11 Things Not to Wash with Bleach: Tips from Professional Cleaners

Remember the main rule of safe cleaning? Next, let’s move on to the list of things that cannot be cleaned with bleach – here are some tips from professional cleaners worth considering.

Are you considering using bleach to disinfect a stainless steel pan, a dirty aluminum pan that has been in the oven for several days, or cutlery that you didn’t wash right away? Professionals advise abandoning this idea.

“Bleach has a major drawback: it can oxidize and corrode metals. This will quickly make them dull, and over time, rust will appear on the surface, says Tonya Harris, author of The Green Method: Detoxifying Your Home May Be Easier Than You Think.

A safe alternative for cleaning items that can’t be cleaned with bleach is a 1:1 solution of 9% white vinegar and water, which works on most metals, according to the owner of the bleach. cleaning company Michael Gottron.

“Natural stone cannot be washed with bleach. Marble, granite and quartz only have a smooth appearance: they are actually porous and therefore vulnerable. Chlorine will discolor them and the substance can also destroy the sealant layer, leading to irreversible damage to the surface,” says Tonya.

What should I use instead of bleach to clean stone items? Harris advises opting for either special commercial products or adding a drop or two of dishwashing liquid to a quart of lukewarm water – it’s best if it’s clear and fragrance-free.

Toys for children and animals turn into dangerous objects after washing with bleach: as professional cleaner Armeka Townsend explains, they retain their toxic properties even after drying. You yourself know that babies always put everything in their mouths, and the whole point of dog balls and ropes in general is that they can be chewed – so it is better to disinfect these items in another way : for example, wash them with a mixture of vinegar and water or put them in the dishwasher.

There are sometimes ways to avoid damaging things by using bleach, but not with wood. “Due to the porous nature of wood, it is basically impossible to remove chlorine residue from it. It will stay inside, continuing to break down the material and posing a threat to your children’s hands and feet as well as your pets’ paws,” says Townsend.

“The experience of professional cleaners with using bleach to clean floors shows that it is not the best idea: we have more than once seen stains that remain on parquet floors due to chlorine . To avoid such damage, use special products or a weak solution of dish soap and always make sure that the mop is barely damp,” advises Delah Gomasi, director of the cleaning department.

Also read: How to clean objects that cannot be wet with water: advice from professional cleaners

“Want to know which items are not recommended to be cleaned with bleach, but almost everyone thinks they need to be disinfected? First of all, it is the joints between the tiles or the walls of the shower cabin on which mold has appeared. Many people think: I’ll pour chlorine on it and the problem will be solved. But that won’t work: bleach only kills fungus on the surface. White vinegar works much better: apply it for an hour, then rinse,” advises Harris.

If your refrigerator has an unpleasant odor, you might be tempted to wash it with bleach. For some rooms, this tip is quite suitable, for example when it comes to glass shelves. But it’s best not to apply chlorine to the door’s rubber seal – as professional housekeeper Hannah Rizza explains – as this will cause it to lose its flexibility and start to deteriorate.

It’s not that chlorine-containing products should not get into it at all – this is hardly possible, because you have to put somewhere the solution in which you, for example, soaked your laundry. However, the pipes are elements that require special attention when using bleach: after emptying the remaining mixture of chlorine and water, it is worth turning on the water to rinse the remaining residue.

But professional cleaner Bailey Carson is warning everyone against using a popular TikTok hack that forces people to clean their drains by pouring undiluted bleach down them. “Firstly, chlorine is very aggressive: in this form, it can damage pipes. Second, bleach can mix with dish soap residue and possibly release toxic chloramine gas,” says Bailey.

We’re sure you already know which fabrics should not be cleaned with bleach. However, just in case, we remind you: chlorine can only be used on undyed natural fibers; it may discolor other materials;

Don’t use bleach if you spill red wine on a light-colored carpet, sofa, or even a white shirt. In such situations it does not work well – the mark will not completely disappear. In this case, hydrogen peroxide will help clean things that cannot be cleaned with bleach: apply it to the stain, wait 10-15 minutes, then soak a cotton pad in peroxide and blot the spot. stain until it disappears.

Outdoor furniture gets dirty quickly and bleach may seem like a great solution for cleaning it. However, according to Hannah, a soapy solution is better for plastic chairs and tables: “Chlorine can change the color of plastic, and with constant use, it can make the material brittle. So unless you’re prepared to spend half an hour rinsing, use regular soap or dishwashing liquid,” she says.

We can’t imagine who would think of washing a mirror or window with bleach solution, but cleaners claim that such people exist. “At best, chlorine will leave traces; at worst, it will damage your mirror. So use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water, preferably distilled,” recommends Hannah.

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