When it comes to cleaning your house, bleach is a real savior. Bleach allows you to deep clean and disinfect your house. It removes any germs as it kills them immediately.
There are lots of different things around the home that you can clean using bleach. But once you have finished cleaning you might be unsure of where to dump the leftover bleach water.
In this guide, we’re telling you all you need to know about dumping bleach water outside. Read on to find out more. Generally, you shouldn’t dump bleach water outside if you can avoid it.
This is because the strong pH level of the bleach can damage the ground. If you want to dump bleach water outside you will have to strongly dilute it with more water before doing this.
Can I Dump Bleach Water Outside?
First things first, let’s take a look at whether, or not, you can dump bleach water outside. Generally, you should avoid dumping bleach water outside as it can damage the ground.
But, most areas allow you to dispose of your bleach water outside as long as the bleach is highly diluted. Bleach is a very strong alkaline solution, and for this reason, it tends to have a very high pH level.
The ground surrounding your home will have a balanced pH level if the ground is healthy. So, disposing of high amounts of bleach outside your home can damage the ground by making it too alkaline.
This can cause permanent damage to the ground. It can also make planting things in the ground tricky. Diluting the bleach water with more water will ensure that the ground is not exposed to high levels of alkalinity.
The water will neutralize the pH level of the bleach water and prevent it from causing any damage. When diluting your bleach water, you have two options.
You can dilute the bleach water before dumping it, or you can cover the bleach water with a lot of water after you dump it. Both methods will work to dilute the bleach water.
If the area you live in has community guidelines, then dumping your bleach water can be harder. Especially if the guidelines are strict or intense.
These guidelines may impact how you can dispose of your bleach water. So, you should always check the community guidelines before dumping your bleach water.
What Is The Safest Way To Dispose Of Bleach?
If you don’t want to dump your bleach water outside, you might be looking for safer alternatives. There are a couple of methods you can use to dispose of your bleach water, let’s take a look at what they are.
If you live in a city, then you will likely be connected to a city sewer system. If you are connected to a city sewer system, then you can dispose of your bleach water down the drain.
You can use any of the internal plumbing systems in your house, but we would recommend using the toilet. Simply pour a small amount of the water down the toilet, then flush.
Repeat this process until you have disposed of all the water. Alternatively, you could visit a hazardous waste disposal facility. This is the safest way to dispose of your bleach water.
These facilities are built to safely dispose of hazardous waste. If you only have a small amount of bleach water, then this might be unnecessary. But if you use a large amount of bleach within your home, then it could be a good idea.
Will Bleach Water Damage The Environment?
It is well-known that bleach is bad for the environment. This alkaline solution is high in chlorine so it can potentially cause a lot of damage to the environment. When dumped, the chlorine can react with organic matter in the ground.
When these elements interact they can form organochlorine compounds. These compounds are incredibly toxic to wildlife.
It is worth noting that most of the research available has focused on neat bleach, rather than diluted bleach. As bleach water is diluted, it is believed that it will not have a hugely damaging effect on the environment.
If the amount of bleach in the water is very low, then the damage it will have on the environment will be far less. That being said, bleach water can damage the environment.
That is why you should consider using one of the other disposal methods listed above before dumping it outside.
Can I Dump Bleach Water Down The Drain?
While you shouldn’t dispose of neat bleach down the drain, it is generally considered acceptable to dump bleach water using this method. However, you should only do this if your property is linked to a city sewer system.
City sewer systems are designed to process large amounts of waste, and because of the large amount of waste these systems will be processing, a small amount of bleach will not do damage.
But, if you are on a much smaller sewage system, then bleach water could damage the plumbing. In small sewage systems, bleach can react with other substances in the plumbing.
This can cause gas to be produced, and can actually damage the system of pipes that run through your home. So, you can dump bleach water down the drain, however, this is only a good idea if you are connected to a city sewer system.
Summary
In short, you can dump bleach water outside as long as the bleach is thoroughly diluted with a lot of water.
Bleach water that is not thoroughly diluted shouldn’t be dumped outside as the high pH level of the bleach can damage the ground.
So, as long as you thoroughly dilute the bleach water before pouring it outside, it is generally okay to dump bleach water outside.
Although if you live in an area with lots of community guidelines, you should check these guidelines before dumping bleach water outside your home. Thanks for reading!
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