Look in most UK households, and you’re likely to find a bottle of bleach in a bathroom or kitchen cupboard. Bleach – or sodium hypochlorite, to give it the chemical name – has long been a household staple for cleaning bathrooms, wiping kitchen surfaces and disinfecting.
Myths abound on whether bleach is safe to use. Fortunately, EU laws dictate that cleaning products must be clearly labelled with how much to use and any safety warnings. Bleach is perfectly safe when used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Dilute accordingly
Neat bleach or too strong a bleach concentration can damage the surface you are trying to clean. Bleach generally removes the colour from fabrics if too concentrated, so ensure you’re never wearing your favourite jumper when you’re cleaning with bleach. Of course, this goes for carpets too – while you might think of bleach to get that red wine or coffee stain out of a pale carpet, bear in mind that bleach can take the colour out altogether.
If it’s mixed with too much water, it won’t clean effectively. Follow the packet instructions to get the right balance. The ratio of bleach to water should be approximately 1:99, according to Good Housekeeping, and cold water will do just fine!
Bleach can be safely obtained from a janitorial supplier Gloucester such as simplehygienesolutions.co.uk/janitorial-equipment-supplier-near-me/gloucester/.
Perform a test clean
Bleach can damage surfaces, particularly if too concentrated. If you’ve not cleaned a surface with bleach before, it’s well worth doing a test clean on a hidden corner. Bleach isn’t suitable for certain surfaces as it can affect the colour or the material.
No mixing
It’s especially important never to mix bleach with any other household cleaning products. When mixed with ammonia, for example, toxic fumes which are harmful to health can be produced. Likewise, mixing bleach with white vinegar can be a dangerous combination, too.
Keep bleach locked away
It goes without saying that bleach should be kept well away from children and pets. Ingesting bleach can cause serious health problems.