The Village of Skokie is urging residents to avoid the use of household chemical cleaners during the current coronavirus pandemic. Residents are being encouraged to seek out safe alternatives such as vinegar and baking soda.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are several common household cleaning products that contain hazardous ingredients that could pose serious health risks.
These include bleach, ammonia, acetone, alcohol, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, lye, methylene chloride, phenol, propane, sulfuric acid, trichloroethylene, and vinyl acetate.
Though this may seem like a safe alternative to the dangerous chemicals used in traditional cleaners, the mixing of chemicals creates highly toxic fumes or produces an extremely corrosive product that can cause burns, respiratory problems, eye irritation, headaches, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, and even death.
“We want to remind our residents about the potential dangers associated with using these types of products,” said Mayor Darlene M. Kowalski.
“It is important that we all take precautions to protect ourselves and others from exposure to harmful substances.”
Residents who have questions regarding the safety of household chemicals should contact their local public works department.
Backing soda and Vinegar
If you've ever used baking soda and vinegar to clean something, you know what we mean. They work great on their own, but combined, they don't do much. You might think that mixing baking soda and vinegar together would make a stronger cleaner, but it doesn't.
In fact, it makes a weaker cleaner because most of the ingredients are just water. There's no other active ingredient in the mixture.
Vinegar is acidic; its pH level ranges between 1-3. Baking soda is basic, so it has a higher pH value of 10.5-11. Therefore, by combining them, you're essentially just adding water. To create a strong cleaning solution, combine equal parts lemon juice and white vinegar.
The citric acid in the lemon will activate the alkalinity of the vinegar and help break down dirt. Mixing one part baking soda with four parts warm water also helps create a cleaning agent.
For example, if you need to clean a toilet bowl, mix two cups of warm water with one cup of baking soda.
If you need to wipe down a countertop, mix three tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of dish soap. Once again, mix enough to cover everything you'd like to clean.
You can use vinegar or baking soda alone, but when mixed together, they won't be as effective.
Sodium Hydroxide Is Not Safe
When sodium hydroxide comes into contact with moisture, it releases hydrogen gas and turns into sodium carbonate. This process causes severe burn injuries and inhalation illness. It needs to be kept away from children, pets, and animals at all times.
What Are Household Chemicals?
Household chemicals are basically any type of chemical compound that can be found in every kitchen. Some examples that come to mind are: floor wax, window cleaner, paint thinner, air freshener, insect repellent, furniture polish, and laundry detergent.
Most of these compounds contain some form of ammonia, which can damage lungs over time.
Ammonia is released during the manufacturing process of many household chemicals. However, there are many different types of household chemicals out there and not all of them have the same risks for human health or the environment.
One way to reduce the risk of exposure is to purchase non-toxic household chemicals such as lemon juice, dishwashing liquid, and essential oils. These kinds of chemicals have been approved by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
How Can I Protect Myself From Exposure?
There are several ways to protect yourself from the harmful effects of household chemicals:
• Wear gloves whenever you plan to handle any kind of household chemical. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
• Keep an eye on where you place the chemicals in your house. Make a habit of keeping toxic products far away from food, clothing, and pets.
• Use a mask when applying anything containing ammonia. Don’t inhale the fumes!
The best thing you could possibly do is avoid using any type of household chemical altogether. But unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. So, remember to take precautions when handling chemicals around the home and wear protective gear when doing so.
Bleach and rubbing (isopropy) alcohol are used together to make chloroform, the nasty liquid used by villains in movies to knock people out. Chloroform is colorless and smells like rotten eggs. You don't want to breathe it in, but you do want to clean up spills quickly because it evaporates very easily.
The combination of bleach and rubbing alcohol makes chloroform. If you spill some on yourself, wash it off immediately. Don't use soap; it won't work. And don't rub your eyes or nose. This could cause blindness or even death.
If you're trying to clear out a clogged drain, it might seem like a good idea to pour some drain cleaner down there. Unfortunately, pouring drain cleaner down a clogged drain could do more harm than good. If you don't know what type of drain cleaner to use, here are six things to consider before you start cleaning drains.
1. Don't Use Bleach
Bleach is one of the most common household chemicals used to clean drains. However, bleach doesn't work well on grease, soap scum, hair, or other debris that builds up inside pipes. In fact, bleach can actually make matters worse because it can react with water to produce hydrogen chloride gas. This gas can build up pressure inside pipes and cause them to burst.
2. Do Not Pour Down Drains With Food Waste
Food waste contains bacteria that can grow in your kitchen sinks and toilets. These bacteria can multiply quickly, causing odors and possible health problems. Pouring food down your drains will just spread the problem around.
3. Never Use Dish Soap
Dish soap is designed to dissolve grease and other solid particles found in dishes. While dish soap does help break up stubborn clogs, it won't dissolve grease. Instead, try using baking soda or vinegar. Baking soda works best when mixed with hot water. Vinegar is great for clearing drains when left alone overnight.
4. Consider Using A Wet Vacuum
A wet vacuum can be used to suck up large amounts of gunk in your drains. It's also perfect for removing items such as paper towels, tissues, and cotton balls. The only downside is that a wet vacuum needs to be emptied regularly. Otherwise, it'll become too full or clog up. You may have to empty the machine every couple days.
5. Try Toilet Bowl Cleaners
Toilet bowl cleaners usually contain an abrasive material that loosens built-up deposits. They also contain surfactants that reduce the surface tension between the toilet bowl and the object being cleaned. When dealing with a clogged drain, this property causes liquids to bond with the sides of the pipe rather than continuing to flow through.
The 6 Most Toxic Household Chemicals
6. Avoid Drain Snake
If you've ever seen a snake slithering into a drain, you probably thought it was pretty cool. But snakes aren't really meant to live in drains. Snakes need warm temperatures and lots of space to move around. Drowning a snake in a sink isn't going to do much good.
7. Be Careful With Other Chemicals
Other chemicals can pose serious risks if they get into your home's plumbing system. For example, ammonia is highly toxic and should never be poured down a drain. Ammonia is commonly used to treat wastewater but can damage pipes over time. Acids and bases (like lye) can eat away at metal pipes.
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