Can you mix Windex and all purpose cleaner?
Keep out of reach of children and pets. Not recommended for use on finished wood. Spot test on other surfaces before using. Do not use or mix with other household cleaners.
Many window cleaners, such as Windex, contain Ammonia. If mixed with bleach, it produces a toxic gas called chloramine. Fumes from this gas can cause side effects including sinus congestion, choking, shortness of breath, and coughing. In some cases, it can even cause chest pain.
- Bleach + Vinegar = Chlorine gas. This can lead to coughing, breathing problems, burning and watery eyes. ...
- Bleach + Ammonia = Chloramine. ...
- Bleach + Rubbing alcohol = Chloroform. ...
- Hydrogen peroxide + Vinegar = peracetic/ peroxyacetic acid.
(Windex is not actually an “all purpose” cleaner - it's specifically designed for cleaning windows and mirrors.)
- Leather furniture. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
- Plexiglass. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
- Flat screen TVs or computer screens. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
- Granite, marble or other natural stone. ...
- Wood. ...
- Bathroom tubs, showers, sinks, toilets. ...
- Car Windshields.
Some formulations of Windex contain ammonia. These products should never be combined with bleach when cleaning. Combining bleach and Windex that contains ammonia can lead to the formation of chloramine gas. Chloramine gas is highly irritating to the nose, mouth, and throat when inhaled.
Windex contains ammonia, and Lysol contains bleach. Mixing the two produces toxic gas.
Mixing cleaners can quickly produce toxic fumes and if you inhale these fumes, it could cause irritation or burning of the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing, difficulty breathing, lung damage, and even death. On a final note, you should NEVER drink any cleaning product.
Many window cleaners, such as Windex, contain ammonia. If mixed with bleach, it produces a toxic gas called chloramine. Fumes from this gas can cause sinus congestion, choking, shortness of breath, and coughing.
Do not mix OxiClean with other chemicals. This includes ammonia, chlorine bleach, and other household chemicals.
Where should you not use all-purpose cleaner?
- Names Can Be Deceiving. 1/11. ...
- Glass. 2/11. ...
- Unsealed Surfaces. 3/11. ...
- Carpets and Upholstery. 4/11. ...
- Toys. 5/11. ...
- Marble Surfaces. 6/11. ...
- Wood Furniture. 7/11. ...
- Surfaces That Need to Be Disinfected. 8/11.
Many people ask if they should use a glass cleaner with or without ammonia. The true answer is that it depends on the application, BUT in almost all typical use situations it's better to go ammonia free! This goes for use in the home and most professional applications as well.
Kitchen Degreaser
Windex works as a degreaser for cooktops, range hoods, fans, light fixtures and other areas that attract grease and grime. Spray the area with Windex and allow it to sit for a few minutes, then wipe clean. Rinse well if using near food preparation areas.
Our top pick is the Clorox Plus Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner, which eliminates odors, soap scum, hard water stains, mold, and mildew.
- Clean Picture Frames and Mirrors. ...
- Clean Diamond Jewelry. ...
- Clean Outdoor Furniture. ...
- Shine Your Shoes.
Peroxides (inorganic), when mixed with combustible materials, barium, sodium, and potassium, form explosives that ignite easily. Phosphorus (P), both red and white, forms explosive mixtures with oxidizing agents.
If you mix cleaning supplies or are using a strong-smelling cleaner, always work in a ventilated area to avoid being overcome by fumes. If you accidentally mix bleach with ammonia or acids or notice a strong odor, vacate the area and call Poison Control or 911.
It's also important to mix vinegar with other ingredients carefully. “Never mix vinegar with other cleaning products like bleach or ammonia or those 'blue' window cleaning products [like Windex], because they can create dangerous chlorine gas,” Gayman says.
A: We do not recommend mixing any Pine-Sol® product with other cleaning products or chemicals. Mixing cleaners can result in the release of hazardous gases.
Dilute up to one part with every five parts of warm water. A 40 ounce bottle makes 1.8 gallons of disinfecting action. Apply the solution to fit your cleaning methods, not only with a sponge cloth or mop but also by filling a spray bottle.
What happens when you mix Windex and toilet bowl cleaner?
“Chlorine bleach—found in whitening laundry products, toilet cleaners, and some disinfectants—mixed with ammonia, most often found in window cleaners, results in a chemical reaction that creates a toxic fume of chloramine gas," Arkin says.
The product can be used full strength or diluted. Diluting with water helps to make the product go further and saves you money.
If you're doing general cleaning, all-purpose cleaner is a good call. But a specialty job, like cleaning mold or mildew, will require a specialty product. “When you're cleaning mold and mildew, think about what's going to deal with the problem at hand—it's not soap and water,” Maker says.
Want one product to do it all, then an all-purpose cleaner may be right for you. Want a product that's more carefully designed for the surface that needs cleaning, then perhaps an multi-purpose cleaner, with some other more surface-specific cleaners to back it up could be the way to go.
Don't leave the streak-free shine behind when you reach for a multi-surface cleaner that kills 99.9% of germs‡, viruses^, and bacteria† on hard, non-porous surfaces. Windex® Disinfectant Cleaner Multi-Surface leaves behind a fresh citrus scent without any dull residue.
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