Is Bleach Really a Safe All-Purpose Cleaner?

Most of us grew up with a bottle of bleach in our home. It was likely a staple. Somehow bleach gained traction decades ago, and in addition to making our white clothes whiter it was used to clean everything from toilets to kitchen countertops to sinks. Bleach isn’t technically a cleaner though, it’s a disinfectant. A disinfectant contains chemicals that destroy or inactivate microorganisms that cause infections. At best, bleach is a disinfecting cleaner. Yet, many people use this product for everyday all-purpose cleaning. Yes it kills germs, and yes that makes us feel safe, but at what personal cost?

As a general rule of thumb, use the least hazardous cleaning chemical to take care of the job at hand. This recommendation is especially important when you consider that bleach contains sodium hypochlorite. On its own, this chemical compound is not considered toxic but if you mix bleach with ammonia (or any other acid, including vinegar) it releases toxic gas that can harm or even kill you. So bleach definitely isn’t your best or safest bet for general cleaning. It’s certainly not the “least hazardous.” option.

Let’s review a bleach label.

Bleach: Label Warnings

• DANGER: CORROSIVE
• Causes irreversible eye damage and skin burns
• Wear protective eyewear and rubber gloves when handling this product
• DO NOT use this product full strength for cleaning surfaces
• Do not use or mix with other household chemicals or cleaners such as toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers, acids or products containing ammonia
• Prolonged contact with metal may cause pitting or discoloration.
• Contains strong oxidizers. Always flush drains before and after use
• Avoid vapors and use in well-ventilated area
• Environmental hazards: product is toxic to fish, aquatic invertebrates, oysters and shrimp. This warning is interesting because the label tells us to flush out drains before and after use. After using the product, water goes down the drains along with the product. At some point the water is put back into the environment.
• Pre-wash surface, mop or wipe with bleach solution.
• Allow solution to remain on contact surface for at least 5 minutes. Rinse well and air dry.
• The most important direction: DO NOT use this product full strength for cleaning surfaces. Always dilute strictly in accordance to the directions. So basically, if you are not diluting it properly you are not using it properly.

Ok, let’s recap. If we are going to use bleach as a cleaner we should dilute it before use, wear gloves, wear protective gear, flush out drains before and after use, pre-wash surfaces and let product stay on for 5 minutes then rinse and let air dry. Also, we should not use other cleaning products simultaneously. Seems like an awful lot of work for basic cleaning.

But what if we use a ready-to-use (RTU) disinfecting cleaner that contains bleach instead?  Not so fast. Here are the label precautions listed on that type of  product.

Disinfecting Cleaner with Bleach: Label Precautions

• Use only in well ventilated areas. Before use, open windows and turn on fans. Leave room while product is working.
• To clean and disinfect hard and non-porous surfaces. Let stand 30 seconds on surface thoroughly saturated, wipe with wet sponge or cloth and rinse with water
• Prolonged contact with metal, old porcelain, or worn plastic laminate can cause discoloration
• Contact time: wet surface and let stand 2 minutes
• Warning eye and skin irritant causes substantial but temporary eye injury
• Do not mix this product with ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers, or acid as this releases hazardous gases

Clearly, even RTU sprays with bleach are not the answer to general cleaning. Maybe bleach isn’t such a great all-purpose cleaner after all!

Of course, we won’t leave you without solutions…

For general cleaning, try GymWipes® Professional Formula – “No Sweat. No Odors. No Grime. No Problem.” GymWipes® Professional Formula towelettes are the safest low-residue towelettes in the fitness industry. They are tested and recommended by fitness equipment manufacturers to ensure they will not damage equipment.

For cleaning, deodorizing and disinfecting, consider Force2® Disinfecting Wipes. These disinfecting towelettes are EPA registered and effective against 51 pathogens, are fast drying, and leave no dull or sticky residue — for a powerful clean!