Can You Mix Bleach and Pine-Sol?

Can I Mix Bleach and Pine-Sol?

Is it safe to mix Pine-Sol and bleach? If you are wondering whether or not you can mix bleach and Pin-Sol, you are not alone. Find out if you can mix these two cleaners together.

The powerful grease-cutting cleaning power of Pine-Sol is as legendary as its distinctive fragrance. Bleach has a distinctively chemical smell, so it may be tempting to mix a bit of one with the other to get the best of both worlds.

They are both great additions to any home cleaning arsenal but are distinctly different chemicals. So, you may be wondering if you can mix bleach and Pine-Sol together. and mixing them will have hazardous results.

Bleach and Pine-Sol must never be mixed. Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite, which reacts with glycolic acid found in Original Pine-Sol. Other Pine-sol products contain ethoxylated alcohols. The combination will either result in the production of chloroform or chlorine gas.

Some cleaning jobs call for a super-brew of cleaning agents. So, you may be tempted to combine the strength of bleach with a few squirts of refreshing Pine-Sol for your next tough cleanup.

Let’s find out why this combination may be a recipe for disaster.

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Can You Mix Bleach and Pine Sol Together?

The active ingredient in most types of bleach is sodium hypochlorite. This chemical gives the product the distinctive bleachy smell that most of us associate with clean homes. Almost all bleach products have warning labels not to mix them with other chemicals.

There are only two substances that should ever be mixed with bleach. One is baking soda, and the other is water. Pine-Sol should never be combined with bleach because the resulting fumes will be hazardous.

Pine-Sol has been around since 1929, and many people love the pine forest fresh scent that lingers after cleaning. This wonder product is a tremendously versatile cleaner that can be used in areas from the bathroom to the garage floor.

Before we go on, not all Pine-Sol cleaners are the same. There is the Original Pine-Sol, which is specifically marketed as being similar to the original formula, and then there are seven newer types of Pine-Sol cleaners. They are all made by The Clorox Company, which is also a household name for bleach.

Although none of the Pine-Sols can be safely mixed with bleach, the active ingredient in the two formulas does differ. Mixing Original Pine-Sol with bleach will result in an entirely different toxic gas than if you combine one of the other types of Pine-Sol with bleach, but neither is desirable.

In other words, it is not safe to mix Pine-Sol and bleach.

	Original Pine-Sol	Other Types of Pine-Sol
Active Ingredient	Glycolic acid	Ethoxylated alcohols
Resulting Gas if Mixed with Bleach	Chlorine gas	Chloroform gas

The bottom line is – no matter which type of Pine-Sol you have, it cannot be safely added to bleach. Instead of the super-cleaner, you were expecting, the result will feel more like chemical warfare.

The symptoms of chlorine inhalation can be serious. Fortunately, the concentration of glycolic acid in Pine-Sol isn’t very high, so the gas that results from mixing it with bleach is less concentrated than if it was neat.

Symptoms of inhaling chlorine gas include:

Coughing and respiratory issues
Irritation of the nose and throat
Burning eyes
High doses may include vomiting, chest pain, and difficulty breathing

What Should I Do if I Accidentally Mixed Bleach and Pine-Sol?

If you have realized too late that you should never mix bleach and Pine-Sol, you may be wondering how you can safely dispose of the toxic creation. You must handle and dispose of the mixture with extreme caution.

The most dangerous part of mixing the two substances is the resulting hazardous fumes. Once you realize your mistake, the first step is to open up windows and doors, put on the fan and do everything possible to increase ventilation in the area.

If you are working with bleach, you should already have gloves on, but if you don’t, put on gloves and other protective gear like long sleeves and a mask. If you mixed the chemicals in a bucket, dilute it with plenty of water and pour it down the drain.

If you combined the cleaners on a surface, dilute it with plenty of water and use a mop to remove it. Then rinse the surface and the mop with plenty of clean water. If you have any concerns, contact the National Poison Control Center on 1-800-222-1222.

Keep your bleach and Pine-Sol in separate storage areas to avoid making the same mistake again.

What Can be Mixed with Pine Sol?

Bleach must never be mixed with Pine-Sol because the resulting fumes will be hazardous. So, you may be wondering if you can mix Pine-Sol with any other cleaner.

The makers of Pine-Sol do not recommend mixing this product with other cleaners, so I would suggest you follow their advice.

Moreover, Pine-Sol is strong enough to clean, disinfect, and deodorize in itself that you have no need to mix it with any other cleaner. The only thing you should mix with Pine-Sol with is water (for dilution).

What Can be Mixed with Bleach?

Bleach is a household cleaning product that must always be treated with extreme caution. On its own or diluted in water, it is an excellent ally that can whiten, brighten and disinfect surfaces all over the home.

However, avoid using bleach as an ad hoc ingredient while trying to create more potent cleaning or stain-removing formulas because combining it with the wrong thing can be hazardous.

It is recommended that bleach be stored away from other household cleaners in case you forget and start tipping cleaners into a bucket to do a quick emergency clean ahead of unexpected visitors.

Of course, bleach can also be used safely with your laundry detergent in the washing machine. Other than that, it should never be added to anything other than water.

Conclusion

Bleach and Pine-Sol must never be mixed because it is not safe to mix the two. Both are excellent disinfectants and cleaners on their own, but combining them will produce hazardous gas. If you accidentally combine the two, immediately ventilate the area and dispose of the formulation immediately.