By: Melanie Forti, Program Director
Growing up as a Latina, it was normal to use bleach to clean around the house, and to clean our clothes. Because everyone knows that whiter whites means cleaner clothes (or so I thought). Little did I know the adverse health effects that bleach can cause to humans until I experienced it myself while cleaning my bathroom and almost collapsed. Although it is undeniable that bleach does its work, we cannot cover our eyes and deny that it can be harmful to one’s health.
Bleach is a chlorine-based corrosive substance. Chlorine is a chemical element that can be found as liquid, gas, or in a solid state, and is among the ten highest volume chemicals manufactured in the United States. It was the first agent of chemical warfare in WWI. Since then it has been added to our nation’s water supply and other products used in the home.
According to the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) many household products found under the kitchen sink are considered pesticides. Unfortunately, often we don’t realize that we are exposing our family members by bringing home these pesticides. Mixing bleach with other products may cause even more serious health problems especially when mixed with ammonia, vinegar, or any other acid type cleaning material. Bleach can be toxic to every living being and our environment.
Health Effects of Bleach
As you may know (or even have experienced), the fumes from bleach are very strong. When it’s inhaled, it may cause a variety of health problems. Bleach is very irritating and corrosive to the skin, lungs, and eyes. As well, it has been known to burn human tissue internally or externally. On top of this- it may cause skin rash, extreme headaches, migraines, muscle weakness, abdominal discomfort, esophageal perforation, nausea and vomiting. In addition, it can damage the nervous system.
People that have a respiratory problem should avoid the use of bleach because it can worsen especially people suffering from asthma and allergies. Other symptoms may occur such as stinging sensation in the eyes and nose, coughing and breath shortness. Bleach fumes can accumulate and linger in poorly-ventilated homes. Indoor air becomes polluted with toxins, endangering the health of all those who breathe it in.
As parents, we hope and try to provide our children with a safe and healthy environment. However when children and pets for that matter are exposed to bleach and bleach fumes they can become very susceptible to the adverse health effects because their immune systems cannot fight off the harsh chemicals and their lungs are smaller and can fill with the toxic fumes. Even the passive or indirect exposure to bleach can cause childhood respiratory illness and other infections.
In case of bleach poisoning follow these:
- Call Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
- If you get bleach on your skin or in your eyes, flush the area with running water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- If you accidentally swallow bleach you must drink milk or water immediately, unless you experience vomiting or convulsions.
- If you inhale bleach you must seek fresh air immediately.
- If on your clothes, take of your cloth without rubbing into the skin and wash immediately separately from the rest of your clothes.
Environmental Effects of Bleach
In addition to dangerous health effects, bleach has been known to be a polluter to our environment. Industries use bleach for different purposes such as to treat our water system, clean buildings, bleach pulps or paper mills, and others.
When bleach is poured in our waters it mixes with minerals and elements to create a host of dangerous toxins that can take many years to dissolve. According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, “Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.” Also, breast cancer has been linked recently to the accumulation of chlorine compounds in the breast tissue. A study from Hartford Connecticut, found that “women with breast cancer have 50% to 60% higher levels of organochlorines in their breast tissue than women without breast cancer.”
Bleach is also a contributor polluting our air especially when factories use chlorine bleach. It releases toxins into the air during the ventilation and exhaust processes. An article from Livestrong.com states that airborne chlorine bleach by-products eventually reach Earth’s atmosphere and the ozone layer. According to Audubon Magazine, chlorine bleach is linked to ozone depletion, which has far-reaching environmental effects in terms of global warming.
What can we do?
Instead of using corrosive household cleaning products, we can start incorporating earth-friendly alternatives to clean our house and clothes.
Bleach is not the only alternative to clean or disinfect; we can opt to go green in order to avoid any health or environmental hazard. There are natural alternatives to bleach. Here are some options:
- hydrogen peroxide
- lemon juice
- baking soda
- vinegar
- citric acid
- lemon essential oil
Not every product sold at pharmacies and supermarkets are as safe as we think. In the future before buying any household cleaning products stop and ask yourself how worth is bleach?
At AFOP’s Health & Safety Programs we provide our nation’s farmworkers with the tools and examples of what to do and how to prevent pesticide poisoning at home through our Limiting Exposures Around Families (LEAF) curriculum. From January – September 2016, we were able to train 11,236 farmworkers on how to protect themselves and their families from pesticide exposures at home.
Resources:
- http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/antimicrobials.html
- http://cerch.org/wp-content/uploads/FactSheet_What%E2%80%99stheproblemwithbleach.pdf
- http://www.educatingwellness.com/natural-health/dangers-of-bleach/
- http://www.ivlproducts.com/Health-Library/Health-Concerns/Healthy-Living/The-Dangers-of-Bleach/
- http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/what-is-bleach.html
- http://www.medicaldaily.com/dangers-household-bleach-kids-exposed-cleaner-may-experience-respiratory-illness-328146
- http://www.healthline.com/health/chlorine-poisoning#Treatment4
- http://www.bioray.com/content/Chlorine.pdf
- https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/chlorine/basics/facts.asp
My family and i had a stomach bug. I washed all bed linens including our pillows in hot water with detergent and BLEACH. My pillows smell like bleach. Is it harmful?
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Thank you for sharing your perspective about these harmful effects of using bleach as a primary home cleaning material. Great blog!
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It’s quite scary to think that some people are creating such harmful environments inside their homes without even realise it! Thank you for sharing this information. Hopefully, there are a few more educated people who can benefit from what you have told us.
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I reside in a 55+ Community: We are constantly being exposed to Bleach/ZEP/Windex/Lysol products, since COVID. There is no ventilation, and I can’t get them to stop. I’m very frustrated and spend most time in my car, to avoid exposure — I’m 65 years old with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
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I am having much difficulty obtaining affordable disinfectants for my everyday household cleanings such as alcohol and Peroxide because of Covid19.
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Hi Carolyn, I can refer you to an online club that offers eco friendly, non toxic products at a discount. Feel free to contact me if interested. I converted my entire home!
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All the different dollar stores, all drugstores, chain stores and a bunch of companies on line carry these products. Go online and look up all the natural products you provably have in your home already.
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I get to know from you how bleach is harmful for us as well as our family. Thank you for sharing this information.
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By this logic, table salt is also poisonous and bad for the environment because it’s chemical compound is NaCl and Chlorine gas was used in WWII! If you use bleach responsibly and follow the instructions for diluting it, bleach does not pose a health hazard. You should research the actual process, and the chemistry related to both the creation and the breakdown of bleach before you post things that scare people.
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You are not listening. Its a chemical that is bad for everything living and it causing a problem with our ozone. Even if you are following the directions on the bottle it doesnt change any of these facts!
My mother insists on using it and there is NO REASON to, you can get everything accomplished without using it, I have whiter whites than her.
Its stated on multiple sites how caustic, toxic, and cancer causing the fumes are, and it breaks down the outer layer of your skin! It causes multiple health problems fir humans and pets and all water species. It should be banned! Its not a necessary product, its a product of habit and those stuck in their old ways of doing things. Its like bringing in a backhoe to dig a hole to plant your flowers, overkill and totally unnecessary! Get with the times ppl go green!
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I freaken knew Bleach was not good at all, since my insistent brother says he HAS to stick it in our well. just had a shower tonight and my skin is already itching, but I’m not gonna bother saying anything because he won’t fucking listen anyway. he never listens to me as it is.
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How is being a Latina relevant? Do some ethnicities use bleach more often than others ?
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Excellent, reasonable and persuasive.
Now please follow up with a great article/blog on the toxic affects of air fresheners. Plug-ins – wall mounts – airborne/other sprays: the whole thing brought me to environmental asthma with no known genetic history – in my ignorance. Now I am a good neighbor advocate in my community to steer people away from their use and also to replace Any fuming cleaners. The EPA at epa.gov/IAQ identifies Air fresheners as “indoor air pollutants.” And as well the American Lung Association’s lung.org directly discourages their use. May this comment save many people respiratory and immune breakdowns.
As well as any blog you might devote to its cautions. Thank you.
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my mom has been using bleach for years its true everyday my mom uses it i feel this burning tingling inside my nose and lungs area and i cant concentrate normally it is corrosive i feel it everytime my mom uses it by now my lungs might be burned what other alternative dissinfectant is there on the market other than bleach
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Thanks so much !! For your in depth studies and explanations on the uses and cautions of BLEACH/ CHLORINE
PAULINE BLASS
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I think your absolutely right but I don’t think bleach is the problem, the way people use it is the problem, the bad parting that leads to kids playing with it is the problem, you can play with fire without getting burnt
– don’t mind my English
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I have all natural products available! Take a look: http://mymelaleuca.com/sharonphilpot
I’m very happy you all posted the truth about harsh chemicals .
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there is no chlorine in bleach
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Some mothers add bleach to toilet bowels leaving it there without warning anyone (I often wonder why??!!) Often when you go to unassumingly relieve yourself you are met with eye scalding throating burning fumes often in a closed off small lavatory room and so dizziness. Ensues, I think some (not all) women/mothers kniw exactly what they are doing.
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Thank you for this. I use my right hand as a prominent hand, when I clean the house. Bad I know but I found gloves a waist of time as bleach residue would get in anyway. I tried using long brushes etc but always got bleach on my hand. At age 51 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in my right breast. Whilst not being diagnosed as caused by chemicals, I also wondered if this was the reason I was the only person in my family to have Breast Cancer.
Thank you for your blog as I slowly ventured back into having to use bleach to accomplish the type of clean preprogrammed into me.
I will definitely steer clear of bleach from now on.
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