Vinegar, ammonia, bleach: which cleaning products should never be mixed

Today we are going to tell you why you should not mix bleach with alkaline cleaners and what consequences you can expect when mixing cleaning products in certain cases. Here are some taboos to keep in mind when cleaning!

These two products themselves are effective products not only for cleaning, but also for disinfecting surfaces. However, says pharmacist and dietitian Maryann Amirshahi, mixing vinegar with bleach creates chlorine gas that irritates the airways and eyes and can cause serious breathing problems. That’s not all: When interacting with water, chlorine gas can form an acid that burns the skin.

According to Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-founder of a cleaning products company, mixing vinegar with hydrogen peroxide can also result in a potentially dangerous chemical reaction. “Pacetic or peroxyacetic acid will start to be released, which is a caustic substance that is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory system,” explains Alicia. There is only one way to combine vinegar and peroxide: spray one product first, wipe it off thoroughly, then use the second.

Another potentially dangerous combination is ammonia and vinegar, which combine to create a high pH solution that can burn your skin. “The mixture also gives off a very unpleasant odor,” says Rocky Vuong, owner of a cleaning company. The danger of mixing vinegar, ammonia and bleach will be even greater, since you will have to deal with both a toxic liquid and chlorine gas.

Mixing vinegar with alkaline cleaners is not recommended because it is dangerous: these two products simply neutralize each other, becoming ineffective.

“In this case, the word “soap” can be misleading, because soap is generally neutral, which allows it to be combined with other natural products without consequences. However, Castile soap is more alkaline and when combined with vinegar, it can leave a sticky residue on the surface,” says cleaning professional Karina Toner.

We’ve already said that bleach doesn’t combine very well with vinegar, but that’s not the only bad combination – here are others that should be avoided.

Ammonia (and all products containing ammonia) and bleach form a very dangerous duo: as Amirshahi explains, when mixed, they form chloramine, a toxic gas that irritates eyes and respiratory tract. If the chloramine concentration is high, the consequences will be even worse: you will experience nausea, vomiting and even lung damage.

As Amirshahi explains, window cleaners often contain ammonia, which means adding bleach releases chloramine gas.

The combination of bleach and rubbing alcohol is dangerous to both your health and the surfaces you are cleaning. “The mixing process produces chloroform, which is very toxic and can impair breathing and heart function. Chloroform also acts as a corrosive agent: it can destroy the surfaces it comes into contact with,” explains Katie Cohun, director of the cleaning company.

As Alicia explains, oven cleaners often contain alkaline substances that, when mixed with bleach, create chlorine gas. “It is best not to inhale this substance: it causes coughing, irritation of the eyes and nasal mucosa and can also lead to chest pain,” says Sokolowski.

This is another combination that produces chlorine gas, Sokolowski said. “Plus, products can neutralize each other’s active ingredients, reducing cleaning effectiveness,” adds Alicia.

Also Read: 12 Cleaning Myths That Do More Harm Than Good

“Most of these products contain strong chemicals, the composition of the products may vary and, therefore, mixing them may lead to undesirable results – from the release of toxic gases to the active release of heat, leading to thermal burns,” explains Amirshahi.

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