Bleach and Poo

[RiverBear]

I often leave bleach in the toilet and someone always ends up using the toilet straight after and before I've flished the toilet. I recently noticed a very bleachy smell in the bathroom after someone had had a poo. It made me wonder if bleach reacts badly with poo, and if it's dangerous? I googled it and some sites say that it can cause chlorine gas but others said that that was rubbish. It made me wonder cos I've done it myself before and distinctly remember thinking that it smelled of chlorine.

Anyone know the chemistry of it?

I've probably posted this in the wrong forum but hey-ho!

Ammonia reacts with bleach - that's what ends up forming chlorine gas or similar chemical wonders. There's ammonia in usual bodily functions so that'll be what's reacting creating the smell you can smell! It's not in hugely high amounts so it's less harmful than people who mix up cleaning products in large quantities and gas themselves, but worth flushing before using the toilet over bleach!

Can't answer the specific question, but to stop someone using the loo straight after using the bleach, do what I do and just close the toilet lid and stand the bleach bottle on top of the lid.

May not be a good idea if you have toddlers around, but if you don't it is a good visual reminder to flush the toilet before using it.

Do you really need to use bleach?

That's a good idea @Lieblingsessen , thanks! No toddlers or children in our house so shouldn't be an issue.

@user1471505356 not sure why you're asking but we don't normally use bleach - DH bought it in the most recent shop as it was cheaper than the usual toilet cleaner.

Surely anybody in their right mind would flush before pooing in a toilet that has bleach in it? After all, getting splashed does occasionally happen, and I doubt anyone wants their bum splattered in bleach!