KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many citizens are using household cleaning chemicals more than ever to avoid infection.
As a result, fire safety officials are warning of the dangers of mixing certain household cleaners.
“Some people are concocting their own cleaning solutions and mixing chemicals, creating serious health risks and toxic vapors, which turns into a hazardous materials incident for many of our emergency responders,” E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. President Michael McLeieer said.
McLeieer says that people sanitizing frequent points of contact is good, but it must be done safely.
“We want to make sure people are following the CDC guidelines; routinely cleaning frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs and so forth, but making sure we don’t mix chemicals together that could have dangerous results,” McLeieer said.
Mixing certain chemicals together can be unintentionally deadly.
“One comes to mind, mixing bleach and vinegar,” McLeeir said. “Mixing both of them together can produce very dangerous chlorine gas which attacks the mucus membranes, can lead to coughing and breathing problems, and painful burning and watery eyes.”
To begin with, McLeeir recommends being smart about the types of products purchased in the first place.
“If we do find cleaning products, make sure they’re Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) approved, make sure they’re disinfecting like we want them to, and if we are going to use home remedies, make sure that we’re making the right choice,” McLeeir said. “Store those chemicals away from children, make sure they’re stored in the original containers, and make sure we’re using a little common sense.”
In a related matter, McLeeir is warning citizens to be mindful about how flammable some of these chemicals can be, as well as how they could be harmful to skin.
“Keep a lot of those chemicals away from open flame or a fire source,” McLeeir said. “One common thing childcare providers use is make sure to mix ten percent bleach to one gallon of water. That’s a safe solution, it’s recommended by the CDC and MDHHS. The 10 percent bleach to one gallon of water needs to be freshly mixed up; leaving it in a container for hours or days will cause the bleach to evaporate before the water, and the disinfecting properties won’t be there.”
McLeeir adds that using straight bleach is not a good idea for a situation like this.
“The harsher the chemical, the more resistance the pathogens have,” McLeeir said. “They actually build up a protective coating, much like our body does when we cut ourselves and we generate a scab. The microorganisms will do the same thing when they’re introduced to a harsh chemical, and the 10 percent bleach to one gallon of water actually gets absorbed into the microorganism and kills it more effectively.”
Finally, McLeeir advises following all safe guidelines when using cleaning chemicals. This includes proper equipment and a well-ventilated area.
“Eye protection in case there’s any splash back, making sure we have a well-ventilated area so we’re not breathing in any of the gasses, and making sure we’re using some good common sense and safety,” McLeeir said. “Keep those products away from young hands, we have everyone home with the stay at home order, so young curious hands can go experimenting and they may not understand the dangers of those chemicals. Prevention is the key.”
Other examples of common sense include closely reading labels on all bottles.
For any accidents involving poisoning or other chemical accidents, citizens should call the Poison Control Center number at 1-800-222-1222.
Further information about safe home cleaning can be found at this link.
