What to do if you inhale bleach and toilet cleaner?

If a person swallows or inhales a chlorine-based product and shows symptoms of poisoning, contact the emergency services or go to the hospital immediately. In the United States, a person can also contact the National Poison Control helpline on 1-800-222-1222 for advice.


What happens if you breathe in toilet bowl cleaner and bleach?

Acid-based toilet bowl cleaners and bleach are also a very dangerous blend. Some people may add bleach to the bowl but the combination of bleach with the acid releases chlorine gas. Even at low levels, it irritates eyes, nose and throat and causes coughing and breathing problems. Very high levels can cause death.

How do you treat inhaling bleach in your lungs?

Right after being exposed to these fumes, the best at-home action is getting fresh air. Try to ventilate your indoor living space as much as possible. You may want to consider spending a significant amount of time outside in the hours following breathing in the fumes.


What happens if you inhale too much toilet cleaner?

Depending on the concentration of the gas and the length of exposure, inhalation of the gas could be life-threatening. The symptoms range from eye, nose and throat irritation, incessant coughing, breathlessness, chest pain, wheezing to acute lung damage or acute respiratory distress syndrome.

What to do after inhaling cleaning products?

Treatment for inhalation exposures
  1. Ventilate the area. Open the windows and turn on the fan.
  2. Leave the area and get fresh air. Fresh air may resolve many uncomfortable symptoms.
  3. Treat the symptoms that are not alleviated by the fresh air:


Could Cleaning the House Harm Your Lungs?



How long does bleach poisoning take to set in?

For the majority of cases, which involve household bleach that has been diluted in water, symptoms begin within minutes. These include heavy drooling (especially in cats) and redness and irritation on the skin and in and around the mouth.

What to do after inhaling toxic fumes?

If you have inhaled chemical or toxic fumes, you should get into fresh air straight away. Loosen tight clothing and open doors and windows wide. If you are with someone who has inhaled toxic fumes, seek medical attention immediately.

How long does it take to recover from chemical inhalation?

Fluid may develop in the lungs as late as 12 hours after exposure. The condition may temporarily resolve and then recur 10 to 14 days later, even without further contact with the gas.


What to do if you inhale bleach and ammonia fumes?

If you do accidentally mix bleach and ammonia, get out of the contaminated area and into fresh air immediately. If you're having a hard time breathing, call 911 or your local emergency services, and then call your local poison control center at 800-222-1222.

How long does it take to recover after inhaling bleach?

Acute exposure

In survivors, improvement typically begins from 48 hours. Most people with mild-to-moderate exposure recover fully in 3-5 days, although some develop chronic problems such as reactive airway disease.

When should I go to hospital after inhaling bleach?

What should you do you have been exposed to chlorine gas? If you are having trouble breathing, get medical help immediately! If you have spilled bleach on your skin or clothing, remove your clothing and rinse your skin with plenty of plain water.


How long does it take for bleach to affect your lungs?

Chlorine doses that produce acute lung injury (240 ppm for 60 min or 350 ppm for 30 min in these studies) result in the death and sloughing of most epithelial cells from the pseudostratified epithelium, including virtually all club and ciliated cells.

Can inhaling bleach cause permanent damage?

Respiratory: Chlorine bleach inhalation can cause discomfort, coughing, and can lead to acute, or long-term chronic chemical pneumonitis. The inflammation that stems from pneumonitis can progress into stiffness of the lungs. If untreated, effects can result in respiratory failure.

Can bleach fumes cause brain damage?

Chlorine bleach exposure was associated with impaired neurobehavioral functions and elevated POMS scores and symptom frequencies. Alternatives to chlorine should be used.


Should I go to the hospital if I inhaled chemicals?

Seek Emergency Care If You Have Acute or Chronic Chemical Exposure Symptoms. Breathing, ingesting, and touching toxic chemicals are harmful to your health. If you take in a small amount of a dangerous toxin over time, it can build up in your system, causing chronic chemical exposure.

When should you go to hospital for chemical breathing?

When to Call 911. You should call 911 after a chemical exposure if the victim has significant trouble breathing, has a large burn, or is experiencing symptoms of shock.

How do you detox your body from cleaning chemicals?

With that in mind, here are 10 ways to cleanse your body of harmful chemicals and other toxins.
  1. Drink green tea. ...
  2. Try fasting. ...
  3. Exercise. ...
  4. Drink more water. ...
  5. Consider dry brushing. ...
  6. Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet. ...
  7. Take probiotics and prebiotics. ...
  8. Get quality sleep.


What is the first aid for inhalation?

Open windows and doors, and turn on the fans in the room if possible to ventilate the area. Leave the area and go outside to get fresh air. There may be some symptoms that are not treated from fresh air alone.

Does milk help with chemical inhalation?

Fiction. There is an old myth still circulating among some welders that drinking milk before welding can help protect them from the harmful health effects of breathing in toxic welding fumes, such as lung cancer and metal fume fever.

What are signs of inhalation injury?

Inhalation Injuries
  • Coughing and phlegm.
  • A scratchy throat.
  • Irritated sinuses.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Chest pain or tightness.
  • Headaches.
  • Stinging eyes.
  • A runny nose.


When should you suspect inhalation injury?

Inhalation injury should be suspected in the context of smoke inhalation and with any of the following: closed-space fire, loss of consciousness, burns to the face or neck, changes in voice, respiratory symptoms, soot in the mouth or airway, or singed nasal hairs.

What is the fastest way to flush your body of toxins?

Drinking water is one of the best and fastest ways to flush out toxins from your system. Water transports toxins through your system via your bloodstream, making sure they're expelled from your body. Try to get the recommended 8 glasses of water per day (tip: herbal tea counts towards your water intake, too!).

How long does it take for your body to rid itself of toxins?

The detoxification process may vary from one day to weeks depending on the type of detox you choose. Good and adequate sleep allows eliminating toxins that accumulate throughout the day. Eating a diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics keeps your digestive system healthy, and thus helps in proper detoxification.


How long does it take to cleanse toxins from your body?

While the time it takes to detox from substances varies from person to person, detox programs are generally between 3 to 10 days long, depending on medical necessity.

How long does it take chemical pneumonia to develop?

Symptoms of chemical pneumonitis include sudden shortness of breath and a cough that develops within minutes or hours. Other symptoms may include fever and pink frothy sputum. In less severe cases, the symptoms of aspiration pneumonia may occur a day or two after inhalation of the toxin.