Can You Mix Clorox And Vinegar?
You cannot and should not mix Clorox with vinegar, regardless of both assisting in cleaning and dealing with mold and fungi. This is because these two mixtures are quite strong in their nature, and mixing them always results in the creation of a poisonous gas i.e., chlorine which is known to be hazardous for one’s health.
The bleach is a chemical that, when mixed in vinegar, causes the chlorine in Clorox and acetic acid from vinegar to react with one another to create a potentially deadly chlorine gas.
By the way, if you’re interested in How To Preserve Food, check out my article on that.
Mixing bleach with acid like vinegar produces chlorine gas, a toxic chemical that can be lethal at high levels. Do not mix bleach with vinegar, because the acetic acid will produce a similar reaction, producing the harmful chlorine gas. No, mixing bleach and vinegar in your washing machine does not work, as chlorine from Bleach and vinegar reacts with acid from Vinegar.
| Can You Mix Clorox And Vinegar | Side effects of Clorox |
| You cannot and should not mix Clorox with vinegar, regardless of both assisting in cleaning and dealing with mold and fungi | Vomiting, nausea |
| This is because these two mixtures are quite strong in their nature, and mixing them always results in the creation of a poisonous gas i.e., chlorine which is known to be hazardous for one’s health | Stomach irritation |
It is important to note that mixing bleach and vinegar in your washing machine does not mean that you can use the two chemicals together to wash your clothes. It is okay to use both vinegar and bleach for cleaning and sanitizing, as long as you wash surfaces thoroughly with water before switching products. To use bleach and vinegar separately, one after the other, fully rinse the first cleaning agent off the surface with water and dry it off before applying the other, so that neither of them can mix together and release chlorine gas. Similar to mixing vinegar and bleach, you should never mix bleach and ammonia together, or you will be exposed to the chlorine gas that results, which can be extremely dangerous.
If you are exposed to chlorine gases that come from mixing bleach and vinegar, and the concentrations of gas are high enough, you could get pneumonia right away as gas gets into your lungs. The risk for exposure to chlorine gas remains the same if water-diluted bleach is mixed with vinegar. The release of a significant amount of chlorine gas occurs when a high volume of vinegar and bleach are combined.
Chlorine gas may also be released when bleach is mixed with urine, for example, while cleaning an area around the toilet, or while cleaning stains from pets. Bleach mixed with ammonia creates chloramine gas, which can lead to chest pains and shortness of breath. If you combine bleach with ammonia, you are exposed to chloramine gas, whose effects can range from minor irritation to sudden pneumonia and death.
This mix is dangerous because combining bleach with ammonia results in highly toxic chloromine gases. This is because combining will not react as well as it does to produce toxic gases such as chloramine, as it does with other cleaning agents. Instead of creating a solution, Mixing will produce toxic gases which can potentially blow up in your washing machine. Even if mixing is extremely dangerous, the vapors produced from the reaction could spread through your home.
When bleach is mixed, it releases toxic chlorine gas, essentially serving as a means of waging chemical warfare against your own self. When bleach is combined with other substances, it becomes much more dangerous than if used by itself. Bleach oxidizes 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol, which is found in the disinfectant Lysol, producing a variety of irritating and toxic compounds.
Chlorine bleach contains sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), but since it is dissolved in water, the chemical exists as hypochlorous acid (HOCl). When powdered or liquid chlorine bleach is mixed with acid – vinegar (acetic acid) in this case – the sodium hypochlorite turns to hypochlorous acid, which releases chlorine gas into the surrounding air. Hypochlorite ions are less effective as oxidizers than hypochlorous acids, which is why some people intentionally reduce bleach pH levels in order to boost the chemicals oxidizing powers, although the result is the production of chlorine gas.
Some people intentionally add vinegar to bleach to make it more acidic to make it a stronger disinfectant. Peroxide and vinegar are strong disinfectants, so some might think mixing the two together (just as mixing bleach with baking soda is a surefire way) would make it stronger. Mixing hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is not toxic, meaning a fine mist of both of these things on a surface is not toxic.
Vinegar has become a favorite of those who wish to avoid chemical cleaners, but should not be mixed with hydrogen peroxide (keep in mind, that many OxiCleanTM products do contain hydrogen peroxide). The exact ingredients in Pine-Sol are trade secrets, closely guarded by The Clorox Company, but it is possible to guess that Pine-Sol contains acids or alcohols which react negatively with bleach, producing chlorine gas or chloroform. Some experts suspect the problem ingredient inside Pine-Sol (and why its warning label advises against mixing with bleach) may be glycolic acid.
To learn about How To Preserve Garlic, check out my article where I cover everything you need to know.
Mixing is a common mistake that many people make when cleaning, and experts have long warned that mixing any acid with bleach can create a toxic gas. Even if you are not intentionally mixing bleach and vinegar, there are cases where you may accidentally mix strong home cleaning products while doing routine housework. Keep reading to learn the facts on what happens when you mix bleach and vinegar, and how using these cleaners properly could help you avoid making the dangerous, all-too-common error.
Now that you are aware of the potential dangers of mixing bleach with other popular cleaning chemicals, I hope that you will turn to chlorine bleach only when needed, and that you will use it with extreme safety precautions. You may wonder why I ever recommend using a strong chemical cleaner such as chlorine bleach. If you disinfected a certain area in your house or business using bleach, then do not then put a soap that contains ammonia directly over top of that bleached surface.
The vinegar-to-washables mix, along with the bleach in your washing water, could release chlorine gas in the washing machine, and you would be at risk for exposure while you were taking off a load of laundry. If you decide to bleach your grout, be sure that no other cleaning ingredients remain (such as vinegar) before applying. Peeing in a bathroom still containing bleach can result in spitting out a bit of the bleach on your skin.
Isopropyl Alcohol is another excellent disinfecting cleaning ingredient in itself, and although it can be used effectively with other cleaning ingredients (dish soap, white vinegar), it should never be combined with bleach. If bleach is combined with ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, or solutions or products containing these substances, the reaction will create chloroform, which can be dizzying at low doses, and at higher concentrations, may lead to unconsciousness and even death. At lower pH levels (which is what you get from adding vinegar or toilet bowl cleaner), mixing will encourage chlorine gas to form.
Can you clean with vinegar and Clorox bleach?
You should never clean with vinegar and Clorox bleach. Combining chlorine bleach (which contains sodium hypochlorite), and an acid like vinegar can create the poisonous chlorine gas, which is a dangerous chemical that can be deadly if inhaled in high volumes.
What to do if I accidentally mixed Clorox bleach and vinegar?
If you have accidentally mixed Clorox bleach and vinegar, you should immediately leave the place. This is because the emission of chlorine gas from the vinegar and bleach mixture can be hazardous to inhale. If you experience any burning in your eyes or irritation in your skin, you should immediately seek medical attention.
Can you mix things with bleach?
This combination can be irritating and toxic, even if it does not cause you to pass out. Make it a rule never to mix bleach with anything other than plain water. Other products, such as window and toilet bowl cleaners, may contain components such as acids or ammonia. Make sure you should not mix them with bleach.