Why not mix disinfectant with other cleaning products?

If you start cleaning and find yourself with stubborn stains or terrible dirt, it might be a good idea to mix several cleaning products. While you might think that the effects of several agents will add up to an effective combination, there are actually a number of dangers to dredging: irritation, poisoning or even explosion can result. Read on to find out why you shouldn't mix different cleaning products.

The mixing of certain ingredients in different cleaning products can produce toxic gases

Cleaning products are made up of chemical substances, and mixing certain chemical elements can trigger a reaction that can lead to the production of various gases, including toxic ones, or to an explosion. In this respect, bleach is one of the most dangerous ingredients, because when mixed with other cleaning products, even if they seem completely harmless, it can produce toxic gases. When mixed with another disinfectant, alcohol (in the hope that it will be more effective), chloroform is created, which can lead to fainting or other serious consequences.

The dangerous combinations

It is best to use all cleaning products on their own, but take particular care to avoid the following combinations:

• Bleach and vinegar: bleach (what most of us know as hypo) combined with any weak acid produces toxic gases, such as chlorine. Many people think that by combining the two they can get a more powerful substance, but the resulting toxic gas can cause severe burns, damage to the eyes and lungs, leading to coughing, burning eyes and, in the longer term, even more serious injuries.
• Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar: although mixing the two makes a seemingly effective, effervescent mixture, the end result is actually a harmless mixture of water and sodium acetate (a salt of acetic acid). This is because one is acidic and the other is alkaline, so they essentially cancel each other out. While there is no health risk in mixing the two, it is a time-consuming and unnecessary activity to clean up with such a fizzy, yet completely useless solution.
• Bleach (hypo) and ammonia: ammonia, like vinegar, does not combine well with bleach. When mixed, they produce a toxic gas, chloramine. Inhalation leads to shortness of breath and chest pains. Many cleaning products contain ammonia, some window cleaners contain pesticides, so it is not a good idea to mix these with bleach either. It is particularly worth bearing in mind that mixing large quantities of ammonia with bleach can result in an explosive mixture, which is obviously something to avoid.
• Drain cleaner and another drain cleaner: we all know that annoying feeling when your drain clogs and you can't seem to get it to finally clear. It's tempting to mix two buffalo-backed drain cleaners to make a super-buffalo-backed combination. Be warned, drain cleaners are made from strong chemicals and mixing them together can lead to explosions!
• Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar: both are popular cleaning agents, but when mixed together they create peracetic acid, a highly corrosive, irritating substance. This acid is irritating to the eyes and skin and, if inhaled, can damage the lungs. These two substances should therefore be used separately.
• Bleach and alcohol: home bleach contains sodium hypochlorite (hence the old name: hypo), which when mixed with alcohol forms chloroform. It also contains chloric acid and chloroacetone. Chloroform is a poisonous gas and, depending on the quantity, can damage the nervous system, eyes, skin, lungs, liver and kidneys, and in very high quantities can even cause death. But even small amounts cause nausea and dizziness.

Less is more

If you're cleaning, stick to one product, because less is definitely more in this case, and you're not putting yourself at unnecessary risk. Excellent results are best achieved without combining cleaning products.

Finally, here are some tips on how to avoid accidents caused by mixing:

• Never, ever mix bleach with anything: as described above, bleach reacts violently with even innocent home ingredients such as vinegar. Keep bleach away from all other cleaning products and read the instructions on the label.
• Look at the ingredients: if you do decide to turn your home into a chemistry lab and mix things up, be sure to read the warnings on the packaging and the ingredients list.
• Soap and water works great when you're running out of general home cleaning products: don't have any at home and don't want to run to the store? Soap is safe and cleans well.
• Choose effective, organic cleaning products: cleaning products such as CYCLE do not contain any substances that are harmful to the environment or health. And the acetic acid that forms the basis of CYCLE is extracted from biomass, so it's not enough to make your home perfectly clean, you're not polluting the environment.

So only use one product at a time to clean your home! But it's best to try and avoid harmful chemicals as much as possible, so sustainable, fully vegan CYCLE is an effective choice!