u/shaneoffood posted this comment in a discussion about unscented laundry detergents.
I’m familiar with the fact that ammonia and bleach creating something like chlorine gas, and I get that mixing different elements can cause them to react.
But is the original comment a good rule of thumb? Are there exceptions? And why do they make “the best” cleaning products?
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It seems like nobody here is really answering the questions you asked. I’ll do my best to explain each of them in a relatively simple manner.
> But is the original comment a good rule of thumb?
The premise is a good rule of thumb, but it is not entirely accurate. In fact, you should *never* mix any types of cleaning products together. They are designed to work as intended for a specific situation and chemistry does not agree with “mix them all and get a universal cleaner”.
Before answering the question you need to understand how cleaners work. There are three types of cleaning solutions: Basic, Acidic, and Neutral. Basic solutions are ones with a pH of greater than 7, Acidic solutions are ones with a pH of less than 7, and Neutral solutions are ones with a pH of 7 (or close to 7). Water is the most well known neutral solution, simple, effective, and non-toxic.
Acidic solutions work by donating things called hydrogen ions to other things. These hydrogen ions destabilize and “rip” apart other molecules at the chemical level, which reduces their integrity and allows them to be cleaned easier. Popular acidic solutions are vinegar and lemon juice (which is why your mouth puckers up when you drink them!). Basic solutions have the same end result as acidic solutions (ripping apart molecules) but they work in the opposite way: instead of donating hydrogen ions they collect them from other molecules. However, even though they both accomplish the same thing they work better on specific molecules. Acids are best used to remove metals like rust and mineral deposits, while Basic solutions are best used to remove grease, fat, and other organic molecules.
Mixing an acid and a base is a big no-no. Acids and Bases, being opposites of each other, will quickly and dangerously react to neutralize each other. In chemistry this is called a Brønsted-Lowry reaction, and when it happens byproducts like gas and salts are created. These gases and salts can and usually are very toxic.
With that in mind, why shouldn’t you mix bleach with other things? Because bleach is a very basic solution, it has a very high pH of 13. And many of the things you can mix it with have a lower pH than it does, notably other acids. And that’s a problem because you’re mixing an acid and a base together.
The example you cited in your question is an example of a popular acid-base reaction: Bleach and Vinegar (not ammonia). Bleach has a very high pH of 13 so it is a base, while Vinegar has a very low pH of 2. What happens when you combine them? Deadly chlorine gas is created as a byproduct.
> Are there exceptions?
Yes, but again, it is best not to mix any cleaners together at all. Most detergents can safely be mixed with bleach because they have a similar pH level and work in the same way (breaking down organic molecules on dishes and clothing). Water can also safely be mixed with bleach because it is neutral and non-reactive.
> And why do they make “the best” cleaning products?
See above. Bleach has one of the highest pH’s among any publicly available cleaning solution, so it excels at breaking down fats, oils, proteins, etc.
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