PSA: I made mustard gas today!

[DeniseM]

Earlier today, we arrived at our vacation home in NV, and since I had been "holding it" for about 2 hours, I was happy to run inside and use the facilities. Before I could even flush, a terrible sulphur/chemical smell filled the room. My first thought was gas leak, but no. It turns out that right before we left our vacation home 6 weeks ago, my husband dropped a big bleach tablet into the toilet tank, where is sat for 6 weeks, without being flushed. Fortunately, we have 2 strong exhaust fans in that area and were able to clear the chemical smell out, but it took awhile, and several flushes. A google seach shows that mixing urine and chlorine is a bad idea, and creates a chemical that you should not be breathing - it's actually similar to mustard gas:

Phosgene gas, also known as mustard gas because of its color, is one of the most dangerous byproducts of bleach. It occurs when bleach comes into contact with ammonia. Ammonia is another common chemical used in cleaning; it is also a component of certain bodily fluids produced by the kidneys, including urine.

 

[Passepartout]

Age and luck beats youth and skill every time! Keep up the good work!

 

[BJRSanDiego]

TMI... ;-)

 

[DeniseM]

I know - but it's a PSA, and hard to post the warning without the facts.

 

[DrQ]

I worked at an electronics company that used a chlorinated degreaser (chloro-fluoro hydrocarbon) and we were warned not to expose it to open flame or it could generate phosgene gas.

 

[DaveNV]

You do know those chlorine bleach tablets will disintegrate your toilet flapper valve, right? Don't be surprised if your toilet tank starts running at odd times, as if it had been flushed. Not a big deal, if you don't mind changing those flappers every so often. but annoying when you don't know what causes it.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

You do know those chlorine bleach tablets will disintegrate your toilet flapper valve, right? Don't be surprised if your toilet tank starts running at odd times, as if it had been flushed. Not a bog deal, if you don't mind changing those flappers every so often. but annoying when you don't know what causes it.

Dave

Thanks for that unknown dip.

 

[Brett]

You do know those chlorine bleach tablets will disintegrate your toilet flapper valve, right? Don't be surprised if your toilet tank starts running at odd times, as if it had been flushed. Not a bog deal, if you don't mind changing those flappers every so often. but annoying when you don't know what causes it.

Dave

and it will damage the gaskets between the bowl and tank in older toilets

 

[Beachclubmum]

When we leave the family vacation home I just do a spritz with clorox cleanup into the bowl and leave the lid open. Works great to prevent mold or gunk from forming plus no hazmat to worry about.

 

[Quiet Pine]

big bleach tablet into the toilet tank

At home, I keep the Clorox and ammonia bottles in different rooms. I knew I didn't want them next to each other in the laundry room, but didn't remember why. Thanks!

 

[geekette]

Part of the reason for me listening to little to nothing of my sister's advice, suggestions, instructions, etc (not that I ever ask for any of these, she is, politely, "an offerer"): there was a super gross room to clean up; she told me to spray bleach all over everything and let it sit for a few hours, then come back and spray ammonia over that ...

I thought that everyone knew to not mix chemicals, but bleach and ammonia are a mix I've known are toxic since I was young. I can see her shrugging and saying "oh well..." at my funeral. It is lucky for me that I am smarter than she is and early on did my own thing no matter what she said.

 

[geekette]

Thanks for that unknown dip.

Ditto. I had not known that, but, honestly, don't much use the tablets.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I have heard from someone else (but of course have never tried it myself...) that if you have a gopher problem that if you pour bleach and ammonia (at about a 50-50 mixture) into a gopher hole that it has a good chance of killing the gopher. Phosgene gas. If the ammonia and bleach are fresh, it may smoke a little. Swimming pool chlorine may work better. Then you need to stay up wind and quickly toss a shovel of dirt over the hole. Or at least that is what I have been told. ;-)

But lately I've had good luck with the "Gopher Hawk" trap. Two gophers in the past seven days. I think that I am temporarily gopher free. If you set out several, you can get the gopher much more quickly....

 

[controller1]

Since bleach corrodes metal I certainly wouldn't place a bleach tablet in a toilet tank, bowl yes but not the tank.