What happens if you put bleach and ammonia together?
When cleaning, there are chemical products that should not be mixed if we do not want to end up poisoned; The clearest example is ammonia and bleach, both powerful cleaners but incompatible together. That is why, when cleaning, you should never mix these two products expecting a product with a greater effect as a result.
In this FoxWiki article we explain What happens if you put bleach and ammonia together?oy why the mixture can be lethal. In addition, we tell you what to do if you mix ammonia and bleach, what symptoms you could present and the best tips to reduce the damage and end the risk.
What happens if you mix bleach and ammonia
Bleach is one of the most used products in every home to disinfect and clean surfaces or spaces such as the bathroom and kitchen, as well as to whiten clothes. As you can read in our article on What is bleach and how is it made? this product is obtained from sodium hypochlorite, a chemical compound whose formula is NaClO.
On the other hand, it is also very common use ammonia to clean for its great degreasing and cleaning power in general. Ammonia (NH3) is sold diluted in water although the concentration is considerably high, which is why it gives off that characteristic and strong odor.
In this way, both products are ideal for cleaning, so someone might think that mixing them would result in an even more powerful cleaner, but in reality:what happens if you put bleach and ammonia together?
When ammonia and bleach are mixed, a chemical reaction occurs that generates a gas called chloramine (NH2Cl) that is highly toxic. And when it comes into contact with our mucous membranes, it decomposes and generates hydrochloric acid and free radicals.
Chloromine is a toxic and corrosive substance, causes irritation of the mucous membranes and skin burns. Over periods of long exposure, chloromine can cause serious airway damage and pulmonary edema. In some very serious cases, exposure to these toxic gases has caused death.
What to do if you mix bleach and ammonia
Under no circumstances should you mix these two substances. Cleaning a surface previously cleaned with chlorine with ammonia may be enough to produce toxic gases. If you do it by mistake, you must immediately move away from the area where they have mixed. Symptoms may vary depending on the amount of product you have been exposed to and its purity. Some of the symptoms from inhaling bleach and ammonia are:
- Cough
- Feeling of suffocation
- Burning in the throat
- Itchy and watery eyes
- Headache
- Bronchopulmonary irritation
On the other hand, the symptoms of ingesting bleach or ammonia (or a combination of both) can be much more serious and include:
- Nausea
- Sore throat
- Difficulty to swallow
- Increased salivation
- Gastrointestinal irritation
- Caustic esophagogastric lesions
If you have inhaled a mixture of bleach and ammonia, move to a ventilated area so you can breathe fresh air. Open doors and windows. At no time should you be locked in the room with the fumes. If you or someone you know has ingested this mixture, do not induce vomiting and call the emergency number immediately.
In any case, call the emergency number or seek medical attention as soon as possible if the exposure has been severe. If you have inhaled almost none of the product, find out the poison control or poison control service number in your country. They will tell you how to get rid of the cleaning products without putting yourself at risk of poisoning.
Ventilate the area very well so that the vapors have time to dissipate.
How to Avoid Bleach and Ammonia Poisoning
The best way to avoid poisoning by ingestion or inhalation of chloramines is to take the necessary precautions to use and store both products correctly. Some of the tips that you should keep in mind are:
- Keep products in a safe area, away from children and pets.
- Keep bleach and ammonia separate and tightly sealed.
- Always read labels for directions for use.
- Make sure to ventilate all areas well before you start cleaning.
- Use gloves and protective equipment so that the products do not come into contact with your skin or eyes.
- Do not expose products to extreme temperatures and never burn containers.
At FoxWiki we give you more tips to clean your house safely in our article How to avoid poisoning at home.
If you want to read more articles similar to What happens if you put bleach and ammonia together? we recommend that you enter our Home Cleaning category.
