Why chlorine bleaches

Bleach is a disinfectant and should only be used when needed to kill bacteria, fungus, or viruses. Always label containers clearly. Do not use a container if it is not labelled or if you cannot read the label. Know when and how to dilute the product correctly e. Never mix with other products, especially other cleaners that contain ammonia. Toxic gases can be produced, which are very irritating or corrosive to the eyes and lungs.

Make sure the area you are working in is well ventilated. The vapours from bleach are irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. Use fans or open windows and doors. Wear respirators when recommended. Wear goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes and face from splashes. Wear gloves such as household rubber or neoprene gloves or other types as recommended by the manufacturer.

Wear clothing that will cover your skin in the case of a spill, including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, socks, and closed-toed shoes. Protective chemical aprons or suits will provide more protection. A gallon of bleach provides 1 part per million PPM of chlorine to 60, gallons about , liters of water. Typically, a pool is treated at a rate of 3 PPM, and drinking water is treated at anywhere from 0.

Chlorine is used in pools and drinking water because it is a great disinfectant. It is able to kill bacteria and algae, among other things. Chlorine also makes a great stain remover, but not because of the chlorine itself. Natural stains as well as dyes produced by everything from mildew to grass come from chemical compounds called chromophores. Chromophores can absorb light at specific wavelengths and therefore cause colors.

When chlorine reacts with water, it produces hydrochloric acid and atomic oxygen. It is great for making whites whiter in the washing machine. It is a good disinfectant, killing germs on counters and bathtubs.

It will remove stains on tile and outdoor furniture. And it is pretty safe, relatively speaking — so safe that people drink it every day in their tap water and swim in it in swimming pools. When you buy a bottle of chlorine bleach at the store, what you are buying is sodium hypochlorite mixed with water. Sodium hypochlorite is NaOCl. Since table salt is NaCl, bleach is very similar to table salt and reverts to table salt if left out.

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. But if you let the water stand for 24 hours, it is fine for fish. All species In cases when protracted vomiting causes electrolyte or hydration abnormalities, fluid therapy may be of benefit. For respiratory exposures, the animal should be moved to an area with fresh air and monitored for dyspnea.

Stabilization of severely dyspneic animals is a must; pulmonary edema should be treated as needed. Bathing with mild shampoo and thorough rinsing is recommended for significant dermal exposures. Ocular exposures should be treated with 10—20 min of ocular irrigation with physiologic saline, followed by fluorescein staining of the cornea to detect corneal injury.

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