Bleach

At first sight this looks like a consumer question but really I am looking for a scientific explanation.
Can anyone tell me why bleach isnt banned as a household product?
Its a very dangerous chemical in my opinion. Suppose you are using bleach and mix that with detergent, instantly a gas begins to form which is so dangerous they used it in the first WW to kill people and injure them (mustard gas). If you flush it down the drains it creates problems for wildlife and has all sorts of detrimental effects in a lot of ways. health issues, environmental issues, it discolours stuff,
so first of all why do we use bleach?
is there anything which does the job of bleach which doesnt affect the environment and my health so much?
are any less harmful chemicals banned while bleach remains on the shelves of supermarkets?
do u think bleach as a consumer product should be banned

 

Cleaning things with elbow grease and learning to deal with your shirt not being UV reactive bright white all the time

 

It's not banned because the FDA approves it for household use, for some reason.

I hate bleach but my bf insists on using to clean the bathroom and such because he has this delusion stuck in his head that it's the only thing that "works." Even just being near the fumes in a well-ventilated area makes my lungs ache for daaaays, I can only imagine what it's doing to my cats' and rats' extra sensitive respiratory systems. To my bf, the more bleach the better and I honestly don't think he rinses it properly because I can still smell it hours later. Can't get him off the bleach no matter how I try.

I mean, as a disinfectant, I really don't know if anything safer can beat it, but I'd personally rather use a less toxic cleaner and deal with a few extra germs lingering about.

Simple Green is a pretty hardcore non-toxic naturally derived cleaner but it also smells pretty strong and makes my lungs hurt if I get too close to the fumes. Again, don't know if it's as effective as bleach but I'd take it over bleach any day. I usually just use Method cleaning products or dollar-store knockoffs (Green Kleen or something like that) when I can't afford them. They get things looking sparkly and have a nice fresh smell. A few extra of my own bathroom germs left behind isn't gonna kill me. I don't think annihilating every microbe in sight is necessary when dealing with your own germs...

Sorry I don't really have the scientific answers you're looking for.

 

thank you sweetblasphemy I think your answer was good, it provided me with a place to start looking for an alternative to bleach. My gf insists on using it too but she uses it far less now i have complained a lot about how much she uses it.
Sounds like your bf may not be aware of how dangerous it is to mix soap or washing-up liquid or any detergent for that matter with the bleach. I get the same symptoms as you even when i stand there making sure its not coming into contact with other chemicals and the more I know about bleach the more I am convinced governments should look at banning it from sale as a domestic product.

 

people shouldn't be dumb and should just learn how to use products correctly. we complain about government being overly pc and banning every little thing - what's the difference here?

 

I think in reality he knows, he just chooses not to address it. I think it's a result of the stigma that if the government says it's OK it must be safe! Which as you know, is a complete delusion. Kinda like prescription drugs, just because the doctor gave them to you and they are legal if you have a prescription, it doesn't mean squat about their safety or potential for abuse/addiction.

I agree there should be revisions in the safety status of bleach and awareness of the dangers should be spread but unfortunately, waaay too much money is to be made in the industrial ammonia industry And again, just like the pharmaceutical industry, it's way too much money for the government to consider altering it in any way.

 

And I can agree with this too, besides the fact the government would never take it off the market for the money issues alone, I don't know if I want the government clamping down on what I can and can't use in my own household. I don't even like the government telling me what I can and cannot put into my body. There are ways to be smart and safe about using hazardous things, but there are a lot of ignorant people out there who will hurt themselves and others because they are stupid and negligent and that's just a fact of life unfortunately. There are TONS of morons out there driving cars who have no business being behind a wheel, but they somehow passed the test and got their license so who's to stop them until it's too late?

 

stupid people are breeding more. it is a real issue, these days.

 

This is true. We need to pass a test and acquire official documentation that states we are competent in order to drive, fish, hunt, among other things, but any old derelict off the street with a functioning reproductive system is automatically qualified to bring life into the world... hrrrmmm... of course that is treading on the toes of human rights, but if people just didn't suck at being responsible parents and quit passing on their defunct genes, we wouldn't have these problems.

 

i iz gud at teh sexah time

 

plz plant ur ideeot seed in mah genetic dizaster of a whoom

 

god, you stupid girls sure are easy :mickey:

 

so exactly how do you dispose of bleach safely without having any effect on the environment, as its illegal in the uk to pour bleach directly into a drain.
so whats the point in letting it stay on the shelves if there are safer alternatives?

 

if i were to buy bleach, generally speaking, i use it - not dispose of it. i don't think you're living economically.

 

fuck bleach. its not any better than Lysol, or simple green. at work we clean EVERYTHING with bleach. Id say we go through a gallon a day. Because of this, everyone walks around with bleach splatter stained clothes all the time, and all the surfaces get a coating of bullshit on them cuz bleach leaves behind this film when it sits.

 

I dunno. I don't use bleach and my place is clean.

 

i don't use it either. i think it's a product that has a use, but should be used sparingly.

 

my neighbor mix bleach with a different cleaner and it caused a gas and maid him pass out and i just happen to stop bye and found him it almost killed him

 

not to derail the subject but darwinawards.com is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about stupid people dying to mustard gas of their own incompetence lol

 

Suppose you are burning tyres...the smoke is toxic and polluting.

Suppose you set your bedroom door on fire...your house may burn down.

Suppose you gargle gear oil...you will die.

Suppose you try to trim your hedge with a lawnmower, drop it and sever your foot.

There is far too much governmental interference NOW in what we can and cannot do. Any product or object can be dangerous if used inappropriately. People are killed with pillows, for instance.

The answer is the Parent Licensing Tribunal (c) me.

All males undergo a reversible vasectomy at age 12. It cannot be reversed until they can establish a loving relationship, the emotional capacity to raise a child, the financial ability to do so properly and the capacity of the world to cope with more people.

/rant.