A little more about bleach:
The main ingredient in most chlorine bleach is Sodium Hypochlorite. It’s pretty toxic.
⚠️ Bleach is a known asthmagen. It can exacerbate existing asthma and it can also contribute to new asthma diagnoses. Bleach also has links to respiratory illnesses and even respiratory cancers.
⚠️ Bleach does not get along well with others. Using it in conjunction with ammonia, vinegar, alcohol, other cleaning products, or even water can create noxious fumes, chloroform gas, chloramine gas, and other toxic and dangerous results.
⚠️ When used to clean the shower or tub, the hot water and steam can cause chloroform to enter the air. That can be inhaled and also enter through the now more open pores of the skin.
⚠️ May contribute to mold growth. On porous surfaces, bleach can remove mold staining and organisms living at the surface. It will not reach below the surface where mold will also exist and then persist. The water from the bleach may also then exacerbate the mold issue, creating more mold growth under the surface while leaving you to believe the problem is gone based on surface appearance.
⚠️ Dangerous for kids and pets.
Main uses for bleach are whitening laundry, sanitizing surfaces, and whitening sinks, tubs, toilets, tile, and grout. If we have alternatives for these areas, we can ditch the bleach. Good news: we do!
I was a big fan of bleach for a long time and even enjoyed the smell 🙈 It was a tough item for me to look into and let go of. Once I found great alternatives like I’ve listed here, I’ve had no desire or need for bleach in years.