Bleach is known for eliminating bacteria with extreme effectiveness. However, not everyone feels comfortable using it, as bleach can react dangerously with other common household chemicals and requires careful handling. For these reasons, many people choose to avoid using bleach entirely.
This might not be a poor decision. Experts note that while bleach has a small number of practical use cases, it does not need to be a regular cleaning product in most homes.
Here’s what you need to know about using bleach properly, plus when more user-friendly alternatives are a better fit.
What, exactly, is bleach?
Bleach, the chemical compound sodium hypochlorite, functions as a disinfectant. There is a clear difference between cleaning and disinfecting, explains Katie Sullivan, director of issue communications at the American Cleaning Institute, an industry trade group. “Cleaning refers to the physical removal of dirt, germs, and debris through scrubbing, washing, and rinsing,” she says. Disinfecting involves killing any remaining germs on a surface after it has been cleaned.
For routine household cleaning, soap and warm water are nearly always sufficient, says Rebecca Fuoco, director of science communications at the Green Science Policy Institute, a nonprofit that advocates for safer chemical use. “The bottom line is that you often don’t need to disinfect your home,” she states. “You just need to clean your home.”
Situations where bleach is appropriate
There are a few scenarios where using bleach is worthwhile. Fuoco says disinfecting with bleach is necessary for sanitizing surfaces contaminated with bodily fluids, feces, or vomit from someone who was ill.
Hot, soapy water is generally enough to clean up everyday messes on kitchen countertops, cutting boards, and kitchen sinks, notes Taylor Dunivin, a toxicologist with the Environmental Working Group, an environmental health nonprofit. Highly diluted bleach can be used to disinfect surfaces where food carrying potentially harmful bacteria, like raw chicken, was prepared, but Dunivin recommends using other sanitizers made for food-contact surfaces instead. She adds that you should avoid using general home disinfectant products not formulated for food surfaces, as these can leave behind harmful residue.
Bleach is not the ideal choice for cleaning your bathroom or shower. “If you notice minor mold in your shower, you can scrub the area with detergent and water—you don’t need to use bleach,” Dunivin explains. For toilets, she recommends cleaning products that contain lactic acid.
If you must use bleach, avoid using it around children and people with asthma, Dunivin advises. “Children’s lungs are still developing and are more sensitive to breathing in bleach fumes.” She adds that people who use bleach frequently face an increased risk of developing asthma and other respiratory problems.
If you’re disinfecting a surface, bleach is not your only option. You can instead use disinfectants with citric acid, ethanol, or acetic acid as active ingredients, Dunivin says. Fuoco recommends avoiding products that contain certain chemicals, as these have been linked to a range of health issues.
Safe practices for using bleach
Bleach can be a powerful disinfectant, Sullivan says. “It just needs to be used correctly.”
When using bleach, keep these best practices in mind:
- Avoid mixing it with other chemicals. You should never combine bleach with other cleaners or disinfectants, especially vinegar and ammonia, as this mixture can release toxic gas, Sullivan warns.
- Store it securely. As with all household cleaners, bleach should be kept out of reach of children and pets.
- Protect yourself. Bleach can irritate the eyes and skin. If you must use it, experts recommend opening windows or doors, turning on household fans, wearing gloves, and even using eye protection.
- Use soap and water first. If you’re using bleach to disinfect a surface, you should always clean that surface with soap and water first. If you don’t clean the surface first, the sanitizer won’t be as effective.
- Always read the product label. Bleach typically needs to be diluted with a specific amount of water before use. “I encourage people to always read the label because different bleach brands may have varying concentrations of bleach in the bottle,” says Lillian Nabwiire, a food safety extension educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
- Do not save leftover diluted bleach. You should always dispose of any diluted bleach immediately after using it—not only because it is toxic, but also because it loses its effectiveness over time, Nabwiire notes.
