The Dangerous Reason You Should Never Mix Citrus Cleaners And Bleach When Cleaning Your Kitchen

Who doesn't love the smell of citrus cleaners? Their scent is invigorating and can cover over the chemical cleaning agent smell other products have. It's easy to remember all the orange-based "natural" cleaners that were all the rage in the early 2000s (looking at you Billy Mays). But one thing to keep in mind is to never use citrus cleaners and bleach in the same cleaning session. No really, just don't.

Bleach is a powerful disinfectant, cleaner, and fabric whitener. So powerful, in fact, you should never use it to clean food or your body. Household bleach's active compound is sodium hypochlorite. When used as directed with proper ventilation, it should pose little to no harm to humans. We recommend bleach for sanitizing kitchen towels. 

Even if bleach is swallowed or contact is made with the eyes, it won't necessarily kill you. The problem is that bleach is highly reactive. Without going into a chemistry lecture I'm not qualified to give, when citrus cleaners and bleach interact they produce chlorine gas which is very poisonous. It can burn and irritate your lungs, cause severe respiratory distress, and can be fatal at high concentrations. Even at low amounts, mixing citrus cleaners and bleach produces toxic gasses which become even more damaging if exposed to indoor lights or sunlight. Light breaks it down into smaller particles which means it's easier to inhale deep into your lungs.

While I normally loathe fear mongering, when you consider the list of alternatives to bleach for cleaning, it's hard to wonder why we'd use it at all. However, it is hard to find a sanitizer that's as effective while still being widely available. It's definitely a good idea to keep some on hand for things like disinfecting cutting boards and sinks. Using bleach properly will help you avoid the toxic byproducts that bleach can produce. 

For starters (and hopefully it's clear from above) never mix bleach with any other cleaner. Bleach is not meant to be used with other cleaners. Always dilute bleach, as well. Simply follow the instructions on the back label of the bottle. When using bleach to sanitize a sink, apply it as the last step and simply let it air dry. 

Further, always make sure the room you're using bleach in is well ventilated; open up windows, turn on fans, and keep the air moving. This will prevent any bleach fumes from concentrating and building up which will help you avoid eye, nose, and lung irritation. Sanitizing and disinfecting is a necessary key to keeping your house clean and free from harmful bacteria and viruses. If you're still worried about bleach, you can always use hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant. It just takes longer to work and might not be as effective as bleach.