wow, I almost poisoned myself mixing cleaning products

[Jeannie in NJ]

I was cleaning the bathrooms with the windows open as i always do. However, there was mold in there so I used bleach along with Scrubbing Bubbles, Fantansick and Glass Plus. Well, I got very lightheaded and sick to my stomach and started spitting up white foamy stuff. I opened up windows thruout the house, turned on ceiling fans and then went outside and started breathing in deeply. I called dh who was driving back from Philly 1 1/2 hr drive). He said he will call me every 20 min. and if I don't answer he will call ambulance. My kids are due home in about an hour. I just drank a big glass of millk and that along with deep breathing outside seems to have pretty much made me feel okay. What a scare, no more using more than one cleaning product and I may even wear a mask. Any ideas for more natural cleaning products?

[MariannNOVA]

THAT is scary! Years ago, I had poured bleach into a toilet - we were moving into a house and folks had shown up to help clean. My bil poured something else into the toilet and flushed - he almost passed out from the fumes - it's something that one has to be so careful with, yet it happens quite easily.

 

You should step outside and get some fresh air, too.

 

Cleaning products: I use rubbing alcohol (70%) alot - my dd29 (who has MCS) uses Everclear - she has to get a prescription from her doctor so she can order it by the case, but it has no fumes and she is able to clean with it and not become ill.

 

So sorry this happened to you.

[justamouse]

Borax, washing soda, lemons and vinegar are all you need. Never ever buy that @rap again. Thank God the kids weren't in the house.

 

if you want, A&P sells a great brand of organics and cleaning products called Greenway.

[juelle]

Borax, washing soda, lemons and vinegar are all you need.

 

:iagree:

[Mrs Mungo]

Ammonia and bleach are an extremely dangerous combination. You can create chlorine gas (aka: mustard gas), or an explosion! You probably need to go to the doctor to have your lungs checked after being exposed in that manner. I knew a girl who died from this when I was a teen.

[Tangerine]

Ammonia and bleach are an extremely dangerous combination. You can create chlorine gas (aka: mustard gas), or an explosion!

 

Absolutely.

 

Get checked out. That's frightening.

[EKS]

I may even wear a mask.

 

A dust mask (if that's what you're talking about) will do nothing for issues arising from chemicals and unintended reactions.

[Laurie4b]

Absolutely.

 

Get checked out. That's frightening.

 

:iagree: Don't assume that you're okay without seeing a physician. Call your dr. and see if s/he wants to see you or wants you to go to the emergency room.

[newbie]

Borax, washing soda, lemons and vinegar are all you need. Never ever buy that @rap again. Thank God the kids weren't in the house.

 

if you want, A&P sells a great brand of organics and cleaning products called Greenway.

 

:iagree:

We use steam. If not vinegar or Method, Seventh Gen have natural products.

[wulfbourne]

Borax, washing soda, lemons and vinegar are all you need. Never ever buy that @rap again. Thank God the kids weren't in the house.

 

if you want, A&P sells a great brand of organics and cleaning products called Greenway.

 

:iagree:

 

Sounds like this might be a wake up call to switch to more natural cleaning solutions.

[JFSinIL]

I agree with everyone who said to get yourself checked out. As soon as you husband is home, if not sooner. Go to the ER and tell them exactly what happened. You may have damaged your lungs.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Call Poison Control! 1-800-222-1222

 

My husband did that and the lady from poison control told him to turn on a hot steamy shower and shut himself in the bathroom and breathe steam. I'm not sure how much the going outside and breathing deeply would help. It was scary, serious and poison control called us back every ten minutes for quite a while.

 

 

Please, please call poison control. 1-800-222-1222

[Jeannie in NJ]

I called poison control, she said to

breathe in steam

then go outside for few minutes

gargle with salt water

 

and do this for couple of hours.

 

I had told her that my throat hurts, she said if it continues or if I start coughing or spitting up more stuff to go to dr.

[wulfbourne]

Bumping to see how she's doing and hoping she'll check back in.

edit: I posted just as she was.

*embarrassed*

Edited April 13, 2010 by wulfbourne

[FO4UR]

I called poison control, she said to

breathe in steam

then go outside for few minutes

gargle with salt water

 

and do this for couple of hours.

 

I had told her that my throat hurts, she said if it continues or if I start coughing or spitting up more stuff to go to dr.

 

Go get checked out by a doc!:iagree:

[Jeannie in NJ]

also the woman at poison control said that it was the Fantastick that was the problem reacting with the bleach. She said that Fantastick is horrible and should never be used. She also said that I could get chemical pneumonia and especially when I told her that I had pneumonia all thru the month of Jan.

 

Guess I'll be calling dr.

[Mergath]

Oh my gosh, what a scary thing to have happen. I hope everything checks out when you see the doc. Do let us know how you are. :grouphug:

[amyable]

:grouphug::grouphug: Hope you are OK!

[melissel]

Borax, washing soda, lemons and vinegar are all you need. Never ever buy that @rap again. Thank God the kids weren't in the house.

 

if you want, A&P sells a great brand of organics and cleaning products called Greenway.

 

:iagree: That's terribly scary, what you went through! Please watch yourself and rest :grouphug:

[Jennifer in MI]

Keep updating! That is really scary! This happened to my aunt a couple years ago. She was on oxygen for a few months afterward.

[Terabith]

Fantastik is terrible? I love fantastik. It's the only cleaning chemical I use....I didn't know there was anything wrong with it. What's the problem with it?

[newbie]

Did you go to doc, are you feeling better???

[cillakat]

 

Cleaning products: I use rubbing alcohol (70%) alot - my dd29 (who has MCS) uses Everclear

 

2nd the rubbing alcohol or everclear

 

I use alcohol and microfiber cloths on surfaces that need serious cleaning/disinfection

 

h2o2 if mold/mildew pops up (just spray it on and let it air dry)

 

water and microfiber cloths for cleaning glass and chrome....

 

that's pretty much it.

 

:)

K

[Tree House Academy]

Oh man! How scary. I hope you check out okay. I try to never mix chemicals in the same space. Thank God you had the windows open already. If you hadn't, I'd hate to think what would have happened.

 

It is not chemical free, but I find that comet spray and a Mr. Clean magic eraser (15 minutes after comet spray has been allowed to sit) is perfect for cleaning even hard stuff in the bathroom. There is definitely no crazy interaction there!

[TengoFive]

I like all of the Seventh Generation stuff and Mrs. Meyers for natural products. I know I don't need several different types of cleaners, (glass, all-purpose, shower, etc.) but I really like them. It also helps dh & the kids to have things like that, so they know what to use.

 

Hope you're feeling better!

[Slartibartfast]

I like all of the Seventh Generation stuff and Mrs. Meyers for natural products. I know I don't need several different types of cleaners, (glass, all-purpose, shower, etc.) but I really like them. It also helps dh & the kids to have things like that, so they know what to use.

 

Hope you're feeling better!

 

I love those products as well. They work really well for me and I love the smells. No Carolina pine forest of doom here. :)

 

 

 

:grouphug: I am glad you are going to the Dr. That sounds horrible :(

[Slartibartfast]

Fantastik is terrible? I love fantastik. It's the only cleaning chemical I use....I didn't know there was anything wrong with it. What's the problem with it?

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/safety/MSDS/DOW%20BRANDS%20HOMECARE%20DIV%20--%20FANTASTIK.htm

[TravelingChris]

I looked at that website and saw nothing wrong with Fantastic. The only thing that is wrong is mixing chemicals. But using Fantastic by itself is fine including that all you need is normal ventilation.

[ChristusG]

Just bumping....please update to let us know if you are okay! I hope so!

[Jeannie in NJ]

Hi ChristusG, I had posted an update. I am feeling fine now. Luckily I had had the bathroom window wide open and also the door and since I called poison control and followed their instructions, it all worked out fine. I am grateful for all of the ladies here that told me to call poison control.

[Dawn in OH]

I had something similar happen years ago when we were living on our boat. Apparently my husband had poured Peroxide in the head (toilet) which I didn't know about. It was my cleaning day and I used a bleach based bathroom cleaner.

 

Now I use Peroxide, Vinegar and Baking Soda as my primary cleaning agents.

[GrassTiger]

The way I got Multiple Chemical Sensitivity was by carpet cleaning a store front for 8 hours without ventilation (It was after dark, in the city and I was alone, so I wasn't wanting to risk a visitor by leaving the door open). It destroyed my life. Please be ever so careful!

 

I'm extremely sensitive. Even vinegar and rubbing alcohol are a bit tough for me to handle so I save them for when I really need something they work well for.

 

I use Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap for almost everything! Body soap, counters, toilet, hand soap, etc. It's extremely economical since it's concentrated. It can even be used for shampoo, but I have dry hair and found it bit drying, but it doesn't dry my skin at all.

 

For laundry I use half Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not the detergent and not baking soda) and half 40 Mule Team Borax. That's all you need! Some people add soap shavings to it, but that is completely unnecessary. I just mix powder from the two boxes half-and-half in a can and use it straight. Easy and very inexpensive since you need very, very little of it. I put about a tablespoon in a full load of laundry. If your clothes get hard then you are using way, way too much, just like with regular detergent. You just need far less of this because it doesn't have a lot of other stuff added to it. It does a wonderful job on our clothing.

 

And the only shampoo I can use was created for the chemically sensitive and for those who want less chemicals....Safe Choice. If I need abrasion for something like the bath tub I use baking soda. To get stickers off I use rubbing alcohol or vinegar. For windows I use one of those cloths someone mentioned that you only need a little water and that's it. I tried drier balls, but they have been airing out for a year and are still way to smelly for me to use--ugh!

 

I hope that gives some good ideas. I do use Seventh Generation Dishwashing soap, only because I haven't taken the time to make something that might be safer for me. It's not as bad as many things, though it isn't great.

 

A great remedy for dry skin is to use Vitamin E oil straight on the skin (they sell it in bottles rather than in capsules), then put corn starch on to stop it being greasy. Do this each night before bed and the skin should be better in a about a week. Then you don't need lotions! Honestly, it isn't greasy if you use the cornstarch then wipe the corn starch off. It helps seal it in and removes the excess.

 

I use the deodorant that is made from a mineral stone--found at Whole Foods or other health food stores. Works great and there's no scent.

 

I hope you recover quickly and without lingering effects like I had.

 

Leah