Flammability of Cleaning Supplies: A Complete Guide

Introduction

If cleaning products are not handled and stored appropriately, they might be hazardous. When handling and storing their cleaning materials, many people don’t always take flammability into account.

How can you prevent a chemical disaster in your house or place of business when there are so many cleaning supplies available? If there is, how should you react?

It is crucial to use, handle, and store chemicals in accordance with the manufacturer’s label instructions to prevent a disaster like a fire or the burning of common cleaning supplies. In the event of a chemical fire or combustion, having a safety plan will speed up your reaction time.

Maintaining a secure and tidy home or place of employment is an ongoing struggle. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand how to use and store your cleaning goods correctly.

Nobody wants their house or place of business to explode or fill with poisonous gases, especially if it could have been easily avoided by following the right handling and storage procedures. You’ll be one step closer to a safer atmosphere if you follow this guide.

Are Cleaning Materials Combustible?

The Most Frequently Used Cleaning Supply Types

With thousands of cleaning products available on the market today, it’s easy to feel like there are too many options.

Companies that sell cleaning supplies brag on having the greatest, safest, greenest, or least harmful products. It is challenging to determine which is actually the safest.
— cleanhomeblog.com

The most popular cleaners and the substances that cause them to catch fire are listed below. You may make far safer choices when buying cleaning supplies for your house or place of business if you constantly read the labels to look for combustible chemicals:

Cleaners for Bathrooms

Commonly used flammable ingredients: 2-Butoxyethanol, ammonia, chlorine, phthalates, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

Chlorox™ Bathroom Cleaner
Chlorox™ Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Comet™
Kaboom Foam-tastic Cleaner™
Lysol™ Bathroom Cleaner
Scrubbing Bubbles™ Bathroom Cleaner
Soft Scrub™
Zep™ – Shower, Tub, and Tile Cleaner

Dish Cleaners

Commonly used flammable substances: Triclosan, phthalates, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

Ajax™
Cascade™
Dawn™
Finish™
Joy™
Palmolive™

Cleaners for Drains

Commonly used flammable ingredients: 2-Butoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide

Draino™
Glisten™
Green Gobbler™
Liquid Plumber™
Roebic Main Line Cleaner™
Scotch Slow Drain™

Polishing Furniture

Commonly used flammable ingredients: 2-Butoxyethanol, Phthalates

Endust™
Homebright™ Furniture Polish
Murphy’s Oil Soap™
Old English™
Pledge™
Scott’s Liquid Gold™

Laundry Detergents and Pods

Commonly utilized flammable substances: Chlorine, Perchloroethylene, Phthalates, Triclosan, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

All™
Arm and Hammer™
Gain™
Persil ProClean™
Purex™
Sun™
Tide™
Xtra™

Multi-Surface Cleaners

Commonly used flammable ingredients: 2-Butoxyethanol, ammonia, chlorine, phthalates, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

409™ Multi-Surface
Ammonia™
Bleach™
Chlorox™ Multi-Surface
Fantastik™
Lysol™
Microban™
Mr. Clean™
Rubbing Alcohol™
Vinegar™

Degreasers and Cleaners for Ovens

Commonly used flammable ingredients: 2-Butoxyethanol, Chlorine, Sodium Hydroxide

Easy-Off™ Oven Cleaner
EZ Duzzit™ Oven and Grill Cleaner
Goo Gone™
Greased Lightning™
Mean Green™
Mr. Muscle™
Power House HD Oven Cleaner™
Purple Power™
Zep™ Heavy-Duty Oven Cleaner

Stain Removers

Commonly utilized flammable substances: Chlorine, Perchloroethylene

Clorox²™
Oxi-Clean™
Rejuvinate™
Resolve™ Spray and Wash
Shout™
Tide™ Stain Remover
Vanish™

Flammable Chemicals Used in Cleaning Supplies

The following hazardous substances are among the characteristics that the majority of these cleansers share:

2-Butoxyethanol – Most frequently found in kitchen and window/glass cleaners as well as the most widely used multipurpose cleaners.
Ammonia – Has been widely used for polishing and cleaning glass, jewelry, and stainless steel since the 1850s.
Chlorine – Mostly found in laundry whiteners, mold and mildew removers, scrubbing powders, and toilet bowl cleaners.
Perchloroethylene – Found in conventional stain removers, dry cleaning solutions, and carpet and upholstery cleaners.
Phthalates – Typically classified as “fragrance” on a manufacturer’s label due to the significant absence of legislation. Current laws do not require cleaning supply companies to disclose which chemicals are used to make scents.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) – Primarily used in antibacterial cleaners and fabric softeners.
Sodium Hydroxide – Most frequently found in drain and oven cleansers.
Triclosan – Frequently included in hand soaps, antibacterial detergents, and liquid dishwashing solutions.

Other Combustible Deep Cleaning Substances

The following compounds are very flammable and should be avoided if you want to improve safety and lower the chance of fire or combustion in your house or place of employment. Professional-strength cleansers and degreasers frequently contain these compounds.

Check product labels for these volatile solvents:

Acetone – Used in nail polish removers and adhesive removal products
Benzene – Used in making detergents
Toluene – Found in nail polish removers and adhesive removers
Xylene – Found in nail polish removers, detergents, and adhesive removal products

Companies Known to Be Less Combustible

Using safer substitutes for conventional cleaning solutions can help you avoid harsh chemical reactions and reduce fire or combustion hazards.

The following products are regarded as organic and non-flammable:

Greenerways Organic All-Purpose Cleaner – Great for cars, gym equipment, baby supplies, and more; leaves a streak-free shine.
Household Traditions All-Purpose Cleaner – Enzymatic, non-toxic, effective in both commercial and residential settings.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner – Safe for any non-porous surface, leaves a fresh, natural scent.
Simple Green – Environmentally friendly, non-toxic, suitable for both porous and non-porous surfaces.

Green Does Not Always Mean Safer or Non-Toxic

You want to believe that a firm is telling the truth when it says that its product is green. Regretfully, this isn’t always true. “Green” does not always imply that a product is less harmful or safe than others.

Shady Business Tactics Caused by a Lack of Legislation

Companies are not subject to strict regulations on what information they must disclose on product labels due to weak federal laws. Businesses use deceptive language and alluring phrases to capture your attention using creative marketing strategies.

They give the impression that their product is safe, non-toxic, or environmentally friendly—but that’s not always the case. When a business is not honest about their ingredients, it’s called greenwashing.

Using and Storing Common Cleaning Supplies Properly

To maintain a safer atmosphere, it’s crucial to remember the following while using any kind of chemical to clean your house or place of business.

When Using Aerosol Containers, Exercise Caution

Any cleaning product that comes in an aerosol container needs to be used and kept with extreme care. Due to their hydrocarbon propellant and high pressure, most aerosol containers are highly flammable and easily combustible:

Always store aerosol containers in a cool, well-ventilated area. Poor ventilation or high heat can cause combustion.
Never smoke cigarettes while using aerosol containers.
Never spray aerosol containers directly into an open flame or near ignition sources like pilot lights.

Combining Clashing Chemicals Can Lead to Catastrophe

Besides flammability, users must also consider the toxic gases created by mixing the wrong chemicals.

One surefire way to produce a harmful chemical reaction is to combine bleach with other cleaners.

Even in Little Doses, Exposure Can Still Be Harmful

Several of the goods mentioned in this guide should never be mixed together. They can release poisonous gases and induce combustion.

Even slight exposure to these toxic fumes can irritate your:

Eyes
Nose
Throat
Lungs

Always use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, away from any source of heat or open flames.

Use the Correct Cleaning Techniques

Combining several cleaning products can cause extremely dangerous chemical reactions that may lead to:

Serious illness
Major injury
Even death

Avoid These Combinations When Combining Cleaning Supplies

Avoid these combinations when combining cleaning supplies. Avoid these combinations when combining cleaning supplies.

Bleach and Other Cleaning Products

Bleach should never be mixed with any other type of cleaning. When bleach is combined with the following, poisonous vapors are created that become much more dangerous:

Lysol and ammonia-based toilet cleansers

You must use warm, soapy water to clean the area before applying any further products to prevent these dangerous chemical reactions.

To prevent a chemical reaction between the two distinct products, it is essential to wipe the surface with warm soapy water first if you sprayed Lysol Multi-Surface Cleaner on the kitchen counter and then decide to use another cleaner, such as bleach.

Unventilated Areas with Open Fires

Keeping your chemicals away from open flames is crucial, including:

Candles
Cigarettes lit
Burners for stoves
Heaters for hot water

A disastrous scenario can be ignited by a single spark.
To create a safer environment, heed the label.

Reading the manufacturer’s label on the back of every cleaning product you use is crucial to preventing the combustion of popular cleaning supplies.

In addition to using your chemicals carefully, make sure they are kept out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources like open fires.

Combine Drain Cleaners for a Powerful Outcome

Make sure you use the same brand of drain cleaners that you currently use. Your pipes could explode if you mix different kinds of drain cleaners.

How to Act in the Event of a Chemical Reaction or Fire

The paragraphs that follow provide advice on how to stop and handle a chemical fire or reaction.

Prevention is the Best Strategy

The best policy is prevention. Prior to an occurrence, it is crucial to have a plan in place:

Make certain that everyone in your family or workplace is aware of the plan and their responsibilities in the event of an emergency.
Establish a meeting spot where everyone is aware of when to meet so you can monitor them.
Understand how to leave the region.
Understand the locations of the fire extinguishers and their correct usage.
Know who to call for assistance.

Never Be Afraid to Ask for Assistance

The first thing you should do in the event of an incident is to dial 911 right away. Help will arrive more quickly if you call for it sooner rather than later.

Depending on your location, it often takes the fire service 15 to 20 minutes to reach the scene. When a fire is burning for that long, you should get help as soon as you can.

Leave the Area as Soon as You Can

Remain as composed as you can. Everyone should leave the area. Avoid using elevators if you are in a building with them. You will be risking becoming stuck, as well as others.

If you have access to a fire escape or the stairs, use them.

Do Not Forget Your ABCs

When trying to extinguish the flames and prevent additional damage, use a fire extinguisher designed for chemical fires if it is safe to do so.

Every home should have a minimum of one ABC fire extinguisher on every floor. An ABC fire extinguisher can put out a variety of fire kinds.

Every letter stands for a distinct kind of fire that the extinguisher will extinguish:

Combustible materials include paper, fabric, plastic, and firewood.
When a flammable gas or liquid, such as gasoline, ethanol, or propane, is the cause of a fire
Fires caused by electricity

Hold Your Inhalation

Protect yourself from any hazardous gases that may be emitted by the fire or reaction by covering your face to prevent inhaling toxic fumes.

Inhaling these dangerous gases can result in major problems, some of which cannot be reversed, for your:

Eyes
Nose
Throat
Lungs

When exposed to potentially harmful gases, always exercise caution and use the appropriate protective gear.

Additional Choices for Secure Cleaners

Numerous cleaning supply firms and products make claims about being non-toxic, safe, and environmentally friendly.

To determine whether you are using the safest cleaning product for your environment, it is ultimately up to you, the consumer, to investigate each product and the components it contains.

Some of the most well-liked and secure substitutes that aren’t associated with greenwashing are listed below:

All-purpose cleaner Better Life
Bon-Ami Cleaning Powder
Dr. Bronner’s Soap Made of Pure Castile
Krud Kutter
Dr. Meyer’s Clean Day
Meliora Cleaning Supplies

To Be Safe When Managing Chemicals, Use MSDS

The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) website is another resource for learning about the chemicals found in the typical cleaning products in your house.

Any substance, medication, or product that is available on the market, along with all the information you require about it, can be found on this page. Data comprises items like:

Chemical makeup, applications, and characteristics
Managing warnings appropriately, etc.

Stay Away From Kids

Your top goal should always be safety, particularly when children are involved. Chemicals need to be kept out of curious tiny hands and handled correctly.

Although the risk of flammability with common cleansers has been covered in this book, handling and storing cleaning chemicals should be done with consideration for other factors as well.

Consideration should also be given to the risk of ingestion and toxicity. Never forget to keep your chemicals out of children’s reach and in a secure location.

Overview of This Guide

A summary of the topics covered in this useful reference on the flammability of typical cleaning supplies is provided below:

To ensure that cleaning products are handled and stored properly, always read the manufacturer’s label.
When working with chemicals, always wear the appropriate safety gear, such as gloves, skin, and eye protection.
Companies that greenwash should be avoided. There is no requirement for transparent labeling. Research products on your own.
Make sure that everyone is aware of your safety plan. Expect the worst.
Make sure you have the appropriate fire extinguisher for your circumstances.
Maintain MSDS on hand to instruct others on the correct handling and storage of cleaning supplies.
Chemicals should be kept in a cold, well-ventilated area. Products should be kept away from open fires and heat sources.
For a safer atmosphere, consider using some of the less flammable substitute goods mentioned above.

The Secret to a Safer Environment Is Knowledge

Ultimately, you are responsible for maintaining a safe environment and being mindful of the chemicals you are utilizing.

Your family and coworkers will enjoy a safer workplace thanks to the information you have learned from this useful guide on the flammability of common cleaning supplies.

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