Use Caution when Handling Bleach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) January 24, 2012 -- Household bleach has many uses. It deodorizes, disinfects, kills germs, mold and mildew, but can be toxic if not handled correctly, says a Penn State educator.

According to Amber Brunskill, Pennsylvania IPM Education Specialist, bleach is considered a pesticide because it is used to sanitize and disinfect. For this reason, care must be given to ensure bleach never comes in contact with anything that is consumed by people or pets.

“Before using bleach, first consider the situation,” says Brunskill. “There are different levels of clean: clean (free from visible dirt), sanitize (reduce germs), and disinfect (destroy or inactivate most germs). Not all situations warrant disinfection all the time.”

To sanitize, the ratio of bleach to water is less than the ratio of bleach to water for disinfection purposes. According to the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education publication Caring for Our Children: National Healthy and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, the dilution recommendations for sanitizing are one tablespoon of bleach plus one gallon of cool water, and for disinfecting 1/2 to 3/4 cup of bleach plus one gallon of cool water.

“You can see that there would be less exposure to bleach at the sanitizing level compared to the disinfecting level,” Brunskill points out. “So, in the case of a child care facility, diaper changing tables warrant cleaning and disinfection because it involves bodily fluids, whereas countertops and food preparation areas should be cleaned after every use, but then sanitized at the end of the day.”

Brunskill emphasizes bleach is not a cleaner. “A surface needs to be cleaned with soap and water first before it can be sanitized or disinfected. Also, never mix a cleaning product that has ammonia in it with bleach or a product containing bleach.”

Other considerations for those using bleach to sanitize and disinfect is to make sure fresh batches of bleach and water are mixed in the proper proportions, bleach spray bottles are labeled with the date, contents, and if it’s a sanitizer or a disinfectant, and to keep bleach and all chemicals out of the reach of children. If there is a poisoning and the Poison Control Center is called, it’s important to know the ratio of bleach to water the child ingested.

Bleach mixtures should not be used when children are present, and only in spaces that are well ventilated. Bleach, like other pesticides, cleaning products, and air fresheners can be irritants to the lungs of both children and adults, especially if they are sensitive or have asthma. It is important to minimize the exposure to these products of both children and adults. Some ways to do this include choosing “greener” products, following label directions, using integrated pest management and cleaning to the level the situation warrants. “Don’t disinfect everything all the time if it’s not needed - disinfect only in situations that warrant it, and sanitize only in situations that warrant it,” Brunskill explains.

For more information on greener cleaning options, PA IPM’s Greener Cleaner Recipes brochure includes recipes for an all-purpose cleaner, window and glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, air freshener and carpet spot remover using all natural ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda. The brochure is available as a downloadable PDF from PA IPM’s web site at http://extension. psu.edu/ipm/resources/factsheets/ greener-cleaner.pdf.

In addition, the Household Products Database at http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/, Consumer Reports: Greener Choices at http://www.greenerchoices.org/, or Green Seal at http://www.greenseal.org/ contain additional information on green cleaning.

bleach     child care     pesticides