Those with a chemistry background will tell you that mixing bleach and ammonia can create toxic chloramine gases and an explosive called nitrogen trichloride. Bleach is basically the same as sodium hypochlorite—but not when you calculate dilutions. Confusion can arise because what is labeled percent bleach is only three to six percent sodium hypochlorite.
In other words, if a lab protocol calls for 1 percent sodium hypochlorite, use 20 percent bleach. You need a higher percentage of bleach, about 20 percent, if you are using it with large amounts of organic materials, such as proteins and serums, as these tend to neutralize the bleach. Bleach is corrosive. An oxidative agent such as the component used in bleach [chlorine bleaches] will cause a chemical reaction called oxidation as it comes into contact with certain stains, certain germs or other organisms, according to How Stuff Works.
When it comes to the effectiveness of bleach against germs, viruses, and bacteria in an indoor environment, this powerful disinfectant will provide a high efficiency of kill or deactivation of these pathogens. According to the World Health Organization WHO , the active ingredient in bleach sodium hypochlorite is an effective agent in killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, including influenza virus — but it is easily inactivated by organic material.
The bleach disinfectant is said to disinfect a surface inside of a home within 10 to 60 minutes after initial contact time. Therefore, it is important to allow the bleach to sit on the surface after applying it to disinfect, rather than wiping it down to prevent bleach fumes in the indoor environment.
The commonly used chlorine bleach in homes, can be used and deployed in a variety of methods to clean and disinfect the surfaces in this indoor personal space. Chlorine bleach is a water solution of sodium hypochlorite that can be used as a household laundry bleach to whiten and disinfect clothing material.
This has long been a popular use of bleach, since it gives the power of revitalizing and ridding stains off of garments quickly while disinfecting the material as well. Additionally, bleach can also be used for disinfecting an array of surfaces in a home to help protect the indoor space from pathogens that have settled on these surfaces in the indoor environment, according to the American Chemistry Council. Today, more than ever, American households are depending on and utilizing bleach in their personal indoor environments to help eradicate potential viruses and bacteria that have found their way into this indoor space.
Bleach can not only be used in households across the world but also in commercial spaces, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and day care facilities to help prevent the spread of infection in these higher risk environments.
This disinfectant is a highly utilized product due to its high effectiveness in inactivating pathogens and its inexpensive price tag. However, like any product, bleach has its downsides — which will include its ability to produce strong bleach fumes into the air of an indoor space that can lead to irritating symptoms to those individuals exposed to this chemical smell in the air.
The application process of using bleach in your personal indoor environment to disinfect surfaces can be an easy task, but one that can also produce some potential toxic conditions to this indoor space.
When bleach is applied to the surfaces in your home, there can be several routes of potential exposure to this disinfectant chemical agent for those individuals exposed to this indoor space. It is important to be aware of the many causes of bleach exposure, which can include the following; aerosolized by spray, immersion direct or splash , ingestion, and aspiration. The overall toxicity of bleach in an indoor environment will depend on the amount of bleach that was applied and where in the indoor space the bleach was directly applied.
Where you store it. Sunlight and heat will cause it to degrade faster. Ideally, bleach should be stored in a cool, dark place out of the reach of children for example, in a locked cabinet to prevent curious kids from accessing it.
You know that oh-so-familiar bleach odor that lingers after you twist the top off the jug? Since bleach turns into mostly saltwater when it degrades, you can safely pour it down the toilet. By properly using household chlorine bleach, you can help ensure that common surfaces in your home are virus-free, especially as we continue in the fight to control the spread of COVID Without proper disposal, ingredients in bleach may remain active, causing environmental damage.
The disposal of bleach is regulated by the federal government and must follow certain guidelines. A bottle that contains less than five gallons of bleach can be poured into the sink or flushed down the toilet as long as your home is connected to a municipal sewer system; be sure to run water in the sink to help degrade remaining sodium hypochlorite quickly.
If you have more than five gallons of bleach to get rid of, or if your home is not connected to a municipal sewer system, you must contact a waste disposal company. The disposal company will either come to your home for significant quantities or have you drop off the bleach at their facility for disposal. Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY.
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