Two Different Drain Cleaners
Use only one type of drain cleaner. Combining two different drain cleaners is like mixing two bombs that could react and explode inside your plumbing system.
You can experiment and find the most effective product for you and then stick to it. You may not find the right product if you keep changing your cleaner. Try each product for a week, and then decide which one works for you best.
Does It Kill Bacteria Viruses Mold Etc
There is a lot of uncertainty as to whether this product gets rid of bacteria, viruses, mold, etc. or not. Well, it does. Pine-Sol is capable of killing several germs since it is potent enough at getting rid of bacteria, viruses, and mold, as well as other pathogens. This product will eliminate household bacteria or viruses, especially during the flu and cold seasons, or when there are other outbreaks. When applied as instructed and at full strength, it will disinfect against household germs and bacteria, including Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Athletes foot fungus, etc.
What Cleaning Products Contain Ammonia
Ammonia hydroxide, also referred to as ammonia water, ammonia solution, or just ammonia, is a mixture of ammonia and water.
Its a common ingredient in household cleaners because it breaks down grease and grime and evaporates quickly, leaving your surfaces streak-free.
Youll find ammonia hydroxide in all sorts of products, including window and glass cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, among others.
Although its an effective ingredient in many household cleaners, products that contain ammonia hydroxide can be dangerous. Direct exposure can irritate your eyes and skin, and breathing too much of it can burn your respiratory tract.
Even worse, accidentally mixing ammonia and bleach results in a chemical reaction that releases toxic gases, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
So, if youre trying to avoid or minimize your use of cleaning products that contain ammonia, keep reading.
In this guide, I provide a list of cleaners that contain ammonia and offer recommendations for viable ammonia-free alternatives.
Lets get into it!
Use the links below to navigate:
- Dr. Bronners
Most of these brands dont use ammonia within any of their products, but you should always check the label to be sure.
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Bleach And Original Pine
In the safety data sheet released on Jan. 2, 2015, for Original Pine-Sol, Clorox cautions that the product may react with bleach-containing products or other household cleaners. It lists the reactive ingredients as ethoxylated alcohols and glycolic acid. Sodium hypochlorite reacts with alcohol to produce chloroform, which can be fatal in high doses. In small doses, chloroform can cause central nerve depression, cardiac and respiratory irregularities and liver damage. Glycolic acid — which is derived from sugar cane — is acidic, with a pH of 2.5, which is comparable to that of vinegar, which is around 2.4. Combining this acid with bleach could potentially release chlorine gas, but the concentration is probably low. The company withholds actual concentrations as a trade secret.
What To Do If You Already Mixed Pine
First, you should take every possible precaution to ensure you dont mix Pine-Sol and bleach by mistake.
Store the cleaners in separate places, and dont clean an area with another cleaner until the previous cleaner has dried completely.
You can also wash an area with plain water after use to ensure no residual bleach or Pine-Sol is left behind.
If youve already mixed Pine-Sol and bleach, the first thing you should do is ventilate the area. Open as many windows and doors and turn on as many fans as possible.
Before disposing of the chemicals, be sure to use the proper safety equipment. Gloves are necessary, but goggles, masks, and long sleeves are ideal if you have them available.
If the mixture is contained in a bucket, you can dilute it with water and dispose of it down the sink drain.
If you already applied the mixture to a surface, carefully pour water on the area before mopping it up. Be sure to rinse your mop thoroughly.
Keep small children or pets away from any mixed cleaning products, even small amounts. Children and pets are more susceptible to toxic fumes.
Dont hesitate to contact poison control or a local hazardous waste management company if youre unsure what to do.
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What Can You Mix With Pine
According to its FAQs page, Pine-Sol doesnt recommend mixing its products with any other household cleaners.
The proper way to use Pine-Sol is to mix ¼ cup per gallon of warm water. Then clean the surface with the solution on a cloth or sponge. Theres no need to rinse a surface after using Pine-Sol, except when used on rubber or asphalt tiles.
The main ingredient in Pine-Sol is water, and the primary active ingredients are propylene glycol and benzoic acid. These acids cut through dirt and grime and eliminate bacteria.
Pine-Sol Original is an excellent disinfectant cleaner that works well on its own, so theres no need to mix with other cleaners.
Note that only Pine-Sol original disinfects, while the scented multi-surface cleaners are formulated to cut through grease and grime but do not kill viruses and bacteria on contact. Pine-Sol Original kills 99.9% of germs.
For more information regarding product safety, please consult Pine-Sols safety data sheets.
How To Disinfect Surfaces Using Bleach
Bleach has been used as a household item for over 90years. It is popularly used as a whitening product for cloths but it is also a potent disinfectant. However, for bleach to be effective, it has to be within its shelf life, not over diluted, and not denatured. You should also only use it to disinfect hard non-porous surfaces. Below are the steps to disinfecting with bleach
Step 1: Prepare for disinfection. Gather all your required items and protect yourself. You will need rubber gloves, wipe cloths, cold water, a spray bottle, a goggle and a facemask. When your items are in place, don your gloves and wear your mask and goggles. The goggles are to prevent splashes from entering your eyes.
Step 2: Dilute bleach concentrate with cold water into the spray bottle. You should do this following the manufacturers recommendations. Usually, it is half a cup of bleach to one gallon of water. Or one teaspoon of bleach to one cup of water. Just ensure to follow the dilution guidelines on the bleach container.
Step 3: Clean and rinse your surface before disinfecting with bleach. Bleach is not a cleaning agent. Hence, will not clean your surface. And, having a dirty surface may deter how effective disinfecting with bleach will be. After cleaning, ensure to rinse properly as bleach reacts to cleaning agents.
Step 4: Spray diluted bleach across the surface. You can also apply bleach on the surface with a wipe cloth. Avoid using reusable clothes for this as they will get damaged.
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What Cleaning Products Should Not Be Mixed With Bleach
Things You Should Never, Ever Mix with BleachBleach and ammonia. This is probably the most well-known no-no when it comes to bleach. Bleach and vinegar. Vinegar seems so innocuous, but not so when its mixed with bleach. Bleach and rubbing alcohol. This combination produces chloroform, which can knock you out!Feb 5, 2020
Where Not To Use Pine
Do not use Pine-Sol on unsealed, waxed, oiled, unpainted, or worn wood surfaces. Furthermore, you should use it on aluminum, copper, or marble products.
Furthermore, you should not use it as a cleaner for your car, carpet, or plates or as a pet shampoo. However, you can clean your pets house and other areas in your household with Pine-Sol. Note that the company does not recommend the use of Pine-Sol with steam cleaners too.
Never add Pine-Sol or bleach to your dishwashing liquid. Dishwashing products are specifically made for kitchenware. Adding another cleaner may trigger Pine-Sols reaction with the dishwashing liquids ingredients or the kitchenwares components.
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Which Is More Effective Bleach Or Pine
Both are effective cleaning solutions in getting rid of microbes and dirt. They are also effective as bleaching solutions.
The common household bleach is cheaper than most Pine-Sol cleaners. Thus, households that are scrimping prefer bleach to Pine-Sol.
One advantage of Pine-Sol is that the Clorox Company offers various Pine-Sol products that you can use for other purposes. On the other hand, bleach only comes in varying concentrations.
Additionally, some users find bleach safer as a cleaner and anti-bacterial agent than Pine-Sol. But if you find Pine-Sol more effective for you, feel free to choose it over bleach. Your preferences and purpose matter the most.
Which Is Better Pine Sol Or Fabuloso
Among them, Pine-Sol was the clear winner, scoring 74 out of 100 point with high marks from removing soap scum, lack of streaking and cleaning heavily soiled surfaces. Fabuloso, by contrast, got horrendous marks on soap scum, streaking and soiled surfaces, but at $2.10 it only costs a third of what Pine-Sol does.
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Why You Should Not Mix Pine
You should avoid mixing bleach with Pine-Sol, as well as vinegar or ammonia. But why?
Vinegar and Pine-Sol both produce chlorine gas when mixed with bleach, while ammonia and bleach produce chloramine.
Chlorine gas is hazardous to human health. When inhaled, chlorine gas causes coughing, trouble breathing, burning eyes, and a runny nose.
In confined areas or from prolonged exposure, it can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and chest tightness.
In high enough concentrations, chlorine gas can cause pneumonia and even death.
Chloramine is an organic compound that causes the same symptoms as chlorine gas, plus intense chest pain.
Its present in chlorinated swimming pools and results from the chlorine in the water reacting with acid and ammonia. The acid and ammonia come from body waste .
Have you ever swam in a heavily chlorinated pool with a potent chemical-like smell? Most likely, you were inhaling chloramines. According to the CDC, chloramines are especially present in indoor pools where the air circulation is poor.
The bottom line is that mixing Pin-Sole and bleach produces gas that can be extremely harmful to your health.
You can learn more about the effects of breathing chlorine gas from Healthline or The Washington Department of Health.
What Can You Mix With Ammonia To Clean
Stubborn stains on cotton, polyester, or nylon fabrics are no match for a solution of cup clear ammonia, cup dish soap, 6 tablespoons of baking soda, and 2 cups warm water. Mix in a bowl or bucket and apply generously with a sponge or spray bottle. Let sit for about 30 minutes and launder as usual.
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How Is The Product Used
You can use Pine-Sol on hard nonporous surfaces, such as floors, trash cans, diaper buckets, washrooms, tiles, bathtubs, sinks, shower stalls, bathtubs, counters, etc. Mix a quarter cup of pine sol with a gallon of water to create a solution. For a stronger effect, use maximum strength, let it stay for a while, and then rinse. On a wooden surface, do not let puddles of the solution remain. However, this product is not recommended to be used on aluminum, marble, and several wood covers, including waxed, unsealed, oiled, etc.
Avoid Mixing These Products With Bleach
a. Bleach and Ammonia:
When a product containing chlorine bleach is combined with a product containing ammonia, chloramine gas is released. This gas is considered toxic to both man and animal. Though death resulting from mixing bleach and ammonia is not common, it still happens.
Chloramine gas when inhaled in certain amounts can cause teary eyes, chest pain, respiratory difficulties and in a fatal case, death. If accidentally you get exposed to this toxic gas, you should move to a ventilated space and seek medical help immediately.
b. Bleach and Vinegar:
The idea of mixing bleach and vinegar may seem cool when you think youre making a super disinfectant. But, the reality is by mixing both you will only create a poisonous gas. Specifically, chlorine gas. When you combine both solutions even in minute doses, you put yourself at risk for chlorine gas inhalation.
Inhaling chlorine can cause mild choke from its pungent smell to severe symptoms like fluid in the lungs. The severity of symptoms experienced is proportional to the degree of exposure to the gas. Hence, when accidentally exposed you should find a place to breathe in the fresh air and call for medical help.
c. Bleach and Rubbing Alcohol:
Mixing bleach and alcohol causes the release of chloroform gas. This gas when inhaled produces a sedative effect that causes loss of consciousness or syncope. When inhaled at lethal doses, it can damage your vital organs and the bone marrow.
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Using Pine Sol As A Disinfectant
When you mop the kitchen floor with Pine Sol and water, does it disinfect the floor of germs and bacteria?
By jasmine from Pasadena, CA
Yes, it is a disinfectant: www.pinesol.com/
“Does Original Pine-Sol® Brand Cleaner disinfect? Yes. Original Pine-Sol® Brand Cleaner is registered with the E.P.A. as a disinfectant when used as directed full-strength. It kills household bacteria on hard non-porous surfaces.”
It does kill germs, but also is dangerous if you have pets, especially cats. The Phenol in Pine Sol is harmful and even toxic if they walk across the wet floor, then clean their feet.
Wow. Thanks, COFlower. I’ve been adding a little chlorine bleach to my mop water with the Pine-Sol, just to be sure. Now I can save my bleach!
BAD IDEA!!! Bleach + Ammonia = Chlorine Gas Ammonia is the base in Pine Sol
Pine-Sol does not contain ammonia.
To my knowledge, Phenol is only used in Lysol, NOT Pinesol. When I called the company to try to find the original Lysol, which has been discontinued in favor of Les-toil, the company confirmed that the original Lysol had Phenol, the reason they discontinued it. Hospitals use some brand of Phenol, but it is not easily available to general public their staff says.
Best best is to use some chlorine, but with plenty of ventilation, with whatever else you use other than Ammonia that will explode when mixed with Chlorine. Good luck and God bless. : )
Vinegar And Hydrogen Peroxide
The combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide will produce peracetic acid, an eye, skin, and lung irritant. Nonetheless, you can use them separately as both are excellent cleaning solutions.
You will have to rinse the area with water first before using the second solution. This step prevents interaction between the two solutions.
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Effect Of Mixing Bleach And Pine
So what happens when you have both bleach and pine-sol mixed together? You see, when you combine both solutions in certain amounts you cause the release of poisonous chlorine gas. The glycolic acid in Pine-sol releases chlorine gas when it reacts with bleach. The effect of inhaling this toxic chlorine fume into your lungs can be anything from mild discomfort to death. You can also lose consciousness, choke or have a respiratory arrest. Hence, it is advised you use them separately.
Furthermore, the ethoxylated alcohol in the Pine-sol can react with the sodium hypochlorite in the bleach to form chloroform. Chloroform in high concentration can have devastating death-causing effects. However, in low doses, it can damage the liver, depression of the CNS and respiratory and circulatory system irregularities.
Other symptoms you may experience when you inhale the released harmful fume formed by mixing Pine-sol and bleach includes Chest pain, breathlessness, burning sensation in the eyes, coughing, vomiting and so on. Also, if you accidentally mix both products and start experiencing any of the symptoms, here is what you should do. Find a ventilated space to sit and call for medical help immediately.
What Can You Mix With Bleach
If it isnt clear by now, the only thing you should mix with bleach is water. DO NOT mix bleach with any cleaning products or chemicals.
Bleach contains high amounts of chlorine, which is poisonous in its base form. That is why bleach is one of the most dangerous cleaning agents to mix.
Its also pointless to mix bleach with other products because its a potent formal on its own. Again, you should only ever mix bleach with water.
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Mixing Bleach And Pine
Are you wondering does Pine-Sol kill germs even better, if mixed with bleach? Mixing these products in particular portions emits poisonous chlorine gas. This gas is extremely toxic, and will quickly lead to respiratory arrests, losing consciousness, and dying when breathed in.
So, these products should always be used separately. Besides, each of these products is potent and will produce strong fumes during usage. So, it is important to ventilate your house for safe usage, particularly in confined areas such as the washroom. Mix these products only with water.
Glycolic Acid May Be The Culprit
Most other Pine-Sol products — for example Lemon Fresh Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner — contain ethoxylated alcohol, but none contains glycolic acid, and none contains a warning to avoid mixing it with bleach. This indicates that — even though the combination of alcohol and bleach can produce chloroform — the company probably considers glycolic acid the hazardous material in Original Pine-Sol. If so, the danger it presents is the release of chlorine gas when you mix the product with bleach. The dangers of chlorine inhalation include:
- Irritation of mucous membranes
- Burning, watery eyes
- Chest pains, breathing problems, vomiting and fluid in the lungs in high doses.
In very high doses, chlorine gas can kill, but the concentration of glycolic acid in Pine-Sol probably isn’t high enough to worry about such severe consequences.
Writer Bio
Chris Deziel has a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.
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