Bleach can be poured down the kitchen sink or toilet, just as long as it's diluted with water. An even better way to get rid of your bleach is to give it away to someone else who needs it, such as a friend, family member, or local community center.
Bleach is a powerful, toxic substance that should be used carefully and properly, and pouring it down a drain is not a proper use. Bleach can react with other substances in your pipes, potentially release fumes, and further plug up the system.
Rinse and recycle empty bottles. Second best: Take to a hazardous waste facility or collection event. Third best: If your home is connected to a city sewer system, flush small amounts down an inside drain (toilet is best) with lots of water. If you are on a septic system, flush very small quantities over several days.
If you have leftover household chemicals at home – including paints, solvents, pesticides and even cleaning products – you must dispose of them safely. Take them to a Household Chemical CleanOut.
Dispose of bleach at a local hazardous waste facility.
If you're not sure where a hazard waste disposal facility is in your area, you can search online or contact your local government offices.
Frequently asked questions. Can you put bleach in a toilet bowl? Yes, Clorox® Bleach is safe to add to the water in the toilet bowl. Always flush the toilet first before scrubbing, and then again when toilet cleaning is finished.
Remove bleach stains with white vinegar
It is recommended that you mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of alcohol, then immerse a clean cloth in this mixture. Soak the bleach stain with this cloth with vinegar, do not rub the stain as you can expand and complicate the task. Then wash the garment with cold water.
Many household cleaners (such as bleach and ammonia) are considered corrosive materials. In addition to potentially causing severe skin damage, certain corrosive cleaning materials (such as toilet bowl or tub and tile cleaner) can be poisonous if ingested.
This type of product works against any enzymatic activity that could break down a product naturally to allow it to biodegrade. So yes, bleach disintegrates, however bleach does not biodegrade.
How to dispose of unwanted chemicals from your home. Many councils across Australia regularly organise free household chemical waste drop off events in addition to permanent drop off sites at community recycling centres and selected resource recovery facilities.
The simple answer is yes, bleach expires. According to the Scripps Research Institute, after a shelf life of six months, bleach starts to degrade. Even in its original bottle, bleach becomes 20 percent less effective as each year goes by.
It can be stored for about 6 months at temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After this time, bleach will be begin to degrade at a rate of 20% each year until totally degraded to salt and water.
Bleach rapidly degrades in the presence of light and when mixed with water.
While certain cleaners may not be compatible with PVC piping, bleach is usually safe to use in most applications, as long as it's used properly.
The culprit behind smelly shower drains is bacteria, which flourishes in warm damp places like the bathroom. Once you unclog your drain, mix one part bleach with one part water and pour down the drain to kill the odor-causing bacteria.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
Even though it's a household staple, bleach is a pain to get rid of. Many bleach formulas contain corrosive ingredients that classify them as household hazardous waste (via Heritage Environmental Services), forcing you to take extra care when disposing of them.
For example, the bleach in tap water will be gone if you let an open container of water stand for 24 hours. This is especially important if you have fish in an aquarium. Fresh tap water will kill fish because of the chlorine.
As chlorine bleach reacts with germs and other organic matter, it degrades into mostly salty water. Any unreacted bleach will be degraded upon contact with organic matter in the wastewater collection system or during municipal wastewater treatment.
Household bleach (sodium hydroxide) is not technically speaking considered corrosive or toxic, even if ingested. However, bleach exposure can cause irritation in the eyes, mouth, lungs and on skin. Individuals with asthma or other breathing problems are particularly susceptible.
Eye protection and a face mask are highly recommended when using bleach given the toxicity of the fumes, but gloves are mandatory, as bleach corrodes skin on contact (it actually breaks skin down and begins to form chemical burns – that's why you might think your skin feels oily after coming into contact with the ...
Children are at greater risk from breathing bleach vapors because their lungs are still developing. Bleach can irritate the skin and eyes. Breathing in bleach over a long period of time can increase your risk of cancer. A dangerous gas can be formed when bleach is combined with certain chemicals (like ammonia).
Can you clean with vinegar and bleach? You should never clean with these two ingredients combined. Mixing chlorine bleach, which contains sodium hypochlorite, with any type of acid like vinegar creates chlorine gas, a dangerous chemical that's deadly in high volumes.
When mixed together, bleach and vinegar produce toxic chlorine gas. Chlorine gas itself is greenish-yellow but, when diluted in the air, it's invisible. This means it's only detectable by its strong scent and the side effects you experience.
In that case, a hydrogen peroxide solution that's 1 part hydrogen peroxide + 10 parts water will work.