A TikTok video sharing the firsthand dangers of accidental bleach inhalation went viral after a woman ended up in the hospital from cleaning her bathroom.
The scoop
Dr. Myro Figura, MD (@doctormyro), a medical doctor who regularly posts health information on TikTok, posted a reaction video to the original clip explaining the impact of bleach on the body.
@doctormyro Clean with caution! #bleach #safety #health #chemicals ♬ original sound - Dr. Myro Figura, MD
"[This] video is 100% true," he says. "Bleach can release chlorine gas, which has been used as a chemical weapon since WWI, with millions of casualties."
In the original clip, the photos show the victim of accidental inhalation being intubated and recovering in a hospital bed.
"Never use bleach in a poorly ventilated area," Dr. Figura says, "and never mix it with any other cleaning agents — because that can precipitate that reaction, producing the chlorine gas and leaving you poisoned like her."
How it's [not] working
The bleach in many common household products can react quickly with ammonia, acids, and other chemicals to produce toxic gases. Ammonia and acids are often already present in other cleaning supplies, which makes the risk of accidental mixing more likely if not handled carefully.
Depending on what the bleach is mixed with, it can produce chloramines and hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids, which are dangerous to humans. According to the Washington State Department of Health, these gases can trigger nausea, watery eyes, shortness of breath, chest pain, vomiting, fluid in the lungs, and even death.
Fortunately, there are many natural alternatives to using bleach that clean just as effectively and are much safer. Options include the powdered sodium percarbonate, which releases only oxygen when it dissolves instead of noxious fumes.
Other possibilities can be found in the kitchen — one cleaning enthusiast recommended a mix of eggshells and lemon juice, while another made a cleaning paste from vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda.
What people are saying
Commenters were alarmed at the danger lurking in their cleaning cabinets — and some wondered if they had narrowly escaped hospitalization themselves. "Wait. That's why when I close my bathroom and then clean it and it feels like I can't breathe," one person said. "This could poison me?"
"I did this before … I had chest pains for 2 days and a coughing fit for over 7 hours. Was so scared," another wrote.
"My MIL did this," one person shared. "Ended up in the hospital."
"I used to clean recently vacated apartments with an ammonia based cleaner. [The] previous tenant left bleach in the toilet and it made an immediate cloud of toxic gas when they mixed," another said, adding that "since that day, I flush the toilet before adding anything, even if the water looks perfectly clear!!"
Above all, Dr. Figura says: "Clean with caution!"
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