Why Mixing and Matching When Cleaning Your House with Chemicals is A Bad Idea

Keeping your house clean and tidy can significantly contribute to your well-being. Whether it's the smell of freshly cleaned floors or the feel of new sheets on your bed - a clean house helps you relax, keeps you comfortable and healthy, and sets you up to enjoy your little moments at home, doing what you love.

While cleaning is a crucial task in our everyday life, you should understand the risks and hazards involved, especially when using multiple harsh chemicals for cleaning. This article explores some of the dangers of mixing these chemicals and explains why they are harmful to your health.

Bleach

Bleach can be a highly effective disinfectant for cleaning various surfaces in a house, such as windows and floors. It can also help to remove bacteria and viruses lurking around your home using its high chemical reactivity. However, the same property makes bleach very dangerous when mixed with many other substances.

What Not to Mix with Bleach

• Ammonia. One of the most common occurrences of poisoning caused by mixing cleaners is when bleach and ammonia are combined. When mixed, the two compounds react and form chlorine gas and chloramines, which can be fatal if inhaled in large quantities. 
• Vinegar: Another dangerous combination is bleach and vinegar. The latter is often used for cleaning windows, floors, and other surfaces prone to mineral deposits. On its own, each substance performs very well. When combined, they release highly toxic chlorine gas. 
• Rubbing alcohol: This highly concentrated alcohol solution is great for degreasing surfaces and removing stains. But never mix it with bleach - together, they release chloroform, a harmful chemical.

Vinegar

For homeowners who want a more eco-friendly, affordable, yet effective solution for cleaning, vinegar is a fantastic choice. It degreases, removes mineral deposits, gives shine to chrome and glass, and removes odours and stains. However, it should never be mixed with other active cleaners, as they react and form toxic gasses.

You can mix vinegar with water, baking soda, or salt. However, be careful not to combine it with bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or other cleaning agents.

Mix It Yourself Window Cleaner

The DIY trend and its many benefits have encouraged homeowners to create their cleaning supplies. However, if you are not confident about what kind of substances you are combining, don’t do it.

For dirty windows, average store-bought window cleaning sprays might sometimes be ineffective. Try applying steam, soaking the windows with warm water, or using professional cleaning solutions.

Chemical Solution

In a nutshell, mixing cleaning substances can be dangerous for your health. When you use the wrong combinations, you can be exposed to irritating gasses that affect your skin, eyes, and airway or even endanger your life. Some DYI cleaning solutions and methods can also cause damage to your home.

The safest choice is to purchase products specifically formulated for the type of surface you want to clean and the type of dirt you need to remove. For professional window cleaning supplies and detergents, visit Window Cleaning Online, the leading online store in Australia.