5 Products You Should Never Mix to Clean Your Home

When it’s time to tidy up your home, the cleaning products you choose truly matter. Certain combinations of products should be avoided at all costs, as they can create toxic vapors that are harmful to both people and pets. To avoid dangerous intoxications, including those that could be deadly, it’s crucial to understand which products you should never mix while cleaning.

cleaning a table with scrubs and cleaners on it

Never mix these household cleaning products

  • Bleach + Vinegar: Mixing bleach and vinegar is strongly discouraged because it creates toxic vapors that can easily catch fire. If you breathe in these fumes, you might start coughing, your eyes could become irritated, and you might experience difficulty in breathing.
  • Bleach + Ammonia: Never mix bleach and ammonia, or any chlorine-based cleaners, together. This combination releases toxic vapors that can cause severe breathing problems, you will feel pain in your chest, and start coughing.
don't mix bleach with vinegar or ammonia
  • Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide: Another harmful combination is vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. When mixed, they form peracetic acid, which is corrosive and harmful even upon direct contact.
  • Vinegar + Baking Soda: While it’s often recommended to mix vinegar and baking soda for household cleaning due to their ability to eliminate bad smells and provide excellent degreasing power, it’s essential to avoid combining them in a closed container. This reaction can become explosive. To stay safe, always use them in open containers to enjoy their cleaning benefits safely, without any worries.
baking soda box and a bowl with baking soda in it
  • Bleach + Hot Water: If you need to use bleach, remember to only mix it with cold water. Chlorine-based cleaners, when mixed with hot water, release toxic vapors that can harm your breathing. Additionally, this mixture reduces bleach’s effectiveness at killing germs.

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