Thousands of homeowners throughout the Tampa region are trying to “go green” by using natural, home-made cleaning products. This can be a good decision. These green Tampa homeowners are taking a step toward a cleaner home with fewer chemicals in the air, and they can save a little money in the process. However, even when using all-natural products, one still runs the risk of a dangerous chemical reaction. To ensure safety, Tampa homeowners should follow this guide for properly mixing natural cleaners.
Green Cleaners Tampa Homeowners Should Never Mix
You have probably heard never to mix ammonia and bleach because the combination creates a harmful gas called chloramine. Of course, if you’re going all-natural, you probably won’t use either ingredient. Still, here are the top green cleaners you should never mix with each other or with bleach.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide: When these natural cleaners combine, they create peracetic acid. Breathing in the fumes could damage your lungs and irritate your skin and eyes. Repeated exposure could even cause lasting lung damage.- Vinegar and liquid castile soap: While these ingredients aren’t dangerous when combined, they render each other ineffective. The acid in vinegar breaks down the castile soap and turns it into a chunky, oily sludge. It’s best to use these products separately to maximize their cleaning power.
- Vinegar and bleach: Think you can make vinegar stronger by combining it with bleach? Think again. These ingredients combine to make chlorine gas, which can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing when you breathe it in. Chlorine gas poisoning can even cause death at high enough levels.
- Rubbing alcohol and bleach: By now, it’s clear that cleaning with bleach and water is the only recommended combination. When you mix rubbing alcohol and bleach, the resulting chloroform gas can irritate your lungs. High doses can be lethal.
Be aware that while you should never mix these cleaners, it’s perfectly safe to use them back to back. If they do accidentally come in contact with each other, move to a place with fresh air to avoid breathing in any fumes.
Green Cleaners That are Safe to Use Together
Don’t be afraid of making your own household cleaners just because some ingredients are unsafe when mixed together. Look at all the safe ways you can clean your home naturally:
Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide: Tired of cleaning the bathroom with bleach? All you need to create a bleach alternative are baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, lemon essential oil, and water. Use this mixture anywhere you would normally use bleach for the same cleaning power without the headache-inducing fumes.- Baking soda and castile soap: Baking soda and a bar of castile soap make the perfect laundry detergent! You’ll also need washing soda, citric acid, and coarse sea salt to complete the recipe. Lavender-scented castile soap makes your laundry smell particularly fresh.
- Baking soda and vinegar: The best place for cleaning with baking soda and vinegar is in your drains. While ordinary drain cleaner damages the plumbing, the fizzing action of baking soda and vinegar cleans out the gunk without harmful chemicals.
- Oil and vinegar: Olive oil and distilled vinegar make the perfect combination for cleaning wood products. Add a little orange, lemon, or clove essential oil to the mixture to leave a fresh scent behind.
Non-chemical methods for unclogging a drain
Before you turn to drain cleaners of any kind, there are a few other approaches you can attempt.
- Use a baking soda and vinegar mixture. Pour a pot of hot (not quite boiling) water down the drain. Then, mix equal parts vinegar and baking soda (about a cup of each) and pour this mixture down the drain. Cover the drain opening for five to 10 minutes, and follow up with another pot of hot water.
- Try a traditional plunger. Plungers are useful for more than just toilet clogs. Use a standard plunger to attempt to dislodge the clog from your drain. If you’re plunging a sink, we recommend using a clean, new plunger for the job to avoid any cross-contamination.
- Use a drain snake. Drain snakes can be purchased from home improvement stores and are a cost-effective way to remove minor clogs. Follow the instructions that come with the device to get your plumbing flowing freely.
If none of these methods work, you have a couple options: call in a local reputable plumber, or turn to drain cleaners. But we have a few warnings about going with the chemical option.
Clearly, while it’s possible to clean and freshen your Tampa home with green cleaners, you must be cautious about the products you mix. The information here ensures you’ll never make the mistake of mixing natural cleaners improperly again!
Be sure to also check out this guide on replacing household cleaners with natural products, so you know how to make the most of your green cleaning efforts.
For All Your Tampa Plumbing Needs, Call Cass!
If your Tampa drains need professional cleaning, call the Tampa drain cleaning professionals at Cass Plumbing.
The plumbing professionals at Cass Plumbing have solving plumbing problems throughout the Tampa region for 2 decades. Cass Plumbing has earned an A+ Rating with the Tampa Better Business Bureau, are ranked as the Best Plumber in the Tampa area by Best Plumbers and have received over 1,000 – 5 star reviews. At Cass Plumbing of Tampa Bay, we are here to serve you for all your plumbing needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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