NEVER mix these detergents or disinfectants, word of chemistry!

    NEVER mix these detergents or disinfectants, word of chemistry!

    Cleaning and disinfecting the house is undoubtedly important, but you have to be very careful. Even the most natural possible products are made of chemical compounds, which, by their nature, react. So mixing some is not a good idea, because these reactions could be very dangerous (and in general it is better to avoid "experiments")



    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

    Detergents and disinfectants, even natural ones, are chemical compounds, which by their nature react, and therefore must be used with care. In addition, with the Covid-19 pandemic, some disinfectants such as household hygiene products have also spread, in turn more or less reactive chemical composites, which must be used with a grain of salt to avoid unpleasant if not dangerous accidents.



    First of all, it is good to know what the most common detergents are chemically, which have now very common trade names:

    • Bleach (also called varecchina) - Chemically sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), it is corrosive, harmful to skin and eyes and lethal if ingested.
    • Ammonia (NH3) - Not everyone knows that this substance is actually a gas, so what we buy, usually at 5% - 10%, is actually gas dissolved in water. It is corrosive and toxic.
    • Caustic soda - Chemically sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is the basis of the products used to eliminate fat deposits in drains and ovens. It is corrosive and can damage skin and eyes on contact. The fumes from the reaction with fats are also dangerous if inhaled.
    • Muriatic acid - Chemically hydrochloric acid (HCl), it is the basis of products for cleaning the bathroom to avoid the need for a long rinse. It is corrosive and toxic.

    Here, all these very common detergents are very reactive molecules, which therefore must be used with care, avoiding mixing them.

    Also read: Household Cleaning: Chemical cleaners are as bad as 20 cigarettes a day

    Let's take some examples:

    • if the bleach comes into contact with muriatic acid chlorine develops, very dangerous at those concentrations for the respiratory system.
    • if you mix bleach with ammonia hypochlorous acid is formed and then hydrochloric acid, which will react with the excess bleach to reform chlorine gas. Furthermore this can react further with ammonia to form corrosive and toxic chloramines (R2NCl).
    • if the ammonia is particularly concentrated, hydrazine (N2H4) can be formed, whose toxic vapors are explosive in the air and can cause burns and eye injuries, but these values ​​and above all the required temperature are difficult to reach, which must exceed 100 ° C.
    • if bleach is mixed with products containing ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH), lately widely used to disinfect surfaces as antiCovid, can form chloroform (CHCl3), a powerful anesthetic.
    • if the caustic soda mixes with muriatic acidUnfortunately, harmless sodium chloride (NaCl) and water are not formed (as they explain on paper in chemistry courses), because these products are all highly concentrated and in these conditions rapid mixing generates a lot of heat and fumes, which could contain chlorine or other gaseous mixtures containing chlorine.

    Furthermore, in general, the mixing of such concentrated products it often generates a lot of gas and heat, which can also destroy or burn sealed containers.



    Alternatives exist and mainly come from nature. But even these products are made of chemical compounds, so the main advice is always to read the label to understand what the exact composition of the product is.

    Read also: Enzymatic detergent: the do-it-yourself recipe for cleaning with enzymes


    In general the advice is avoid mixing detergents, but, in any case, if unpleasant situations such as accidental mixes occur, it may be sufficient to ventilate the rooms where one is staying or at least add water which dilutes the "dangerous" molecules making everything less reactive. But if worrying symptoms occur, it is necessary to seek medical attention.


    Fonte: Chemistry World

    Read also:

    • Green cleaning: the new 100% healthier detergents for you
    • Bathroom and anti-limescale cleaners: the most and least effective brands in a German test

     

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