Cleaning can be a frustrating job to do. You may just be tempted to mix all your cleaning products together and miraculously come up with that magic concoction that can clean up anything.

Sounds like a dream, but truthfully, certain products work well and safe alone, but can lead to unsafe fumes or other chemical reactions when mixed with other products. It’s important to always read the labels of your cleaning supplies, and of course, this article is here to remind you to never mix the following ingredients together:

Bleach + Vinegar

This combo may seem like a powerful disinfectant, but the truth is, these two should never be mixed as it may lead to chlorine gas, which even at low levels, can cause coughing, breathing problems, and burning and watery eyes.

Baking Soda + Vinegar

A lot of DIY articles seem to recommend using this combo together, but when looking at the chemistry of it all, it’s actually a useless combo for cleaning.

Why is that? Baking soda is basic and vinegar is acidic so they cancel each other out. When you put these together you create mostly water and sodium acetate… but mostly water. The foaming may indicate it’s doing its job as a cleaner, but don’t be fooled. When stored in a closed container, the mixture is also susceptible to exploding.

Bleach + Ammonia

When mixing these two together, it creates dangerous toxic vapors called chloramines. Much like the mixture of bleach and vinegar, it causes coughing, breathing problems, burning and watery eyes, as well as shortness of breath and chest pain. In the worst-case scenario, it may even cause death. 

When large quantities of the two are mixed, it can create a substance called liquid hydrazine which is highly toxic and potentially even explosive.

Many glass and window cleaners contain ammonia, so never mix those with bleach.

Drain Cleaner + Drain Cleaner

Mixing two different drain cleaners is a bad idea. Drain cleaners usually contain powerful formulas and so mixing one with another may lead to an explosion. It’s better to use one product at a time and if that doesn’t work, call a plumber.

Hydrogen Peroxide + Vinegar

Mixing these two in the same container may result in disastrous events. Combining the two creates peracetic acid, which is potentially toxic and can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system.

Bleach + Rubbing Alcohol

Never mix these two together as it creates chloroform and hydrochloric acid, as well as chloroacetone or dichloroacetone. These are compounds that can cause damage to the nervous system, lungs, kidneys, liver, eyes, and skin. Also, high levels of chloroform can lead to dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness and even death.

When dealing with bleach, it’s better to err on the safer side. Keep in mind to never mix bleach with anything other than water.