Attachment 11 - Hazardous Household Chemical Mixtures

Many household items, which alone seem perfectly harmless, are not when mixed with other household products.  Some are OK while in the bottle and used only an ounce at a time but when the bottle is broken, many become toxic. They may mix with others on the floor, or they may be released in large enough quantities to create a health hazard to those in close proximity to them.   To name a few:

•	CLOROX or any household bleach (chlorine) when mixed with toilet bowl cleaners, swimming pool acid, ammonia, rust remover, or any acid type substance, chlorine creates a hazardous gas.
•	HOUSEHOLD AMMONIA (Ammonium Hydroxide) when combined with bleach, swimming pool acid or Liquid Plumber, household Ammonia creates a toxic gas.
•	OVEN CLEANER Has sodium hydroxide in it (commonly known as lye) and can cause burns to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.  Fumes are extremely dangerous to wearers of contact lenses.  Produces extreme heat when mixed with sulfuric acid (Liquid Plumber) or hydrochloric acid (toilet bowel cleaner).
•	LIQUID PLUMBER Contains sulfuric acid.  When mixed with bleach, pool chlorine, or any other chloride based substance, can create chlorine gas (used in chemical warfare).
•	PAINT REMOVER Contains methylene chloride, a known cancer-causing chemical may rupture violently during a fire.
•	HOUSEHOLD PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES when mixed together in large quantities, can become dangerous.
•	RAID or Insect Spray: Flammable around heat and open flame. Contains a chemical that can cause aspiration pneumonia when breathed in large quantities.
•	LSOTOX GARDEN SPRAY Contains benzene, hexachloride, xylems, and trichloreflaine all known to cause cancer.
•	ORTHO DORMANT SPRAY Contains calcium polysulfide which when it comes into contact with an acid type chemical could give off a highly toxic extremely flammable gas.
•	MALATMON Insect killer contains xylene which, when inhaled in large quantities can cause aspiration pneumonia.

All previously-mentioned products should be stored with these hazards in mind. Even though most of them come in plastic containers, they should be stored on anchored shelves which have some type of restraint across them to prevent bottles from falling. The most hazardous of them should be stored at floor level.

Many household items, which alone seem harmless, are not when mixed with other household products.