Not all of us can be chemists, but those of us who aren't can avoid a Bunsen and Beaker type of snafu thanks to one cleaning specialist who warned of ingredients that could have detrimental effects if combined.
The scoop
In a 28-second video, TikToker Liv Holistic (@livholistic) highlighted how vinegar can be hazardous.
@livholistic I love cleaning with vinegar, but do not mix it with these two ingredients. The more you know!💗 #nontoxiclivingtips #nontoxiccleaners #nontoxiccleaningproducts ♬ original sound - Liv Holistic
"Vinegar is great for non-toxic cleaning, but it actually can get pretty toxic when you mix it with certain things," Liv Holistic said before pointing out that bleach and hydrogen peroxide don't mix well with the common household ingredient.
"Combining these two even just a little bit creates a chlorine gas … Don't do it," Liv Holistic said of the vinegar-bleach combo.
She added that the antiseptic hydrogen peroxide becomes "corrosive" to surfaces when married with vinegar.
How it's helping
Like hydrogen peroxide, vinegar is a natural, inexpensive product that can be used to clean a number of surfaces, including faucet heads, windows, and skillets.
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Bleach, on the other hand, can contaminate our waters and release compounds that may harm the ozone layer, which protects us from cancer-causing radiation.
Yet the benefits of vinegar as a cleaner, including the fact that it doesn't release toxic chemicals or fumes, are contingent on its proper utilization.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to chlorine gas can cause blurred vision; irritation to your nose, throat, and lungs; coughing; and even death.
While peracetic acid, which is formed by the vinegar-hydrogen peroxide combo, isn't harmful to the environment, it can still cause an uncomfortable reaction in your eyes and respiratory system, as Liv Holistic pointed out.
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What everyone's saying
Other TikTokers were thankful for the intel, liking the video more than 2,000 times and sharing their own close calls and mishaps.
"Love this!" one user said. "My partner was thinking about using vinegar and bleach and I was like noooooo you're going to make chlorine gas."
"Glad I know this now bc I was cleaning with vinegar and Hydrogen peroxide like a week ago bc of another TikTok," another wrote.
"I made the hydrogen peroxide mistake and learned the hard way, that's why this video now exists!" Liv Holistic added.
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