Bleach-ie & Ammonia Sittin' in a Tree, G-A-S-S-I-N-G

Or: How to clean the bathroom in 10 minutes without creating toxic gasses

Hi Jolie,

First off I’d like to mention I’m a new, but instantly huge fan! I’m so glad I found your site and that there’s a ton of older content for me to go over. My partner and I just bought our first home and I’m committed and motivated to learn to do things the “right” way. Or at least start off that way while we figure out which methods/approaches work best for us.

I recently listened to an older podcast of yours where you take care to explain the dangers of mixing cleaning chemicals (specifically ammonia and bleach). Mustard gas dangers aside, I went down an internet rabbit hole and it seems like not a good practice to mix any cleaning chemicals (which, common sense…I know).

Here’s the Q: I’ve started using your “10-minute bathroom cleaning method" with Scrubbing Bubbles for the toilet bowl and Windex Multi-surface cleaner for everything else on the toilet, seat, etc… How much care do we have to take to make sure the Windex and Scrubbing Bubbles don’t cross paths on the toilet? (I’ve tried looking for an answer online and found mixed info.)

Many thanks in advance!

Well hello and welcome! You guys, I want to give you a heads up that there have been a lot of new subscribers; I think what happened is that one of the outlets I write for linked this newsletter in the author bio they posted and, yep, influx.

Real talk: I felt a little down about it, because I'd deliberately not promoted this newsletter in any way. I had planned to but when I launched, it turned out that the right people found me organically and there was a whole Hairpinnish vibe going on that I didn't want to mess with by inviting in strays. That was unfair of me — I'm always banging on about the importance of not gatekeeping and here I am being like, "Eww get out of my clubhouse, you're tracking in red clay and I just mopped" but life isn't fair and neither am I, I guess! Lol now you know.

Anyway, what's done is done and so I must cast off my poutiness (oh but I do love a good pout) and be nice to the newcomers. After all, it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty!

Also this (very good!) question came from a dude and I do think we need to welcome the Clean Bros back into the fold. Okay! Now that I've talked myself into an attitude adjustment, let's tackle the question at hand, which is …

Is Scrubbing Bubbles+Windex Multi-Surface a Safe Combo

Yep :)

There are a number of ingredients in cleaning agents that should not be mixed together, which you know because you heard me screaming at you on a 6+ year-old podcast episode. Sidebar: I was going to write back to LW to ask which episode it was but then I was like, "Jolie, it was every episode."

So right, there are lots of nasty chemicals out there, and lots of nasty chemical combos, but the big one to look out for is chlorine bleach. (Quick reminder that oxygen bleach — the OxiCleans, the Clorox Oxi Magics, those guys — are chemically different from chlorine bleach.) This is especially true of bathroom cleaners, which often contain chlorine bleach. So! If you're concerned about mixing your chemistries, which you should be and if you're not, hmm? Won't you consider it?!? then The Thing to look for before using a product is chlorine bleach listed among the ingredients.

Which leads me to this (oh my God I'm so excited to tell you about this!!!) Obviously you can read the ingredients list on the bottle or packaging or whatever to see if a cleaning product you're using contains bleach. Easy enough! But if you want to get deeper into the literature, you may do so … you just need to know what literature you're looking for, and what you're looking for is called a Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

Oh man, I love an SDS so much, you guys.

An SDS is going to tell you a metric ton of things and they are genuinely all so fascinating, even the things that mean absolutely nothing to me are still so interesting. I mean, these things tell you about the toxicity of a given product to fish. Fish! I have literally never needed to know if Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner is toxic to fish (it is not!) but man, I'm so glad I do.

In addition to helping to keep our fish safe, an SDS will tell you what ingredients are in a product, what safety precautions need to be taken, what it can't be mixed with, etc. etc. etc. Here is the SDS for Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner. Go on, go have a look, poke around, it's a fantastic document that at least three librarians reading this newsletter are gonna be super jazzed about. (Hello to my Librarians! <3 u!)

Additionally, many of the major CPG companies have searchable sites of their own that offer a more user-friendly way of accessing much of the information in an SDS. SC Johnson, which makes both Windex and Scrubbing Bubbles, has one and I've definitely seen others that I simply cannot remember right now but that will absolutely spring to mind exactly 7 minutes after I publish this thing.

The Bleach-ie Rule

There are actually a few Bleach-ie Rules :)

The first is a Very Official Bleach-ie Rule and it is this: Chlorine bleach should never be mixed with the following:

• Ammonia (this makes chloramine!)

• Vinegar, lemon juice, and other acids (this makes chlorine gas!)

• Rubbing alcohol (this makes chloroform!)

The second is one that I thought was a Very Just Jolie Kerr Rule but actually, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health (before you click, that link is a PDF, just FYI) it's also a Very Official Bleach-ie Rule, which is this:

The only thing you should mix with bleach is water.

To me, that rule takes all the risk out of working with bleach. Sure, you can remember all those different combinations and chemical reactions and the dulcet tones of me screaming at you on a 6+ year-old podcast episode but isn't it so much easier to be like, "Yep, that's some Bleach-ie! I shall only mix her with water."

The last Bleach-ie Rule isn't really a rule it's just a preference and it's that I personally don't use bleach or bleach-based products. There is absolutely a time and a place for those! And also: Some people really love bleach, and that is fine. I'm not here to take your Bleach-ie away. I just find that in my own life and in my work there is always something better, safer, less fume-y and likely to kill me that I can use and/or recommend. So I do!

The Official Jolie Kerr 10-Minute Bathroom Clean

I've written 900 versions of this thing over the years and almost all of them have been corrupted by SEO goblins "updating" my original work with their garbage. So! Let's publish The Official Version here where no ecomm editors can get to it. (God, why am I so bitchy today?!?)

Okay here's the jam with this routine: The idea is to use only two products (my beloved Bubbles and the Windex Multi-Surface) to streamline routine bathroom cleaning. And equally, if not more, importantly is working in this very specific order, which will maximize cleaning time and minimize effort. Here goes:

Step 1: Spray Scrubbing Bubbles in the tub, sink and toilet bowl

Scrubbing Bubbles is the greatest cleaning product in all the lands and all the seas, but only when used correctly. Here's how: Shake the can, apply a thin layer of the foam cleaner to the tub, the sink basin, and surrounding surface area, and the toilet bowl, then allow the product three to five minutes to penetrate buildup and grime. The product will do the work for you, but only if you allow it time to do so! Please, won't you be patient with the Bubbles?

Quick note: Before using it for the first time, test Scrubbing Bubbles in an inconspicuous spot to make sure it doesn't cause discoloration. Some toilet seats and countertop materials, for example, don't play nicely with the Bubs. If you find that’s the case with your bathroom materials, use the Windex instead.

Step 2: Wipe down the mirror(s) and exterior of the toilet with Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner with paper towels or a microfiber cloth

While the Scrubbing Bubbles is working, use the multi-surface cleaner to polish any mirrors and to clean the exterior of the toilet, including the seat. If Scrubbing Bubbles is not safe to use on your vanity, use the Windex instead to wipe it clean.

You can use paper towels or reusable microfiber cloths for this job, whichever you prefer. You can also use the same paper towels or cloth to wipe the toilet that you used to wipe the mirror BUT NOT VICE VERSA. So: Mirrors first, then toilet. I know you know why!

Step 3: Scrub the toilet bowl with a toilet brush

Use a toilet brush to scrub the rim of the bowl. Then, flush the toilet and scrub the rest of the bowl, letting the brush and the flushing water work together to wash away bacteria and buildup.

Step 4: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the Scrubbing Bubbles off the sink and tub

Using a wet microfiber cloth, wipe away the Scrubbing Bubbles from the sink and tub, rinsing it frequently while you work, so that both the cloth and the water are working in tandem to wash away the foaming cleaner and grimy buildup. Microfiber cloths are the best tool for this job because the tiny microfibers grab onto and pick up more grime than other materials, like cellulose sponges or cotton rags.

Step 5: Sweep or vacuum and spot clean the floor

Use a vacuum or a rubber broom to pick up hair and residue from products like dry shampoo and medicated powders. (One time on the pod I casually mentioned to a guest that our dry shampoo dust is all over everything in the bathroom and she looked so horror-stricken that sometimes I still wonder if I should check in on her to make sure she's okay.)

After vacuuming or sweeping, spot treat any visibly dirty areas using the multi-purpose spray and a microfiber cloth. For a quick all-over clean you can turn your broom into a damp mop (magic!): Secure a microfiber cloth to the broom's bristles using a rubber band and spray the cloth with the multipurpose cleaner, which can double as a mopping solution.

I got through this whole thing and at not one single point did I explain to the newcomers why I keep calling bleach "Bleach-ie" because 1. I really am feeling very bitchy today! and 2. I know one of you will do it for me if I ask nicely. <3 u like Bleach-ie!