How to avoid accidents with chemical products

Do you remember the girl who, after generating a chlorine cloud by accidentally mixing sodium hypochlorite with hydrochloric acid, went public saying she had turned blonde? It turns out it’s easier than it seems to “brown out.” At home or work, in greater or smaller amounts, everyone uses chemical products or do you never clean? often without understanding what each product is, what it’s used for, or whether it can be safely mixed.

This girl accidentally mixed bleach with bleach sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid. Has anyone ever tried to mix them to descale and disinfect the bathroom in one go? If you have, you surely learned that this mix must never be done,and hopefully only on a small amount. It generates a chlorine cloud, a very toxic and irritating gas.

To avoid “browning out,” the general rule is: acids should never be mixed with basic products.

But they’re not the only ones… Another highly dangerous combination is bleach and ammonia, which creates hydrochloric acid and can cause serious burns to skin and mucous membranes. Sulfur and ammonia is also a very toxic mix.

To avoid accidents or “mixing the grains” the rule is clear: never mix acids and bases according to their pH. It’s also best not to store them together in case of accidental leaks.

Reading product labels provides many clues about dangers and how to store and manage chemicals and their waste. But if we work with large quantities, specific training is needed. Atēnia offers courses in chemical product and waste management and storage.

Specifically, to avoid “browning out” in pools, we recommend technical and sanitary training for aquatic facilities, which helps maintain the water’s physicochemical and microbiological parameters and ensures safe and responsible use of products needed to keep water quality optimal.