Warning: Breathing cleaning products

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At my (hrm) advanced age I should know better than this. The tan rubber floor mats in the Regal are getting filthy, and the little hexagons in the surface need brushing out. So I bring the mats into the apartment, spray 'em with the Awesome cleaner that you can buy at Dollar Tree, scrub and rinse. And suddenly I'm coughing as if I've been inhaling concentrated cigarette smoke.

Leaving the mats to dry on the edge of the tub, I scurry out into the open air, and turn on the A/C to get the air moving inside. Even now, ten minutes later, I'm sniffling.

The bottle? Says to use the stuff in well-ventilated areas (which normally I do, on the wheels at the car wash). And for floor mats, it says to water-dilute it 5 to 1.

So be careful out there.
 
we use this stuff called speed degreaser at work and it feels like you are inhaling nerve gas or something. it's terrible. stinks up the entire store with just a 1 second spray.

between that and the parts washer i'm super sensitive to cleaning products now. I get the taste of chlorine in my mouth when someone leaves the top to the parts washer open. (it's a chlorine derivative...tetrachloroethylene
)
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I almost mixed bleach and ammonia a few weeks ago ...

DITTO.
I was wondering why it is making BUBBLES...
DUH moment...
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I almost mixed bleach and ammonia a few weeks ago ...

DITTO.
I was wondering why it is making BUBBLES...
DUH moment...


I was trying to get a stain off the counter. First thing I grabbed was ammonia based windex. With it puddled on the counter, I noticed it wasn't getting the stain out. Grabbed the bleach spray and almost sprayed it ... then realized that would be a bad choice.

Kind of like in King of the Hill when Peggy writes the news column and suggests mixing the two.
 
Originally Posted By: BrandonVA
we use this stuff called speed degreaser at work and it feels like you are inhaling nerve gas or something. it's terrible. stinks up the entire store with just a 1 second spray.

between that and the parts washer i'm super sensitive to cleaning products now. I get the taste of chlorine in my mouth when someone leaves the top to the parts washer open. (it's a chlorine derivative...tetrachloroethylene
)

This Awesome stuff mentions polyethylene glycol ether derivatives. Now I'm no chemist (though I was married to one once). Ethylene glycol is the stuff in coolant; what's polyethylene glycol ether?

No, I'm home by myself for the Xmas break. Fortunately Linda wasn't visiting, or she'd have been coughing too. The worst was confined to the bathroom; the other rooms were fine. I'd used the stuff on the mats before -- but always with the A/C running, so there was some ventilation.
 
polyethylene glycol is a lot less toxic than ethylene glycol. Most common antifreeze is ethylene glycol but the ones marketed as "organic" or "biodegradeable" are propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is actually used in some medicines.

probably just that nasty gunk coming out of that mat.
 
I think the Awesome stuff has a lot of 2-butoxyethanol which is the same stuff in Simple Green. There is an inhalation hazard with that chemical.
 
Now is also a good time to reiterate to those on here who weld/use torches for heat removal of rust frozen parts/etc. to NEVER EVER use open flames, or any form of arc welder, on (ANY type of) brake cleaner, soaked surfaces!!!!
31.gif


It yields a HIGHLY TOXIC gas which can KILL you in seconds!!
eek.gif
 
Reminds me of my younger days, when I thought it might be a good idea to use Engine Degreaser to remove carpet stains in the interior. That car was unbearable for about a week.
 
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