Life Hack: Cleaning products you should never mix together and why
Bleach Your That Products? Could Reaction With Toxic To Other Cleaning Cause Tempted A Mix
Thanks to social media, it is easy to find cleaning shortcuts and videos in seconds, but experts say viewers should be careful if considering mixing their cleaning products as it could harm their health.
When tackling challenging cleaning situations it may be tempting to mix your cleaning products for a greater impact but the combination of some common household cleaners can create harmful chemical reactions that could impact your health.
These toxic blends should be avoided — no matter how satisfying they seem on some viral videos.
“Cleaning videos tend to go viral online with a lot of people finding them very satisfying to watch,” said Ben Slater from Online-Bedrooms.
“Unfortunately there is actually some danger that these videos create and promote really harmful and acidic chemicals.
“Everyone should familiarise themselves with which cleaning products they should never mix to avoid accidentally creating dangerous combinations in their home which could be harmful to them and their families.
“Try to avoid mixing cleaning products altogether, if you accidentally mix a harmful combination, evacuate the home and get out into the fresh air.”
You should call 999 if you’ve inhaled the chemicals or are experiencing difficulty breathing or excessive coughing.
Here are some cleaning products you should never mix.
Bleach is a powerful disinfectant and can be found in many cleaning products as well as in bottles by itself. Similarly, vinegar is a great alternative and can tackle many cleaning conundrums. However, you should never be tempted to mix these staples for a more powerful cleaning agent as it creates a very toxic gas. Combining them creates chlorine gas that can lead to coughing, difficulty breathing and watery eyes.
Have you seen any satisfying cleaning videos where content creators clean their toilets by mixing bleach and other products? It may seem like it would be effective but mixing multiple products will not make your toilet any cleaner. Instead, it can be dangerous to mix bleach and other products as, again, it can create chlorine gas. Keep it simple and use only bleach or other toilet cleaners on their own to avoid breathing difficulties and other health concerns.
Ammonia is a great product for tackling issues like mildew and stubborn stains but much like vinegar, when mixed with bleach it is harmful and releases a toxic gas called chloramine, which can also cause chest pains and shortness of breath.
When dealing with blocked or smelly drains, there are lots of powerful drain cleaners available to use. While you might be tempted to use multiple drain cleaners to deal with blockages and odours more effectively, layering them can be very harmful. It is safer to use just one product and follow its instructions carefully.