One of the few pluses of being stuck at home for extended periods of time (and having to face a pandemic) for the last two years is that we’re more aware of the value of keeping our living space clean and dirt-free.

But even though you might be working harder to keep up with tasks like cleaning mould (especially in light of the recent high humidity and wet weather), cleaning experts advise against mixing two common household cleaners.

Bleach and vinegar are common household cleaners that kill germs, get rid of stains, and cut through dirt. Despite the fact that many people have both of these cleaners in their homes, experts strongly advise against mixing them because the resulting solution could be hazardous, and even potentially 'lethal'.

These two substances combine to release poisonous chlorine gas. Chlorine gas inhalation can be extremely dangerous, and effects usually manifest within seconds to minutes.

Following exposure to chlorine gas, the following symptoms are most frequently experienced: eye and skin irritation, chest tightness, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, and irritation of the airways.

Australian homeowners are being warned about a potentially 'lethal' cleaning risk. Credit: Facebook/Sciencenotes.org.​

On a well-known Facebook page, a concerned homeowner posted the expert advice as a "public service announcement," advising fellow home cleaners to exercise caution.

"With everyone experiencing mould issues at the moment, it feels like a good time to remind everyone that this combination can have lethal consequences," the mum wrote on the Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia Facebook page.

Many members of the group admitted that they were not aware of the potential risks associated when bleach and vinegar are combined.

"Didn't know that fact, thank you!" one user wrote in the comments. A second one agreed and added, "I never knew this either, wow…"

Some even revealed that they have been combining the two cleaning products for some time now. "OMG, I do this all the time," one user wrote, with a second one chiming in, "Oh great, I just did this a week ago while pregnant."

There are also others who shared that they found out about the dangers of chlorine gas the hard way…

"I did this once. I thought I was going to die!" one person recalled, with a few others following suit and sharing their terrible experiences.

In actuality, bleach serves as a disinfectant rather than a cleaner. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto.​

It's also a bad idea to combine bleach and vinegar in your washing machine. When you remove the clothes from your washing machine, there is a possibility that chlorine gas will be released as well. It might even leave some residue on your clothing!

Experts advise that it's best to wait several loads after using bleach in your laundry before following with vinegar.

And it's not just vinegar – there are also other household cleaners that you need to be careful when combining with bleach.

Chlorine gas can also be produced when bleach and ammonia interact. Bleach also has the potential to react with insecticides, oven cleaners, and even hydrogen peroxide.

When incorporating bleach into your routine, you must first use a cleaner to scrub and rinse the surface before using bleach to disinfect. When you use bleach, you need to do it safely. Here are a few pointers to follow:

• To make cleaning safer, mix bleach with water. You can put it in your washing machine and let the water dilute it as the machine fills. When diluting bleach, 1 tablespoon of bleach to 3.5 litres of water is the right amount.
• The bleach will work best if you clean the area first. First, clean the surface with a cleaner, and then use the bleach solution to kill germs. Let the bleach solution sit on the surface for at least five minutes, then rinse it off and let it dry on its own.
• If you mix bleach with hot water, chlorine gas can be released, so be careful about the temperature of the water when you rinse it off.
• When you use bleach to clean or disinfect, make sure there is enough airflow, and store it in a safe place where children can't get to it.

Watch the video below for more details on other cleaning product combinations you should absolutely avoid.

Credit: Clean with Confidence.​

 

[Ricci]

I can't think of a situation where I would even consider combining the two. Certainly a dangerous combination.

 

[lozat54]

One of the few pluses of being stuck at home for extended periods of time (and having to face a pandemic) for the last two years is that we’re more aware of the value of keeping our living space clean and dirt-free.

But even though you might be working harder to keep up with tasks like cleaning mould (especially in light of the recent high humidity and wet weather), cleaning experts advise against mixing two common household cleaners.

Bleach and vinegar are common household cleaners that kill germs, get rid of stains, and cut through dirt. Despite the fact that many people have both of these cleaners in their homes, experts strongly advise against mixing them because the resulting solution could be hazardous, and even potentially 'lethal'.

These two substances combine to release poisonous chlorine gas. Chlorine gas inhalation can be extremely dangerous, and effects usually manifest within seconds to minutes.

Following exposure to chlorine gas, the following symptoms are most frequently experienced: eye and skin irritation, chest tightness, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, and irritation of the airways.

Australian homeowners are being warned about a potentially 'lethal' cleaning risk. Credit: Facebook/Sciencenotes.org.​

On a well-known Facebook page, a concerned homeowner posted the expert advice as a "public service announcement," advising fellow home cleaners to exercise caution.

"With everyone experiencing mould issues at the moment, it feels like a good time to remind everyone that this combination can have lethal consequences," the mum wrote on the Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia Facebook page.

Many members of the group admitted that they were not aware of the potential risks associated when bleach and vinegar are combined.

"Didn't know that fact, thank you!" one user wrote in the comments. A second one agreed and added, "I never knew this either, wow…"

Some even revealed that they have been combining the two cleaning products for some time now. "OMG, I do this all the time," one user wrote, with a second one chiming in, "Oh great, I just did this a week ago while pregnant."

There are also others who shared that they found out about the dangers of chlorine gas the hard way…

"I did this once. I thought I was going to die!" one person recalled, with a few others following suit and sharing their terrible experiences.

In actuality, bleach serves as a disinfectant rather than a cleaner. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto.​

It's also a bad idea to combine bleach and vinegar in your washing machine. When you remove the clothes from your washing machine, there is a possibility that chlorine gas will be released as well. It might even leave some residue on your clothing!

Experts advise that it's best to wait several loads after using bleach in your laundry before following with vinegar.

And it's not just vinegar – there are also other household cleaners that you need to be careful when combining with bleach.

Chlorine gas can also be produced when bleach and ammonia interact. Bleach also has the potential to react with insecticides, oven cleaners, and even hydrogen peroxide.

When incorporating bleach into your routine, you must first use a cleaner to scrub and rinse the surface before using bleach to disinfect. When you use bleach, you need to do it safely. Here are a few pointers to follow:

• To make cleaning safer, mix bleach with water. You can put it in your washing machine and let the water dilute it as the machine fills. When diluting bleach, 1 tablespoon of bleach to 3.5 litres of water is the right amount.
• The bleach will work best if you clean the area first. First, clean the surface with a cleaner, and then use the bleach solution to kill germs. Let the bleach solution sit on the surface for at least five minutes, then rinse it off and let it dry on its own.
• If you mix bleach with hot water, chlorine gas can be released, so be careful about the temperature of the water when you rinse it off.
• When you use bleach to clean or disinfect, make sure there is enough airflow, and store it in a safe place where children can't get to it.

Watch the video below for more details on other cleaning product combinations you should absolutely avoid.

Credit: Clean with Confidence.​

You don’t need to be a ‘cleaning expert’ to know this, it’s simple science & I would have thought common knowledge that’s you don’t combine cleaning products!!

 

[Noraya]

Lucky I simply hate the smell of bleach, so NEVER use it!