The house cleaning company I worked for had a little rule that cleaners weren’t allowed to use bleach, so I thought I’d look into why.
In the past, they had filed a number of claims with their insurance company that were the result of bleach being spilled on a carpet. Now bleach can ruin a rug by taking all the color out of it. On a couple of occasions their clients made claims to carpet the whole house since the carpets matched in all the rooms and they didn’t think that could replace a bit.
Now, insurance companies aren’t in the business to pay too many claims, so they decided they wouldn’t pay any more claims involving bleach.
Bleach is a very dangerous chemical and is actually poisonous, so if you use it in your home, be sure to be very careful. Be sure to wear gloves at all times and not to breathe in the vapours.
However, not all bad news. Its main use is in the toilet, where it works well to remove nasty stains that seem to build up there, as well as to kill germs. It will also work well in the kitchen to remove tea stains on work surfaces and is used as a disinfectant.
When storing bleach, you should store it locked up in a cupboard and keep it separate from any other cleaning chemicals, as it will cause a nasty reaction if mixed.
Maybe now you understand the lye challenge a bit more, so make sure you’re careful.