DIY cleaning chemical solutions might sound like a good idea when you are pressed for time and the pressure is on.
However, as we’re about to see, mixing hazardous industrial cleaning products together can result in some pretty dangerous situations.
Chemical cleaning products were in high demand during the Covid Pandemic, and this led some people to take matters into their own hands.
Toxic toilets
In October 2020, a man in Sheffield was hospitalised after accidentally creating a toxic cloud while cleaning his toilet.
He had mixed a limescale remover with bleach, causing a chemical reaction that filled his bathroom with potentially deadly chlorine gas.
The Sheffield resident (who turned out to be a chemistry teacher!) was luckily released without suffering serious injury.
Deadly dishwashers
In August last year, a man in Bristol sustained chemical injuries after inhaling chlorine gas he had formed while cleaning his dishwasher with a mixture of bleach and dish detergents.
These incidents might look like isolated cases but, unfortunately, they are not.
Ever since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Public Health England has reported an increase in toxic exposures to cleaning products, with poison centres and A&E departments across the UK seeing record rises in emergencies of this sort.
Most patients were exposed through using cleaners in excessive amounts, using chemicals that should be diluted (but were not), and mixing chemicals that should not be mixed.
Why to avoid mixing chemical cleaning products
The temptation to create DIY cleaning products is appealing because you can easily access the products needed to create them.
Most cleaning products contain alcohol, ammonia and bleach, as well as everyday products like vinegar.
Being a DIY mixologist might sound like a convenient and cheap solution, but it comes with its fair share of dangerous downsides – especially if you’re DIYing volatile chemicals.
10 Cleaning Chemical reactions to avoid
To make sure you stay safe, here is a list of ten cleaning chemicals and everyday products that should not be mixed under any circumstances.
1) Bleach + Ammonia = Toxic chloramine vapours
This combination can occur by accident because many cleaning products like dish detergents and glass cleaners contain ammonia.
Once mixed with bleach, ammonia produces toxic chloramine vapours, which can burn your eyes and respiratory system and, in the worst-case scenario, can lead to internal organ damage.
2) Bleach + Lemon Juice/ Mildew Stain Remover = Chlorine gas
Some DIYers might not know that mildew stain remover and lemon juice are acidic substances. For this reason, you should avoid mixing them with bleach – if you are not fond of irritated eyes, nose, throat and lungs, that is.
3) Bleach + Lysol = Breathing nightmare
When mixed with bleach, the disinfectant Lysol produces irritating and toxic chemical compounds that will make it hard to breathe at all.
4) Bleach + rubbing alcohol = Toxic chloroform
Rubbing alcohol products contain a high percentage of alcohol, ranging between 70% to 99%. Once mixed with bleach, such a highly concentrated dosage will produce chloroform, a toxic substance that is suspected to give cancer. Breathing enough chloroform will knock you out unconscious, while breathing too much can be deadly.
5) Bleach + Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Different brands of toilet bowl cleaners contain different types of acids and alcohol. Once combined with bleach, these products will release toxic fumes, resulting in watery eyes and severe breathing issues.
6) Bleach + vinegar = Toxic chlorine gas
Chlorine gas has been used in the past as a chemical warfare agent, so this is not something you want to produce or inhale. Chlorine attacks the skin, mucous membranes and respiratory system.
7) Two or more different drain cleaners
Depending on product brand and type, the chemical composition of drain cleaners can vary greatly. However, it is very likely that the drain cleaner you have bought from your local supermarket contains bleach. By now, you should know that bleach does not mix well with other substances. To avoid inhaling toxic fumes, it’s best to stick to only one drain cleaner at a time.
8) Vinegar + Hydrogen peroxide = Peracetic acid
Not only can peracetic acid irritate your eyes and nose, but this highly corrosive substance will give you a chemical burn when spilt on your skin.
9) Vinegar + Baking Soda = Volcanic eruptions
Mixing vinegar and baking soda is not dangerous per se and the by-products of this mixture, which include sodium acetate, water and carbon dioxide, are not toxic.
However, remember those volcanic eruptions at school? Unless you wish to replicate that very same reaction in your workplace, forget about mixing vinegar and baking soda.
10) Water + Certain Pesticides = Phosphine gas
Think twice before you combine a strong pesticide with water. This mixture can create phosphine, a toxic gas compound that interferes with the body’s utilization of oxygen, resulting in pulmonary illnesses and, if inhaled in great quantities, death.
Specify safe and reliable cleaning chemicals
A much safer alternative to homemade cleaning solutions is to purchase certified cleaning products, namely products that have been reviewed for health and safety standards.
Here in the UK, all cleaning products must be classified, labelled and packaged in line with the EU CLP Regulation (Brexit has not affected this requirement).
This means that hazardous cleaning products will display clear warning pictograms, indicating potential dangers such as corrosivity, flammability and toxicity.
To make an informed choice when purchasing cleaning products, you can familiarise yourself with the full list of hazard signs here.
We are available to offer any advice and support you need with these products. If you have large-scale requirements and seeking procurement advice, please do not hesitate to contact our team.
Photo by Spruce Refillable Cleaning on Unsplash