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Brits doing spring clean issued urgent 'toxic' warning for these cleaning products

The UK Health Security Agency urged people doing thorough spring cleans to exercise caution

[A beautiful young woman is cleaning the white kitchen cabinet door with a cloth and disinfectant spray in green rubber gloves]

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Brits cleaning their homes must exercise caution(Image: Getty)

Britons preparing for their spring clean have been cautioned about which products they are using. With milder weather approaching, countless households are keen to refresh their properties ahead of summer.

However, the methods and products chosen could pose risks to wellbeing. This warning comes from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which has raised concerns about particular cleaning products.

The UKHSA is the Government body responsible for safeguarding public health from external dangers including infectious diseases and biological or chemical threats. It warned that combining these products could 'release toxic fumes that can cause serious health effects'.

An Instagram statement advised: "Spring cleaning? Always follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label of any products you use."

It added: "Did you know, you should never mix household cleaning products such as bleach, limescale remover, or drain unblocker as they can release toxic fumes that can cause serious health effects."

Why not?

There are compelling reasons to avoid mixing certain household cleaning products. For instance, combining bleach with ammonia can result in severe injuries.

Sodium Hypochlorite serves as the active component in chlorine bleach. It appears in household bleach and numerous other disinfectants. Sodium hypochlorite reacts with ammonia, drain cleaners, and other acids. Numerous household products clearly state they contain bleach on their labels. Combining bleach with ammonia produces deadly gases known as chloramines, which trigger a range of dangerous symptoms including coughing, nausea, breathlessness, watery eyes, chest pain, wheezing, skin irritation and even pneumonia.

Mixing chlorine bleach with an acid releases chlorine gas, which then combines with water to form hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids. Chlorine can penetrate the skin, leading to pain, inflammation, swelling and blistering. Hydrochloric acid is equally hazardous, causing severe burns to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, mouth and lungs.

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