To refuse to buy bleach?

[Eastie77Returns]

First world problem alert.

Our cleaner has asked demanded that I add Domestos bleach to my cleaning products. There's been a bit of an ongoing issue for a while now as I have trialed various eco-friendly cleaning products over the last few months and she generally doesn't like them. I have changed a couple of times in the hope she will get on better with a new range but she has a preference for products that contain high levels of chemicals. I understand they are the go-too products that she trusts but I just don't want to use them.

At the moment she is begrudgingly using the Ecover products I most recently bought. Now she is insisting she needs bleach to clean properly because Ecover doesn't really cut it. I said no as I just can't have it in the house. The smell is one thing but it's so toxic and dangerous (I'm absolutely haunted by an acquaintance whose young child inhaled some). She is a really good cleaner and in high demand. I'm aware she's already given notice to two households on our street because they did not fall in line with her requests (not cleaning product related, something else).

Has anyone used any of the 'natural' bleach products currently out there and were they effective?

Several bleaches are suitable for septic tanks if it states that on the label, eg Sainsbury's own brand thick bleach.

Why take the chance though, if you're not that fussed about using bleach anyway?

OP you do not need bleach ever. I hate the stuff and it will never enter my house.
There are plenty of other products you can use to clean your house.
If your cleaners insist on bleach, I’d find other cleaners.

ecover has far worse crap innit than bleach!

Well of course if you don't mind not using bleach you wouldn't bother.
But son and DIL like using bleach to clean loos, cat litter trays, stinky bins, down drains etc, as do I, so they buy bleach safe for septic tanks.
I doubt the manufacturers of that bleach would put it on the label and open themselves up to the risk of being sued if it ruined the workings of the tank. Other bleaches don't say it's safe so they wouldn't use those.

We bleach the sink, the draining board in the kitchen then we stick bleach down the toilet and pray no one needs the loo in the middle of the night.

I doubt the manufacturers of that bleach would put it on the label and open themselves up to the risk of being sued if it ruined the workings of the tank.

Maybe. My septic tank hasn't needed emptied in its 20 year so far lifespan so I'll continue as I am.

Can't use bleach in the loo as I have a septic tank and bleach kills the friendly bacteria. I use a loo brush and good old fashioned elbow grease and my loo is absolutely fine!

For those who say they can't use bleach in septic tanks, this is the label on my Sainsbury's own brand bleach, saying it's safe.

I use it for under the be toilet rim, but nothing else. Occasionally down the pug hole in the kitchen. You’re not being unreasonable. Who is actually using bleach to clean. There’s no need. I use Method for bathroom and kitchen. They are brilliant products (actually better value than Ecover).

No need for all that bleach if you clean regularly. My go to product if the sink really needs a good clean for marks is not eco, but Viakal, but mostly just use spray vinegar and Method to clean the sink.

everything is chemicals.

Yes, many things are chemicals, but some are more dangerous than others . Thats not difficult to understand.

No not many things - literally absolutely everything is made up of chemicals.

I hate bleach and refuse to use it myself opting for cleaner products but my cleaning lady comes every 2 weeks and likes to use it for some things so I keep it in stock. She cleans while I am at work so I don’t smell it at all. My cleaning lady is a lifesaver so I will do anything to keep her!

I'm in my 50s and have never used bleach. I use eco friendly cleaning products at home and in our holiday let which always gets 5-star reviews for cleanliness. Its completely unnecessary and so is fucking up the environment.

You're perfectly entitled to decide what cleaning materials you want in your house.

My point remains!

This is such a ridiculous argument. Water and sulphuric acid are both chemicals but I bet you have a preference for which one you'd like to drink.

Clearly, different chemicals have different properties. Some chemicals are perfectly fine to eat, drink and bathe in, others are most definitely not.

She's full of shit. Hydrogen peroxide is a perfectly acceptable substitute to sodium hypochlorite bleach. It disinfects very well and has no odour at all. I make my own disinfecting cleaner with it by mixing peroxide with a bit of non-toxic all purpose cleaner. You can use 3% peroxide and even dilute it a bit and it will still kill germs well. Ecover makes a 6% version that is excellent.
Your cleaner doesn't get to dictate to you what products are used in your home. If she won't comply, surely you can find another cleaner who is not such a demanding arse.

Dead wrong.

A year of white towels not being bleached is a great reason. I do my whites in bleach every six or more months. It’s gets its white back and the towels look brand new. Granted, when they wear out they’re then used as rags.

Hydrogen peroxide is a bleach and an excellent disinfectant. It has no smell at all and it's quite safe. I accidentally ingested some once and the doctor said all it would do to me is irritate my throat, which it certainly did. Just wear gloves when using it so as not to irritate your hands. Obviously you don't want to get it into your eyes either.

I use those ones that have a removable scrubby end you can replace as often as you like. I have never had flicking with this type of brush and it has good cleaning action. Traditional toilet brushes do tend to fling toilet water around.

Try bower collective toilet cleaner
Or one of those foaming cleaners you put in the toilet

OP objected to having that pointed out, for some odd reason.
It's the classic nonsensical 'natural=good, chemicals=bad'.
🫣

Clearly, however many people use the word 'chemical' wrongly, and equate it to being somehow bad or something to avoid. They often use terms like chemical free or natural to imply something good, or to aim for - chemical free is impossible and natural isn't always better.