I’m so scared because some clorox bleach from my laundry dripped and spilled out the bottle onto my hands and the floor. It was on the floor and I used my swifer wet jet cleaner over it. Now I see the wet jet cleaner has Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride and youre not supposed to mix ammonia with bleach. Now I’m scared of the chemical fumes in my apartment and that it’s dangerous

It was a little bleach spilled and then used the Swiffer washer over it so it was wet but then I wiped it all off with a towel. Then I used another spray over it to get the smell away. I’m seriously SOO panicked about this and terrified to go back to my apartment now bc I’m scared to breathe something toxic in.

Oh wow. What scenario started it out for you? I’m trying to get through it and work on my erp skills. I’m so glad you no longer fear it and that’s really comforting to hear about

@staystrong123 My mom had cleaned something up with bleach earlier in the day and then used a Swiffer on it, at that point my OCD was way worse and I thought just the smell of the Swiffer was enough to kill me, If I dropped something on the floor I would throw it away no matter how valuable. I’m so thankful I’m not like that right now and that it got better thanks to this app and the therapy from NOCD. And another plus is that I’m way less clumsy cause i got so good at not dropping stuff hahaha

@The Night Watch Oh wow. I can totally relate to that. I never realized how delibilating ocd truly can be . But we all got this

@The Night Watch I’m now dealing with the thought that I had washed the bleach off my hands in the sink and then right after used dish soap in that sink, which has ammonia. I know I’d probably have noticed by now but the uncertainty and doubt makes me not even wanna sleep in case it makes me sick or something :/!

@lunetta ^^ oops, this was my response To your comment

@staystrong123 Yep, I have. Very, very unpleasant smell, different from bleach. (Basically my mom was cleaning my carpet with a bleach mixture and ran across some old cat urine in a mostly unused corner that I’d gone noseblind to. Blech.) Gosh, I can practically *feel* the jitters you must be having right now. But tons of people accidentally mix small amounts of bleach and ammonia at home; this is definitely within Poison Control’s wheelhouse, so if they say it’s okay, you can trust them. Go home and sleep. If you absolutely NEED to compromise, open your window. But from what you’ve described, I and Poison Control can’t see any especial danger, and I do think it would be compulsive to avoid going home 💜

@Lunetta Wow this was just such a comforting and amazing comment. I really sincerely appreciate it and you made me feel a lot better. It so comforting to know so many people can understand and relate , it makes me feel less alone and crazy. Thank you so much. I’m back here now and I smell nothing. I do still feel like it is “contaminated” like as if the food in here is now contaminated by the previous scent of chemicals. I’m trying to work past that though

@staystrong123 I was thinking about this lately, and I wonder if “an intolerance for uncertainty” isn’t the wrong phrase to use for OCD...I would phrase it as “an inability to establish and accept likelihood.” I guess you could argue that they’re just flip sides of the same coin, but I like how the second phrase is focused more than I do the first. Like, I’d argue that we’re actually intimately acquainted with uncertainty. It’s deciding, and basing our actions on, what’s The Most Likely Scenario that’s difficult for us, because all the bad things just *really feel* much more likely than they actually are. I’m really proud of you for going back home. I can’t find anything about if chloramine gas is capable of penetrating into food, BUT I do know that small amounts of chloramine are used to sanitize drinking water in some areas, to no known ill effect. So while IANA expert, I would think that any food that was left standing out is probably safe.

@Lunetta I completely agree with you on that- I guess we have to remember that possibility does not equal probability , though it’s definitely a battle . Thank you so much for supporting me with this it truly means so much .❤️ I have been trying to accept it’s safe in my home but I keep thinking of scenarios. I also realize I washed the bleach off my hands in the sink and then used dish soap in the sink right after which has ammonia in it :/ it was diluted. But still worried now . I’m struggling to be in my apartment or go to sleep bc I feel like sometthing like happen to me ... but truly trying to accept this uncertainty and realize its ok

@staystrong123 Just keep breathing deeply 💜 7 counts in, hold 4, 8 coubts out, is what someone told me, but any measured breath will help. Anxiety is involuntary, but it can be undermined.

Is it dangerous to use the wet jet over some bleach does that cause dangerous fumes in the apartment now? I left but I put everything outside but now I’m scared the smell is still there and if it caused a mixture

@staystrong123 It’ll dissipate. Problems with inhaling gas come from when you’re trapped inside an unventilated room with a large amount of it. If you open the windows and stay away from it until the smell is gone, it’ll be fine. My mother has accidentally cleaned up cat urine (which contains ammonia) with bleach before, and aside from a gross smell none of us have suffered anything for it.

@Lunetta So once the smell goes away it’s not longer toxic ? Does it spread into the vents and everyday or if it’s aired out is it safe again?

@staystrong123 You know, I was curious, so I did some digging. I don’t have hard numbers, just personal experience: none of my family have had any known health effects—long or short term—from the occasional household exposure to chloramine (bleach + ammonia) gas. But, if you want to be safe, I do not think it would be compulsive to call your local poison control center and see what they advise, since every article I can find recommends giving them a call if you’ve been exposed. I do think they’re going to tell you that you’ll be fine, though...the tiny amount you produced and the comparably negligible exposure time is highly unlikely to cause any permanent damage.

@Lunetta Hi I accidentally responded to this below without tagging you so it just went to the bottom of the comments. My response is there, would you be able to check it?