I’m sure you’ve often mixed household ingredients together to try out some cleaning hacks, right?
From baking soda and vinegar, to ammonia and bleach, vinegar-water solution and many more. But did you know that these household products should not be used together?
Well, here’s why!
20 Household Cleaning Products You Should Never Mix Together
1. Bleach and Oven Cleaner
Never mix these two household cleaning products together, as this combination can produce chlorine gas that can cause lung, throat, nose and even eye irritation.
2. Ammonia and Bleach
When ammonia and bleach are mixed together, it creates a strong smell, which when inhaled can result in respiratory issues and throat burns too.
3. A Mix of Drain Cleaners
Never mix different drain cleaners together (to help unclog your drain more easily). While it will not do its job well, it will release chlorine gas. Also, sometimes, it can lead to an explosion.
4. Castile Soap and Vinegar
When these two products are mixed together, while not toxic, the outcome is a chunky messy mixture that doesn’t come of any use in terms of its effects. The acidic vinegar simply breaks down the castile soap.
5. Bleach and Dishwashing Detergent
Mixing bleach with dishwashing detergent can be dangerous as the combination can result in the formation of toxic gas.
6. Detergents and Disinfectants
When disinfectants are mixed with detergents, it will not do any good, as the detergent neutralizes the effects of the disinfectant.
7. Bleach and Drain Cleaner
When mixed together, this combination mixture can create a chlorine gas which (the fumes) is very dangerous to human health.
8. Bleach and Glass Cleaner
When bleach is mixed with glass cleaner, it can produce harmful toxic chemicals. This is because glass cleaners contain ammonia.
9. Lemon Juice and Bleach
When lemon juice is mixed with bleach, it creases chlorine gas, which an be harmful to human health.
10. Water and Vinegar (as a hard wood floor cleaner)
While this combination isn’t dangerous for health, the vinegar-water can damage the floor (if used on hard wood floors), as it is acidic in nature and dull its appearance.
11. Water with Pesticides
Never mix a pesticide with water, as these products when combined can release a dangerous phosphine gas.
12. A Mix of Different Cleaning Products
Mixing different cleaning products isn’t advisable for a couple of reasons. Firstly, one may neutralize the effect of the other. Secondly, they can cause chemical reactions.
13. Bleach and Lysol
Never mix Lysol (disinfectant) with bleach, as the bleach will oxidize the 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol in the Lysol (or disinfectant) and can cause irritating and toxic compounds.
14. Vinegar and Baking Soda
One of the most common combinations! So mixing baking soda (a basic product), with vinegar (an acidic product), simply results in water. This doesn’t make the best cleaner. Whilst combing these two ingredients does generate some mighty impressive-looking bubbles that look like they should clean really well, in truth they don’t. Combining the two ingredients is not a good idea. It’s a waste of two green cleaning ingredients that work perfectly well independently of each other.
15. Toilet Cleaner and Bleach
Toilet cleaners are acidic in nature and when mixed with bleach, it can release toxic fumes that are dangerous to humans.
16. Rubbing Alcohol and Bleach
When these two products are combined, it can make chloroform! As you know, chloroform is not safe for humans and is toxic if inhaled.
17. Bleach and Vinegar
Most often, people consider this combination as a good disinfectant, but when mixed together, they release chlorine and chloramines gases which are toxic for humans and can cause eye, lung issues and chemical burs.
18. Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide
When these two substances are mixed together, they can form paracetic acid. This substance can be corrosive!
19. Bleach and Mildew Stain Remover
When these two products are combined, they produce chlorine gas, which can cause lung, throat, nose and eye irritation.
20. Bleach and Different Cleaning Products
Bleach must never be mixed with any cleaning products (like glass cleaners, toilet cleaners, dish cleaners, wood/floor cleaners etc.), as it can form chlorine gas which is harmful for human health, if it is inhaled.