“There are two types of cleaning products: bleach and things that should never be mixed with bleach”. To what extent is this true? And why?

Question

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?

In: 491

Answer 1

In general cleaning products (aside from soap/detergents) work because they are reactive chemicals. They react with things bacteria/pathogens need to survive and kill them.

If you mix two very reactive chemicals together they tend to well… react. Reactions involving bleach generally form some sort of toxic, volatile chlorinated compound. So it’s best not to mix it. Also just don’t mix chemicals in general.