Why You Must Never Mix Bleach & Vinegar When Cleaning

Mixing vinegar and bleach might seem like a good idea, but it can have dire consequences. Here’s why you should never mix bleach and vinegar when cleaning.

If you’re new to the world of green cleaning, the chances are you’ve just discovered the cleaning wonder that is vinegar. I use vinegar to clean my home everywhere from my shower to my worksurfaces. And for good reason. It’s cheap, effective and versatile. Plus vinegar is non-toxic, entirely natural and good for the environment.

Despite being a natural product, vinegar is still a chemical – its chemical formula is C₂H₄O₂. And because it’s a chemical, there are still safety considerations you need to make when you use it to clean.

The most important safety consideration when using vinegar for cleaning is to never mix it, or use it in conjunction with bleach or other cleaning products that contain bleach. Here’s why, and what to do in case you have accidentally mixed the two.

Why You Shouldn’t Combine Vinegar & Bleach

You must never mix or use vinegar (or any homemade cleaning product made with vinegar) with bleach, or any cleaning products that contain bleach. This is because mixing the two releases chlorine – a highly toxic gas.

This gas can be very harmful to your health. Exposure to chlorine gas, even a small amount for a short time, can irritate your eyes, throat, and/or nose. Accidental inhalation of this gas can also cause respiratory problems – such as coughing and difficulty breathing.

More severe exposure to chlorine gas can cause problems such as chest pains, severe breathing difficulties, pneumonia, and fluid in the lungs. In the most severe exposure cases, inhalation can even potentially lead to death.

What To Do If You Have Accidentally Mixed The Two

Should you have accidentally mixed the two cleaning products, you should open any windows and doors and quickly leave the room until any gas has dispersed – preferably taking yourself outside into the fresh air.

If you feel unwell, you should feel better within a few minutes of being out in fresh air. If you don’t start to feel better or feel very unwell, then it’s vital to call the non-emergency number 111 or the emergency number 999, depending on the severity of the inhalation. Let the call handler know the name of the product that contains bleach that you mixed the vinegar with.

Once the room is well-ventilated, you should flush the bleach and vinegar solution down the toilet or drain.

What Else Shouldn’t You Mix With Vinegar?

Bleach isn’t the only substance that you should never mix with vinegar. There are also a few other household chemicals and cleaning products that don’t get along with vinegar. These being:

• Hydrogen peroxide. Combining hydrogen peroxide and vinegar produces a harmful gas called peracetic acid, which is very dangerous to breathe in.
• Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda). Combining the two isn’t dangerous, but the two things immediately react to form salty water, and there are much better things to clean with. Find out more on my post on why you shouldn’t mix bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.
• Soda crystals (also known as washing soda). Similar to bicarbonate of soda, combining soda crystals and vinegar creates salty water.
• Borax. Again, similar to the previous two cleaning ingredients, mix borax (or borax substitute) and all you get is that pesky salty water again.
• Liquid castile soap. Combining vinegar and liquid castile soap causes the ingredients in the soap to separate, leaving an oily mess that’s tricky to clean up. If you’d like to combine soap with vinegar, use washing-up liquid instead, which is much more stable.