TikTok has been a haven for cleaning lovers who enjoy watching and sharing videos of messy homes being cleaned… but don’t take them as an alternative to your routine cleaning things – some recommendations or viral stuff on the app could be dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
Experts from Victorian Plumbing shared the top five common cleaning recipes, viral on TikTok, you should NEVER EVER try.
5 common cleaning hack to avoid
- Scientists in Fear of This New Predator From Red Sea Eating Native Species in Mediterranean
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
No. 1
A TikTok user (@sarah_nde) recommends cheap hack to whiten up the grout using bleach to do the job, but the experts at Victorian Plumbing advise against using this harmful chemical on grout because it can “weaken and even crack the grout, as well as potentially discolouring it too.”
No. 2
A viral Mrs Hinch hack involves pouring a capful of Zoflora in your sink along with boiling water.
The idea behind this is to add a gorgeous smell to the room, but it isn’t as safe as it seems.
A spokesperson from Zoflora has said:
We do not advise using Zoflora with boiling water as this has not been tested.
It could potentially negatively impact the ingredients within Zoflora and the vapour they release.
In general, the experts at Victorian plumbing suggest sticking to only ONE household cleaning product at a time per surface to avoid mixing chemicals. Mixing unknown chemicals should always be avoided.
No. 3
TikTok user @vaneamaro91 went viral for her bleach and dish soap hack, which involved pouring both down the sink drain to clean it.
However, Victorian Plumbing’s experts warn everyone to avoid pouring bleach directly down the drain as it can be extremely dangerous.
They said:
There may be chemicals that are still in the drain that, when mixed with bleach, would cause a chemical reaction that creates toxic fumes.
Products like dish soap tend to contain ammonia which when mixed with bleach can be very dangerous.
In the worst-case scenario, mixing cleaning products can lead to irritated airways, respiratory problems or burns to the eyes, skin, throat or nose.
Certain gases that arise as a result of mixing products can cause severe damage to the nervous system, eyes, key organs or even death.
No. 4
Mrs Hinch recommends unscrewing the plughole of your sink with a spoon or knife to clean out anything trapped underneath, but this hack has caused problems for people who have tried it at home.
Victorian Plumbing’s spokesperson explained:
Many fans have been left with big plumbing bills and even trips to A&E as this hack has gone wrong.
Not only are people hurting themselves whilst attempting to remove the plughole, but the “gunk” they’re removing, is actually the rubber seal that prevents leakage in the sink.
No. 5
Bleach is often a go-to product when cleaning the bathroom, but make sure to check the ingredients before you ever try and replicate any viral videos.
The experts said:
A lot of bleach-based products can’t be mixed with ammonia-based products as the results can be fatal.
When combined, these two common household cleaners release toxic chloramine gas which in high concentration can lead to a coma or even death.
A lot of people don’t think of the repercussions of these little tricks, in fact mixing bleach with something as simple as vinegar actually creates Chlorine Gas, which was used in WW2 as a weapon.
NEVER blend any of the following together:
- Scientists in Fear of This New Predator From Red Sea Eating Native Species in Mediterranean
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
- Bleach and Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar
- Baking Soda and Vinegar
- Bleach and Ammonia
- Bleach and Rubbing Alcohol
Image Credit: Getty