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You probably learned to clean with beach from your mother, and she from her mother before her. Many people still swear by using this harsh chemical, often asserting that things aren’t clean until they’ve been thoroughly bleached. Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate or oversee household cleaning products? If it did, chlorine bleach might be a thing of the past, or at least on the endangered chemical list. Every year, poison control centers report thousands of injuries and emergency room visits resulting from the use of bleach. For many well-documented reasons, bleach is generally not safe to use and not all that effective either. The Risks of Chlorine Bleach Household bleach is a toxin known to cause chemical burns, headaches and respiratory issues. Inhaling bleach fumes can cause asthma to worsen and induce vomiting. But did you know that exposure has been linked to both nerve damage and an increased cancer rate? If bleach is combined with vinegar, ammonia or other acids, the mix emits toxic fumes that can kill humans and pets. It’s not kind to your surfaces either. Bleach is known to disintegrate plastics, natural stone and concrete. Most surface sealants will break down in bleach as well, ruining the sealant and potentially causing permanent damage to the surface. Bleach Does Not Actually Clean Anything Chlorine bleach (the chemical name is sodium hypochlorite) contains no surfactants or cleaning agents. Used properly, it is a powerful disinfectant, which is why many people believe that using it to clean is effective. In truth, applying bleach to a surface that has been thoroughly cleaned can destroy its ability to disinfect at all. Its nature is to remove color, a phenomenon you are probably familiar with if you ever spilled a drop on your favorite black shirt. The removal of color is believed by many to indicate the removal of dirt and contaminants as well; however that is simply not the case. To disinfect properly, bleach has to fully dry on the surface. If You Must Use Bleach to Clean Sometimes you have no choice but to use chlorine bleach for cleaning moldy or mildewed surfaces. But you can take precautions to ensure your safety, beginning with adequate ventilation and air flow. Wear a safety mask, heavy-duty gloves, plastic goggles and clothing that covers your skin. Dilute the bleach in water significantly to lessen the negative effects. Most experts recommend not using bleach at all if you are pregnant or have respiratory problems. Effective alternatives can be made using baking soda, white vinegar and lemon juice. Dozens of highly effective cleaning and disinfecting choices don’t include sodium hypochlorite. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency rates a product known as thymol as an equally effective disinfectant. Thymol is extremely safe, especially in comparison, and is allowed to be labeled as nontoxic. Made from an extract found in thyme oil, thymol has a phenolic structure that is highly antibacterial and antimicrobial. The final alternative to consider is to have a professional housecleaning service do your cleaning and disinfecting for you. This is a much easier and safer alternative to cleaning with bleach.
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