There are several household hygiene products and a good option is cleaning with bleach or bleach. For over 100 years, in most homes It is used as a powerful disinfectant and bleach par excellence. It is a chemical component that results from the dilution of sodium hypochlorite in water.
Bleach can remove stains, tartar, germs, bacteria and bad smells. However, despite its great benefits, mistakes are made every day that prevent it from taking full advantage of it and endanger the health of the cleaner or the entire family.
Mistakes to avoid when cleaning with bleach
This product is irritating and corrosive., so in this article, you will find out what you are failing at and what is the best way to use it to avoid risks. Keep reading!
1. Do not check the hypochlorite concentration
If you never pay attention to the labels on the products you use, you should know that reading them is essential. In addition to checking the expiration date, you will know if it is feasible to use them to disinfect.
The required concentration is between 5% and 6%. In this sense the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that there are other types of bleach available on the market that whiten or are intended only for washing colored clothes.
2. Mix with other products
Never mix bleach with other chemicalsas sink cleaners, alcohol, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, muriatic or sulfuric acid. This will cause chlorine gas or hypochlorous acid to leak; could cause burns or respiratory problems.
Caution is essential, as you may not be making an intentional blend, but some items you use interact with bleach and end up triggering reactions. This happens with limonene, a citrus-scented substance found in air fresheners, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items.
3. Do not dilute it in water
No doubt! The only thing you can mix bleach with is water. It’s not just an option, it’s a rule that allows you to prevent damage to your health without losing the desired action.
The proportion depends on the concentration, but generally, Half a glass of bleach is diluted in four liters of water. This way, if you want to use it to wash clothes, add four tablespoons to a liter of water, mix, soak the garment and rinse.
Specialists recommend having the indicated amount because more than necessary will not give you better results, but will expose you to dangers. Moreover, take into account the water temperature: cold or at room temperature is adequate.
Not hot, because hypochlorite evaporates very quickly when subjected to heat. As a result, it loses its disinfecting power and you don’t want that to happen.
4. Use the same water to clean with bleach for several days
A mistake that more than one makes is preparing water with bleach to last several days. The truth is that, after a few hours, bleach loses its properties by evaporation.
In addition, it acquires a very unpleasant smell. So it is better to prepare it whenever you need and with the required quantity.
5. Thinking your job is to clean
It is one thing to clean and quite another to disinfect. Bleach has a disinfectant functionso it’s essential to start your grooming routine with soap and water to pick up dust, clean dirt, and remove debris.
6. Gargle or drink it
Bleach is used to remove bacteria from objects, clothes, floors and surfaces; not of the human body. This chemical does not work to fight viruses or solve any health problems.
Many are unaware of this truth. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through a survey Conducted in mid-2020, it found that a third of respondents engaged in unrecommended high-risk practices intended to prevent viral transmission, including the use of bleach in food products.
7. Shower with bleach
Another practice to exclude is bathing with bleach, Well, it is not a bath soap but rather it is an irritating chemical when in contact with your skin and will lead you to suffer from dermatological diseases.
You will wonder why if you take a dip in a swimming pool, the water of which contains bleach or chlorine, nothing happens. The answer is simple: the concentration is minimal.
8. Clean fruits or vegetables with bleach
Fruits and vegetables are generally porous. So if you use a lot of bleach to wash them, it can seep into them or leave them soaked.
If you fear food contaminated by viruses or bacteria, the most suitable thing is to use vinegar with water to eliminate them. Soak them for a few minutes and voila.
however, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition suggests soaking them for 5 minutes in drinking water with a teaspoon of bleach (4.5 ml) for every 3 liters of water, then rinsing them thoroughly. Emphasize the importance of ensuring that it is suitable for disinfection of drinking water.
9. Use bleach for everything
Each item, piece of furniture, fabric or accessory in your home is made with different materials, with particular characteristics. Therefore, you cannot bleach clean everything in your path.
For example, stainless steel, some plastics, and aluminum are not compatible with bleachwhich is corrosive to such surfaces.
If you want to disinfect them, there are other chemicals that will help. In this way, knowing the products that are valid for cleaning everything is essential for them to remain in good condition and extend their useful life. The life of each of your goods depends on its proper maintenance and cleaning.
Tips for cleaning with bleach
Knowing the common mistakes when cleaning with bleach, we will tell you some tips that will be useful to control the risks of the product. Learn them!
protect yourself with gloves
Use gloves to avoid dryness, allergies, dermatitis or irritation of the hands. At the end of the toilet, remember to wash them very well inside and out.
Clean in ventilated spaces
Try not to inhale the gases that are released when cleaning with bleach. Try to always do this in a well-ventilated area and spend less time exposed to these harmful vapors. Open windows and doors to let drafts circulate.
Let it take effect!
Follow all the steps to work best with bleach, but removing it right away is like doing nothing. To disinfect effectively it is essential to spray or soak the item with the bleach mixture and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
Bleach cannot be kept within the reach of children, as it is very dangerous. It must be kept in a safe place.
Precautions when cleaning with bleach never hurt
Cleaning with bleach is usually very beneficial, as long as you do it in the safest way. Also, its conservation is a point of attention. Remember to always keep it out of the reach of children and pets, on a high ledge, difficult for them to access. It is preferable to keep it in a place where the sun’s rays do not reach.
On the other hand, never throw away water with bleach or any other cleaning chemicals you use on plants, because you will poison them. The consequences will be evident in the variation of the color of its leaves, as well as in its growth.
If you notice a reaction when cleaning with bleach, even if you follow all safety protocols, stop! You may be allergic to its components. Always consult a doctor and, to avoid problems, use household materials to disinfect, such as vinegar or lemon.
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