Russian chemist Andrey Dorokhov has warned that mixing everyday cleaning chemicals creates toxic compounds capable of causing severe respiratory damage and death.
Speaking to news network RT, Dorokhov said combining chlorine bleaches and sodium hypochlorite products with acids or ammonia represents the most dangerous mistake people make while cleaning.
The specialist explained that these mixtures release harmful vapors that damage living tissue upon inhalation. Exposure can cause immediate eye burning, watery eyes, and severe irritation of the human respiratory tract, with lethal outcomes possible at elevated concentrations.
Dangers also extend to popular homemade cleaning solutions often assumed to be harmless, according to Dorokhov. He warned against mixing table vinegar with chlorine bleach, combining citric acid with chlorine household chemicals, and blending vinegar with hydrogen peroxide.
Hazards of common household chemical mixtures
Dorokhov urged householders to exercise strict caution whenever using cleaning products formulated with sodium hypochlorite, ammonia, or acids. He advised that people must never blend different cleaning products together inside the same container.
The chemist also warned against applying multiple products to the same surface in sequence without first washing away every trace of the previous cleaner. In addition, he said chlorine household chemicals must only ever be diluted with water, and strictly according to the proportions specified on the product label.
Sodium hypochlorite is the primary active ingredient in commercial chlorine bleach and acts as a powerful disinfectant. When bleach combines with common household acids such as vinegar or citric acid, the chemical reaction releases toxic chlorine gas. Mixing bleach with ammonia produces hazardous chloramine gas, which attacks moist tissues in the throat and lungs.
Combining vinegar with hydrogen peroxide creates peracetic acid, an unstable and corrosive substance that can irritate the skin and airways during domestic chores.
Academic background and domestic health warnings
Dorokhov works as an associate professor in the A.N. Reformatsky Department of Inorganic Chemistry at RTU MIREA, holding a candidate degree in chemical sciences. RTU MIREA, formally known as the Russian Technological University, is a prominent state university located in Moscow that specializes in chemistry, engineering, and technological research.
His warning comes after another Russian scientist, biologist Maksim Larionov, issued domestic safety guidance alerting the public to the health risks of growing large quantities of plant seedlings on residential windowsills.
