Bleach & Vinegar: Effects on Air, Furniture & Building

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the practice of using a mixture of bleach and vinegar in a building to address mold and mildew issues. Participants are exploring the potential effects of this practice on air quality, furniture, and electronic equipment over time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the health implications of mixing bleach and vinegar, noting that the combination produces chlorine gas, which poses a health risk.
  • Another participant expresses concern about the potential damage to electronic equipment due to the corrosive nature of chlorine, particularly regarding its effects on metals like aluminum and stainless steel.
  • A participant confirms that the practice is intended to combat mold and mildew in the building.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express concerns about health risks and equipment damage, but there is no consensus on the safety or efficacy of the practice. Multiple competing views regarding the implications of the chemical mixture remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully explored the long-term effects of chlorine gas exposure or the specific conditions under which the mixture is used, leaving some assumptions unaddressed.

rwolo
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I am new to this so I don't know if I am doing this right, I have some questions. In the building I work they put 1c. of bleach and 1c. of vinegar in a quart jar and set this out in several areas in the building over the weekend and then dump it out on Monday morning. Except in the basement it is left out until it evaporates. My questions are, what is this doing to the air, and is it absorbing into the furniture and other things in the building? This practice has been going for several years.
 
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That...sounds really unhealthy. Especially in the basement. Bleach + Acid = Chlorine gas (remember; vinegar contains acetic acid). Which no doubt is great at killing bacteria, mold, etc. in the building, but sort of has that pesky problem of being a major health risk to the humans working there as well...

I do hope OSHA knows they're doing this and it's being controlled in some manner so as not to be a health risk.
 
That's got to be bad for electronic equipment! Are they worried about mold and mildew in the bldg?
 
chemisttree said:
That's got to be bad for electronic equipment! Are they worried about mold and mildew in the bldg?

Yeah, can't chlorine corrode even aluminum and stainless steel if it's on them for an extended period of time?
 
yes, they put it out for mold and mildew
 

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