Never Mix Bleach With Ammonia
Bleach removes colour and kills germs. Mixed with the wrong household cleaner it produces a genuinely dangerous gas.
Bleach is a chemical that removes colour and destroys microorganisms. One safety fact is worth more than any definition: household bleach mixed with ammonia produces chloramine vapour, and mixed with acids such as some limescale removers it releases chlorine gas. Both can cause serious lung injury in an enclosed bathroom.
- A whitening chemical. *Household bleach.*
- To whiten or remove colour. *Bleached hair.*
- To lose colour. *Coral bleaching.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bleach | A splash of bleach. |
| Verb | bleach | Bleach the cloth. |
| Past | bleached | Sun-bleached wood. |
| Noun | bleaching | Coral bleaching. |
| Related | chlorine | Chlorine gas. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Never mix bleach with other cleaners.Safety rule.
- Coral bleaching follows warm water.The coral expels its algae and turns white.
- Her hair was bleached blonde.Cosmetic.
Bleach safety
- Never with ammonia — produces chloramine vapour
- Never with acid cleaners — releases chlorine gas
- Never with vinegar — vinegar is an acid
- Ventilate — always use with a window open
- Dilute as directed — stronger is not more effective
From Old English *blæcan*, to make pale, from a root meaning shining or white — related to *bleak* and to German *bleich*.
Why does coral bleach?
Heat stress makes coral expel the algae living in its tissue. Without them it loses colour and its main food source.
Are bleach and bleak related?
Yes. Both come from a root meaning pale or shining. Bleak once meant pale rather than desolate.