Household bleach poses a greater threat to health through carelessness or misuse. According to the EPA, in the year 2000 alone more than 25,000 children were exposed to or poisoned by household chlorine bleach. Moreover, if chlorine is combined with ammonia or with cleaners that contain acids (like toilet bowl or oven cleaners), toxic and highly irritating chloramine and chlorine gases can be produced—so take care in using bleach in combination with other products.

See The Green Guide's product report on household cleaning supplies for safer product suggestions for all your home cleaning needs. You can also find non-chlorine bleach made from sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate available from Bio Pac, Ecover, Naturally Yours, Shaklee or Seventh Generation.

Resources

Dickey, Phillip. Washington Area Toxics Coalition. Safer Cleaning Products (Fact Sheet).

Children's Health Environment Coalition, HealTheHouse, "Chlorine."

EPA's Chemical Summary For Chlorine