Don't use bleach to clean metals
So, do not use bleach on your copper and stainless steel items such as work-tops, appliances, pots and pans, and cutlery.
Johnson says if bleach is diluted to the appropriate strength, bleach can be used on many hard, non-porous surfaces, such as countertops, toilets, sinks, and trash cans; however, it is not recommended on most metals, like stainless steel or copper, or porous surfaces such as wood and many types of stone.
Because bleach is a powerful disinfectant when used properly, it's often used to clean bathrooms or to wipe down commonly-touched and shared surfaces that can lead to germ transmission—counter tops, faucets, cabinet handles, doorknobs, the trashcan lid, toilet seats, and the refrigerator doors, says Gagliardi.
Don't use on porous materials
When used on metals it can react negatively and stain the materials. Also don't use bleach on porous surfaces, such as wood, or soft surfaces, such as upholstery or carpet. “Chlorine bleach is corrosive and will harm these areas,” she says.
Gagliardi says to never use bleach when washing spandex, wool, silk, mohair or leather; regardless of their color, bleach will ruin them. Always check clothing labels. As for colored fabrics, some are colorfast to bleach; it depends on what dye was used to color the fabric and how it was applied.
Yes, it is corrosive to plastic. It does not eat up the plastic in one go (we are assuming you are using the diluted bleach or bleach water as the cleaning agent), but the damage it would create is definite.
Never Pour Bleach Down Your Household Drain
And these uses won't present any risk. Just like cooking oil, bleach is one of those things you shouldn't pour into your sink. You should also never use bleach to unclog your drains. Doing so can even burst your drain pipes, and you'll be left with a nasty and expensive mess.
Bleach solutions require a full 10 minutes of contact time to ensure complete disinfection. If bleach solution evaporates in less than 10 minutes, a greater volume of solution should be applied. 5. After disinfection with bleach solutions, surfaces should be rinsed and dried.
Bleach and water solutions for cleaning and disinfecting should be rinsed off any surface with clean water before air drying. Make sure you rinse surfaces as directed, as proper rinsing prevents bleach residue. The bleach and water solution used for sanitizing food contact surfaces is not rinsed away after use.
In fact, by using bleach as your bathroom cleaner, you could be causing long-term damage—as well as leaving behind mold, dirt, and other unsavory coatings on your bathroom surfaces. Popular though it may be as an ingredient in many cleaning solutions, bleach on its own can't safely and effectively clean.
When bleach is left to air dry on floors and is not rinsed away, it can leave behind bleach crystals after the bleach evaporates. Sodium hypochlorite will break down into salt and water when left to do so. Since undiluted bleach is mostly water to begin with, once the floor dries, salt crystals will be left behind.
Eye protection and a face mask are highly recommended when using bleach given the toxicity of the fumes, but gloves are mandatory, as bleach corrodes skin on contact (it actually breaks skin down and begins to form chemical burns – that's why you might think your skin feels oily after coming into contact with the ...
A risk unique to bleach is the potential for producing toxic gases, namely chlorine gas, which has been used as a chemical weapon. The reaction occurs when bleach is mixed with ammonia — which is found in many glass cleaners, oven cleaners and some all-purpose cleaners — or acids, including vinegar.
This is because bleach is inactivated by organic soil which is common on most surfaces. If you do not pre-clean you are likely not killing germs which makes cleaning with bleach a two-step process. A better solution is to use an EPA registered 'quaternary ammonium chloride' or “quat” as a disinfectant.
Examples: Floors, stoves, sinks, certain toys, countertops, flatware, plates, and tools. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Wash surfaces with the bleach mixture. If surfaces are rough, scrub them with a stiff brush.
Say, for example, you're mopping the floor with a bleach solution and leave the room for a moment. Your dog or cat may lick the wet floor, or even take a drink from the mop bucket. And even after the floors have dried, your pet may still get sick from licking it; bleach residue is still toxic even when it's dry.
Although bleach doesn't evaporate, it loses effectiveness after 24 hours. However, it only occurs when bleach is mixed with water or exposed to high temperatures. Since bleach works best when diluted with water, its potency decreases as soon as the water evaporates.
How you use bleach is the key to either making or breaking its cleaning power. By using hot water instead of cold/tepid water to create a solution, you can render the active ingredients in bleach ineffective. So for bleach that works, always make sure you dilute it in cold/tepid water.
While certain cleaners may not be compatible with PVC piping, bleach is usually safe to use in most applications, as long as it's used properly.
Can you put bleach in a toilet bowl? Yes, Clorox® Bleach is safe to add to the water in the toilet bowl.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
Like many chemicals found in your home, bleach can be corrosive to your pipes. Consistent dumping could eventually lead to it eating away at your lines and the process only gets sped up if bleach in your line comes into contact with other acid-based chemicals, or even vinegar.
Can you clean with vinegar and bleach? You should never clean with these two ingredients combined. Mixing chlorine bleach, which contains sodium hypochlorite, with any type of acid like vinegar creates chlorine gas, a dangerous chemical that's deadly in high volumes.
Using a bleach cleaner will not damage equipment or hard, nonporous surfaces, including stainless steel, plastics, glazed ceramics, glass, porcelain, and other materials. It can be used to safely clean and disinfect countertops, floors, toilets, sinks, trash cans, keyboards, phones, light switches, and desks.