Don't Mix

[GordMay]

Common Household Chemicals - Dangerous Mixtures

Some of the common chemicals, found in your home and on your boat, shouldn't be mixed together. It's one thing to say "don't mix bleach with ammonia", but it's not always easy to know what products contain these two chemicals. Here's are some products you may have around the boat that shouldn't be combined.

DON’T MIX:

* Bleach with Acid Toilet Bowl Cleaners
This mixture can result in toxic, potentially deadly fumes.

* Bleach with Vinegar
Vinegar is a type of acid. Toxic chlorine vapor is produced. Don't mix chlorine bleach with any acid.

* Bleach with Ammonia
Toxic, potentially lethal vapors are produced.

* Different Brands of One Type of Product
Don't mix different cleaners together. They may react violently, produce toxins, or become ineffective.

* Alkaline Products with Acidic Products
Acids and bases (alkalis) can react violently, presenting a splash hazard. Acids and bases are caustic and may cause chemical burns.
If diluting an Acid, always Add Acid to water, and never the reverse.
If diluting an Alkali (base, caustic), always add caustic to water, and never the reverse.

* Certain Disinfectants with Detegents
Don't mix disinfectants with 'quaternary ammonia' listed as an ingedient with a detergent. The effectiveness of the disinfectant may be neutralized.

Chlorine bleach is sometimes called “sodium hypochlorite” or “hypochlorite.” You will encounter it in chlorine bleach, automatic dishwashing detergents, chlorinated disinfectants and cleaners, chlorinated scouring powder, mildew removers, and toilet bowl cleaners. Do not mix products together. Do not mix them with ammonia or vinegar.

Read the labels of products, and follow their instructions for proper use.

[sandy daugherty]

Thanks Gord. What's your take on Mary Kate On/Off?

[linnetwoods]

I rather hope that as many cruising sailors as posible are finding less violent and damaging chemicals to use aboard, wherever possible. It is worrying to think about the potential problems caused to marine life by the casual use of harsh chemicals and I am no great 'Greenie' but I do care deeply about how I treat the sea - it's my home and it's inhabitants are my neighbours! It would be great to know what products people have found that do the job well (maybe involving a little extra work but, hey, it's not as if we don't have a little extra time on our hands, is it?) and how the results compare with the use of 'ordinary' products, like bleach and ammonia.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by linnetwoods

I rather hope that as many cruising sailors as posible are finding less violent and damaging chemicals to use aboard, wherever possible. It is worrying to think about the potential problems caused to marine life by the casual use of harsh chemicals and I am no great 'Greenie' but I do care deeply about how I treat the sea - it's my home and it's inhabitants are my neighbours! It would be great to know what products people have found that do the job well (maybe involving a little extra work but, hey, it's not as if we don't have a little extra time on our hands, is it?) and how the results compare with the use of 'ordinary' products, like bleach and ammonia.

How about the common practice of lobstering with bleach?
It stuns the lobster and makes it easy to catch.
It destroys LOTS of stuff close by.
It is really dumb but continues.
Bleach credits anyone?

BTW, I personally use few chemicals and/or pesticides, relatively speaking.

[linnetwoods]

Terrifying, isn't it? Stunning fish with grenades, scraping the entire sea-bed into a net... what will they think up next?

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by linnetwoods

Terrifying, isn't it? Stunning fish with grenades, scraping the entire sea-bed into a net... what will they think up next?

Problem is.........."they" is us.


But this is off topic, sorry.
I will quit now.

[linnetwoods]

We were talking about products and not mixing the wrong ones together, from which I took only the tiniest sidestep to enquire whether we shouldn't be looking at less harsh products and you mentioned the deliberate use of bleach to get lobsters, demonstrating that, indeed, bleach has an adverse effect upon marine life... I suppose I went off topic a little by adding other ways of killing the very environment we have chosen as our habitat... Sorry! As for your comment that it is 'we' who are doing all these nasty things: you speak for yourself! Well, actually, I hope you don't... Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, chemicals that should not be mixed together...

It was very good advice that started this thread and I would hate anyone to ignore it as I have seen some of the results of getting it wrong and it's not funny.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by sandy daugherty

Thanks Gord. What's your take on Mary Kate On/Off?

CRC “Marykate” On-Off Hull & Bottom Cleaner, for use on Fibreglass ONLY, is mostly water (60%) and Acids (Hydrochloric, Phosphoric, & Oxalic.

As such, it's a highly corrosive and potentially dangerous formulation.

See MSDS:
http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/62032.pdf

[Morgan Paul]

Ok true story. I took a pee into a coffee can and put the can on a hot blacktop driveway. When I came back to get rid of it I figured I would neutralize the smell and disinfect the piss, so I poured a little bleach into the can, wow the liquid started to foam and boil.

Hey Gord thanks for stirring that memory.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Therapy

How about the common practice of lobstering with bleach?
It stuns the lobster and makes it easy to catch.
It destroys LOTS of stuff close by.
It is really dumb but continues.
Bleach credits anyone?

BTW, I personally use few chemicals and/or pesticides, relatively speaking.

Once again sorry for responding to an old thread, but I can't pass this on up.

You have to be kidding me!!! People actually do that?
You're already allowed to use snares down there...isn't that easy enough?

Up here, where they have big close, you have to reach in that hole and grab them with your bare/or covered by thin layer of neoprene hand.