flaky skin after |
| why chlorine is added to water supplies and to | | | | swimming in a chlorinated swimming pool. Chlorinated |
| swimming pools to prevent infections and water-borne | | | | water can also have an interesting effect when it |
| diseases. It also kills amoebas and viruses as well as | | | | comes in contact with bleached blonde hair (which |
| bacteria. | | | | includes hair bleached by the sun) as it can form a |
| This germ-killing and whitening ability makes chlorine | | | | greenish deposit on the hair that is very noticeable in |
| very good for soaking cloth nappies made from | | | | lightened hair. While a chlorine bleach solution is very |
| towelling or bleach (and chlorine bleach is usually | | | | effective at getting inkstains off your hands, you need |
| cheaper than the oxidisation powders often sold for | | | | to rinse it off well and use a rich hand cream |
| whitening nappies). It is also useful for killing germs | | | | afterwards. If you use chlorine for general domestic |
| around the toilet and in bathroom surfaces. Because | | | | cleaning, use rubber gloves. |
| chlorine does not bleach the colour out of plastics, it is | | | | Chlorine-based gases are implicated in the destruction |
| very good for cleaning things like shower curtains. In | | | | of the ozone layer and as a greenhouse gas. The |
| solution, it can also be used to clean the insides of | | | | most notorious offenders are CFCs |
| fridges and microwave ovens, but you will need to | | | | (chlorofluorocarbons) in aerosols. Some of these are |
| rinse well afterwards. | | | | released by household bleach. |