Bleach, chlorine, or bleach. We know it by many names and it has become a fundamental part of our cleaning routine. But we don’t always use sodium hydrochloride as we should in cleaning our homes. Check this list and make sure you’re using the bleach well.
1. DO NOT LOWER THE LYE WITH WATER
To disinfect any surface it is not necessary to impregnate it in bleach. With a proportion of 20 ml of lye in a liter of water it is enough to disinfect and eliminate any bacteria.
2. DILUTE THE LYE IN HOT WATER
If we use hot water to dilute the lye, the chlorine evaporates and loses its disinfecting properties. Sodium hydrochloride evaporates more easily in heat, so it is best to use cold tap water.
3. DO NOT CHANGE THE WATER WITH BLEACH DAILY
When the lye is diluted in water, it ends up evaporating and therefore loses effectiveness in a few hours. Ideally, prepare the water with bleach when it is to be used and in the proper proportions. Also, if you leave it overnight, it picks up a rather unpleasant smell.
4. DO NOT USE GLOVES
Ignoring its use can trigger dermatitis, allergies or skin irritations. Also note that sodium hydrochloride produces dry hands and it is very difficult to remove its odor afterwards. And, when you’re done cleaning, don’t forget to wash your gloves (inside and out).
5. MIX THE BLEACH WITH OTHER PRODUCTS
If you think that the more products you mix, the better you will clean or that, mixing the bleach with a cleaner, it will take less time – by skipping a phase – you are very wrong. Bleach should not be mixed with ammonia, alcohol, vinegar, or any other cleaning product. It can be dangerous and very harmful to health. There are more cleaning products than you should ever mix.
6. USE MORE THAN RECOMMENDED
Even if you add more bleach, you are not going to disinfect better. In fact, it is dangerous, as you can expose yourself to poisonings and other health risks.
7. BELIEVE THE BLEACH CLEANS
Bleach disinfects, but does not clean. It kills germs, bacteria and viruses, but you must bear in mind that, in addition to wiping with a cloth with bleach to disinfect, you have to wipe another with soapy water to clean.
8. DO NOT CLEAN BEFORE DISINFECTING
In fact, from the Community of Madrid they assure that for the bleach to be effective it is necessary to previously clean the surfaces with damp cloths to collect the dust”.
9. LET THE VEGETABLES SOAK IN BLEACH
If you want to disinfect your fruits and vegetables, it is appropriate to lower the mixture even more than to clean the surfaces. From the Spanish Agency for Consumption and Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN) recommend that “if you are going to eat raw fruit with skin, raw vegetables (lettuce, spinach …) or raw vegetables with skin (cucumber) soak them for 5 minutes in drinking water with 1 teaspoon of bleach dessert (4.5 ml) for every 3 liters of water. Then rinse them with plenty of running water. ” They also emphasize that bleach must be labeled “suitable for disinfection of drinking water”.
10. DISINFECT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WITH BLEACH
Chlorine is corrosive on surfaces such as aluminum, stainless steel, chrome finishes, and some plastic surfaces. Before using bleach to clean these materials, read the manufacturer’s recommendations to make sure. Another option is to use a mixture of water and alcohol to disinfect, but there are more home solutions to disinfect your home.
11. DO NOT VENTILATE WHILE USING IT
Cleaning with bleach in closed spaces can cause you to inhale, causing irritation to the nasal mucosa. When using bleach, do so with the window open.
12. DON’T BE CAREFUL WITH SPLASHES
In addition to the fact that bleach can spoil your clothes, contact with mucous membranes can be very dangerous. Always handle bleach with great care and prevent children from walking around.
13. DON’T LET IT ACT
Ideally, for bleach to be effective, impregnate the surface well with a cloth soaked in the solution (1 liter of water per 20 ml of bleach) and leave it to work for at least one minute. If it evaporates too quickly it will lose all its effectiveness.
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