Strange White Gas when Mixing Oxiclean and Clorox Bleach

[George]

Can someone tell me what white gas is being put off when I mix oxiclean (powder) and Clorox bleach (liquid) in my washing machine?

[Boca Jan]

According to the Oxi directions you are NOT supposed to mix it with bleach. It is a one or the other deal.

I wouldn't do that again if I were you.

[Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr.]

George verbositized:

Here ya go, straight from the Oxi-Clean web site.

Can I use it with Chlorine Bleach?

No! Oxi Clean is a bleach alternative and works by itself. Do not mix it with bleach as they will neutralize each other and can create dangerous gases and heat. If mixed in a poorly ventilated room, breathing the fumes created by this mixture can be fatal. .....

It's akin to mixing Ammonia and Bleach!

I wonder how many folks know that in Chlorine Bleach, the chlorine gas is held in suspension in a solution of LYE.

TTUL Gary

[Phisherman]

You are probably seeing steam. Mixing OxiClean (or other oxygen cleaner) and household bleach is not recommended. Read the label.

[Lloyd Randall]

Ammonia seems to be unique in being an alkaline that reacts dangerously with chlorine bleach.

Oxiclean is a peroxide bleach. It makes oxygen atoms available from H2O2. Chlorine bleach is solt with oxygen. It works by combining with water to produce a little lye and HOCl. HOCl bleaches by making oxygen atoms available. If H2O2 and NaOCl are present in wash water, you end up with NaCl and H2O and O2. O2 is what you breathe. It's not a good bleach.

The website may be crying wolf about fumes that are harmful to breathe. If you mixed them in concentrated form, maybe the heat and oxygen could cause a plastic container to produce a harmful gas.

It used to be made with lye. I think now they use salt water or some other material. The bleach itself is caustic and produces some lye.

[soundheart.sar]

I Liked what Lloyd Randal said because the question has a since of chemistr y question in it. Let me tell you all that i personally had the same questi on right after I recovered from an accident with regular Clorox and OxiClea n!! It WASN'T MUCH and I never smelt any new smells, but i saw the cloud an d cream. I suddenly felt a little sick and a very slight shock in my vascul ar system and sweat pores, a sign that something changed in a dangerous way . I immediately walked calmly outside. As I did, my vessels swelled and hea d pressurized and my heart started ramping up with speed and power and i go t hot. I began to make emergency plans because I new if it continued to inc rease, I would probably pass out. Luckly it subsided before that. Just thin k about what would have happened if i seen the cloud and cream even a 10 se conds later? Maybe Id never made it outside and died. It DIDNT feel good ea ther.