Bleach / flushing / pregnancy

[PurpleCurtain]

Not sure if this is best for the pregnancy or housekeeping board... but DH cleaned the bathroom today (!) but didn't flush away the bleach, so I weed on it when I next went to the loo and feel like things are stinging! He says this is how he was taught to clean the loo / what his mum did. I was taught that you should always flush after bleaching as its dangerous to wee straight onto bleach due to the potential for splash back or gases being released.

Really interested in whether others are in mine or DH'S camp here?

And is this any more dangerous in pregnancy - ie if he keeps on cleaning and doesn't change his approach / it turns out it'a common and friends family or restauranrs do this too?

The ammonia in urine can with one of the compounds in bleach which can create a dangerous gas. Not sure at what concentrations but general advice is bleach + ammonia = bad. Depending on how much bleach he used splashback could irritate/burn skin. Bleach should always be pretty heavily diluted before use, especially in a domestic setting.

Also, I imagine the bathroom could smell quite strongly of bleach which is a) unpleasant b) dangerous over the long term depending on how much he uses.

Either way, firmly in your camp here. I’m not sure of how much a risk actually exists but given the abundance of warnings plastered on bleach I would err heavily on the side of caution.

That’s how I clean my toilet and also how my mums cleans hers.

Pull the flush before you urinate? Take over toilet cleaning duties yourself?

I agree. Leave the bleach and just flush before using.

Whilst mixing ammonia and bleach will make chloramine, you have to pee in a jug and then still your head in the toilet bowl whilst pouring the urine in for their to be the slightest issue as human urine contains small amounts of ammonia in relative terms.

Basically what your husband is doing is absolutely fine. Stop worrying.

I do it your dh’s way. The bathroom just smells clean not of bleach.

I do it your DH’s way and also sometimes put the toilet brush to stand in the bowl with the bleach for a while before flushing and removing (obvs not using the toilet in that time). Leaving just for a few minutes improves the chances of it soaking away any stains and having maximum effect.
However... whilst I’m pregnant I am not doing this. Husband is in charge of bleach currently and he is flushing it away so I don’t breathe in any fumes. So during pregnancy I’m with you on this.

I do it his way too. So does my mum.

The toilet had undiluted bleach in it which I didn't detect until after I'd sat on the loo and peed. I felt my baby moving strangely and then a waft of strong bleach hit me. I am really worried that I may have damaged my baby. Can someone please advise if they have any knowledge about this.

@Ninakita i have just done the exact same thing, has everything been okay with your baby?

@94kj your baby is absolutely fine, they are well protected inside you, there is 0 danger to you or your baby, but maybe consider speaking to someone about your anxiety levels

@Ninakita did everything turn out ok?