When it comes to sanitizing for Corona Virus protection, bleach is one of those wonder-products that can kill germs that can make you sick and help keep you and your family safe. It can be used for cleaning in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. Whether you’re washing up after cooking with raw meat or sanitizing large areas after a flood or other emergency, bleach can be an enormously helpful home product—but only if you use it safely.
Yes—while bleach can be a great product to keep you safe, using it incorrectly can also be extremely dangerous. Knowing how to use it properly can make sure that you get all the benefits without the dangers. Here, we’ll break down the facts on using bleach to keep your home clean and safe.
Your First Step? Know Your Surface
You can’t use bleach on every surface—it works to clean hard, non-porous surfaces (like toilets, tubs, tile, or some counters). It can also work in the laundry to brighten whites, and can even be used on some colors (though don’t test this out by pouring bleach on your favorite red sweater).
But that doesn’t mean you should use bleach on every surface. While a wooden countertop might seem solid, it’s actually too porous to clean with bleach. And while a granite countertop might need cleaning, bleach can weaken the seal that covers the top—another product can get you better disinfecting results.
Know Your Bleach
Now that you’ve determined whether your surface can be cleaned with bleach, it’s time to choose the right kind to use. Most kinds of household bleach that you see sold in stores are called chlorine bleach. This product has a main ingredient called sodium hypochlorite, which appears in the liquid in a concentration of 5.25% to 6%. Some very strong bleach—called germicidal bleach—has a concentration of up to 8.25%.
There is another main kind of bleach, called oxygen bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. This comes in concentrations of 3% to 7%, and often comes in a powdered form that you mix with water at home to use it to clean. While both types of bleach are used to kill bacteria and brighten whites, oxygen bleach is gentler on fibers and doesn’t strip colors from clothes the same way that chlorine bleach does.
You’re more likely to find chlorine bleach in a cleaning aisle—it’s been popular for cleaning for a longer period of time. No matter the concentration or type, bleach is used as a disinfecting agent—this means that it kills bacteria on your surfaces.
Dilute Your Bleach
Unless you’ve bought a special cleaning product with bleach that’s already diluted—like Clorox Clean-Up, Lysol Bleach Multi-Purpose Cleaner, or other brands—you need to dilute that gallon of household bleach first to use it safely. When used undiluted, bleach can irritate your eyes, skin, or lungs. Mixing it with water disinfects just as well, and is safer for you and your surfaces.
How do dilute bleach? When using to clean a hard, nonporous surface, mix half a cup of bleach with a gallon of water. You can keep this in a spray bottle—one labeled very clearly—or use it from a bowl or bucket (though avoid contact with your skin). A smaller batch of diluted bleach might be a good idea if you aren’t cleaning a large surface—just use the same proportions.
For laundry, add your usual laundry detergent to your wash cycle, and then add half a cup of bleach—just make sure your clothes can be washed safely with chlorine bleach. Testing a small area first can help you avoid any big mistakes. Oxygen bleach is a safer and gentler cleaning agent for most clothes–add it to the machine with laundry detergent, and wait for water to fill before adding your clothes.
Never Mix Bleach And Other Cleaning Products
While you can add bleach and laundry detergent to a wash cycle to keep white clothes bright, never use bleach with other cleaning products—especially ammonia. Mixing these chemicals can generate chlorine gas, which can seriously damage your eyes and lungs.
Even when using bleach by itself, make sure you’re using it in a well-ventilated area—it’s a strong chemical. Apply the diluted solution to the area, let it sit for five minutes, and wipe off to make sure that you’ve killed the germs and bacteria in the area.
Can I use bleach on a damaged surface?
Bleach is a harsh chemical, and can be damaging to surfaces. Much like bleach can strip color from some colorful clothes, it can discolor certain countertops and weaken the protective seal on others. If that seal is damaged, bleach has the potential to damage the material itself.
The same can go for tubs or tile—it can be a good idea to look into bathtub chip repair or to repair bathtub cracks rather than bleaching those areas and running the risk of damaging the foundation of the fixture. The good news is that you don’t have to replace a whole tub, sink, or counter that has damage—bathtub resurfacing or countertop refinishing can get your surface looking good as new.
Where can I find bathtub reglazing near me?
If you want to reglaze your bathtub, or are wondering “where can I find bathtub repairs near me?”, The Tub Pros are here to help. Our factory-trained technicians provide tub, shower, tile, countertop, and sink refinishing in Memphis and the greater Mid-South area. Residents trust us to get their homes looking and working great again.
This process can give your home a new look and repair any damage that can make your surfaces harder to clean or at greater risk for long-term damage. In 2020, it’s more important than ever to have surfaces that are easy to clean and pleasant to look at—especially given all the time many of us are spending at home. If you’re ready to get started on your project, give The Tub Pros a call at 901-871-8827 today, or use our online form.**Disclaimer** Please be advised that all content, including Blog articles, on the website thetubpros.com and The Tub Pros LLC is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR SUBSTITUTED FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN OR AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITE MAY INCLUDE INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. No guarantees are made and the use of the website, content, and any information provided is at your own risk. If you are seeking professional advice, you are strongly encouraged to consult with a competent specialist in your area who can provide you with specialist advice on your particular matter or need.