Serious question about bleach?

Question

If you soak something really dirty, like a plunger or soiled diapers in a pail of bleach water, say for an hour, or even a day, is the bleach water now contaminated? I don't really understand how bleach works. I know it kills germs, but does it eat up and kill everything that goes into it, like a vat of acid would a plastic spoon? That's how I have alwasy envisioned it. I ask because I used quite a bit of bleach water to soak a plunger in, all visible soil and grudge already removed, and I am wondering if I could scour the tub and commode in the remaining bleach water or if its contaminated and I should empty it and start anew. May sound like an odd question, but I am a single woman at present on a fixed income, albeit temporarily, and economizing has proved most helpful. Thanks!

P.S. I put this here because I figured I had a better chance of finding someone who knew about the chemical reaction of bleach with contaminants. I also considered medicine and general cleaning, but here it is. Thanks again!

P.S. I know it's very cheap, but I use a lot of it and am probably wasteful already because I am so germ-freaky. Still, I think it's the thought of being wasteful more than the overall cost. I actually considered replacing the plunger, lol. Can't keep doing that!

Answer 1

Like you, I am very thrifty. I use a diluted solution of bleach to clean my tub, commode, plunger and bowl brush. In order to make the most out of my bleach mixture, I mix (1 part bleach and 3 parts water) and add it to a spray bottle which I spray in my tub and shower. This keeps the waste to a minimum. 1 bottle will go a long way and I can spray it where I want it. I then fill my commode with clean water and 1 cup of bleach. I use the basin of bleach water to dip my plunger into and allow it to soak for about fifteen minutes while I clean other things with the remaining bleach water in the spray bottle. I then remove the plunger and use the bowl brush to clean the rest of the commode. I flush the commode and rinse my brush and plunger in the newly santitized commode to stop the chemical reaction in the rubber and on the plastic. All is clean and ready to go. I do not recommend the tub as a disposal for the water. Bleach will kill the germs, but the residue will remain in the water. I use the same solution when mopping my floors and the water I dump out is full of sediment in the bottom. YUCKY! I wouldn't want to put my child in a tub where that had been dumped let alone water where a plunger or diapers had been soaked. I would not feel safe. And God knows how expensive a doctors visit is. I would try to save money some other way, where I new there would be no way my child or me could suffer from the consequences. Good luck and I pray things will get better financially for you.

Answer 2

I would use it to clean the toilet but not the tub. You could also use it outside where mold is growing on the house or walkway. I don't know for sure that there are still contaminants in it, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Since you mentioned needing to economize, one thing we do to save both money and water is to keep a bucket in the bathroom. Instead of wasting running water for a shower waiting until the hot water gets there, we catch the water in the bucket under the tub faucet, then we use that when we flush the toilet. You take the top off the tank and pour the water from the bucket in while the tank is refilling after a flush. It is amazing how much water we save and how much lower the water bill is. Of course, short showers help, too.

Answer 3

you are on the right track. The bleach will kill germs, but after cleaning something like a plunger which was as dirty as you describe I would not use the mixture in my tub. You could probably use it in the toilet though, as you will be brushing it around and flushing it away. Use some clean bleach to do the tub, but not much. rinse it out well.
Bleach kills germs, but is only mild. To clean your tub, you can also use vinegar, which is cheaper than bleach, but milder.

Pure bleach will eventually chew away at diapers and clothing.... that's why you have to mix it with water. But I don't think it will harm enamel or your plunger.

Answer 4

What household bleach is actually diluted (~5%) Sodium hypochlorite and what it does is act as an oxidizer. Basically it breaks whatever it is exposed to down chemically. Minimal exposure to it will remove the dirty surface of the material which later is rinsed off and the chlorite residue is washed way. Any biological contamination can be neutralized (killed off) when exposed to household bleach. The bleach can and will eventually break down the molecules in the material and weaken it. Clothes become "cleaner" by oxidizing the fibers and whatever soiled it, including and dye coloring, but the exposure will weaken the fibers and the rubber in the plunger will become brittle and loose some of its flexibility.
As for household sanitizing, for every gallon of water about 1/2 to one cup will do which will be a strong enough dosage to clean and disinfect what ever surface in your house. Watch and exposure to any ammonia products (Windex etc) can cause a toxic fumes which can be very harmful.
Rubber gloves should be worn when cleaning with bleach.
As for the bleach water solution, eventually the percentage of bleach in the bottle and solution will dissipate due to the chlorine in the bleach returning to gas for (typical bleach smell) so i would recommend disposing of it when done. For safety reason and really not for economical.

Answer 5

I don't really know, but I do know that you should be careful about cleaning a plunger with bleach because bleach and feces can create a noxious compound when combined (chloramine gas).

My guess, though, is that it kills viruses and bacteria because it's so noxious that nothing can survive it (since bacteria and viruses are alive). So, I'm sure that using it on the tub would probably be sterilized. But, considering what you cleaned the first time around I refer you to my first paragraph and there for think you should start anew. I know you're on a fixed income, but a big thing of bleach is like $0.93.

Answer 6

The traces of organic matter on the plunger are no different than the ones you'll find in the dirty toilet so I'd say go ahead and use the left-over bleach for the toilet. Do you really need bleach in the bath tub. I never use bleach there.

Answer 7

Good Q. Bleach is only active for the first 30 mins. So no need to soak soild diapers any longer then 30-1hr. The water is not contaminated after a diaper goes in...so technicaly...if you wanted...you could clean your floors after a diaper goes in your pail. It's great stuff, but remember to wear your gloves...I still have to get used to that.

Answer 8

you'll probably destroy the physical properties of what you were soaking. Try soaking your finger in bleach for an hour, you have a nice chemical burn.

Answer 9

YES IT EATS UP EVERYTHING!it'l eat up your skin. yes the water is camtaminated.