Unless you live under a rock, you’re exposed to chlorine regularly when swimming, drinking water, or driving your vehicle. Besides, homeowners often use bleach-based disinfectants to kill viruses and bacteria in their homes. While a chlorine smell is common after cleaning, a bleach or chlorine smell can occur in your hoe for many reasons.
Although bleach is a common product used in homes and industries, it’s a harsh chemical and must be dealt with cautiously. Plus, if your whole house smells like bleach and the odor doesn’t seem to fade over time, you should really try and identify the cause.
What Does Chlorine Smell Like?
Chlorine has a pungent and irritating smell similar to bleach. If you’re unsure what the bleach smells like, think about the powerful chemical smell when you go to a public swimming pool (especially indoors).
Though they smell alike, bleach and chlorine are entirely different. Chlorine is used in swimming pools and by municipalities to kill bacteria swimming in the water.
Because chlorine can exist naturally as a gas, it can be cooled down to achieve its liquid form. Liquid chlorine is one ingredient in bleach products – hence the similar odor. However, chlorine isn’t the only ingredient you’ll find in bleach; sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and other substances are used to make bleach.
Besides an unpleasant odor, chlorine can quickly irritate the eyes and cause difficulty breathing.
Why Your House Smells Like Bleach or Chlorine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using a bleach mixture as a disinfectant. With the rising concern about hygiene in the home, especially around viruses, affordable and functional cleaning products such as bleach are becoming more common.
So while a bleach odor indicates you cleaned your home with a chlorine-based solution, if the smell lingers then there could be other reasons.
Here are 10 different reasons your house smells like bleach and what you can do to eliminate it.
1. Mixing Certain Chemicals
Problem: Chemical Mixing
If you enjoy experimenting with various substances, you might inadvertently mix bleach with other household cleaners, resulting in a lingering odor. This combination can trigger a chemical reaction that releases chlorine indoors, and chlorine quickly reacts with acids to form chlorine gas.
Solution: Ventilation and Caution
Unfortunately, once chemicals are mixed, there’s no reversing the process. To eliminate the strong odor, open your home’s windows and doors and turn on exhaust fans to facilitate air circulation. This will help dissipate any hazardous gases and restore fresh air. In the future, exercise caution and avoid mixing bleach with other chemicals to ensure safety.
Avoid Mixing Bleach With:
- Vinegar
- Drain cleaners
- Some window and glass cleaners
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Some paints
2. Pool Chlorination System
Problem: Excessive Pool Chemicals
Chlorine is commonly added to pool water to combat bacteria and maintain water quality. However, overuse of these products can result in your pool and home smelling like bleach. Similar odors may occur if you treat your hot tub with chlorine-based products.
Solution: Proper Usage and Storage
Ensure you follow the recommended dosage guidelines for pool chemicals to prevent an overpowering odor in your home. Additionally, ensure proper sealing and storage of pool chemicals to prevent leaks. Here are some safety tips:
- Familiarize yourself with the manufacturer’s storage guidelines for pool chemicals.
- Handle pool chemicals in well-ventilated areas.
- Measure chemicals carefully before adding them to the water.
- Store products away from direct sunlight in a cool, well-ventilated area.
- Use protective gear like gloves, safety goggles, and a mask when handling these chemicals.
- Always store chemicals in their original containers with securely tightened lids.
- Keep them out of the reach of children and store them off the floor to prevent spills.
3. Leakage Below Cabinets
Problem: Chlorine Leakage
Chlorine leaks can occur in kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and detecting them can be challenging as the liquid may seep into cabinet boards, resulting in an unnoticed bleach smell.
Solution: Inspection and Airing
When you suspect a chlorine leak, carefully remove and air out your cabinets for a few days to eliminate the odor. If handling cabinets seems challenging, consider seeking professional assistance.
4. Chlorine-Based Detergents
Problem: Odor from Dishwasher Detergent
If you use chlorine-based dishwasher detergents, the liquid may flow down the drain, leaving a strong bleach-like smell in your kitchen and surrounding areas.
Solution: Choose Alternatives
If the chlorine smell is bothersome, consider switching to non-chlorine-based detergents. Numerous alternative products effectively clean dishes without leaving a distinctive odor in your home.
5. Cleaning with Bleach
Problem: Bleach Cleaning
Cleaning your home with bleach, a common disinfectant, may leave your home smelling like chlorine.
Solution: Improved Ventilation and Rinsing
While we recommend continuing to use bleach as an effective disinfectant, consider the following steps to minimize the smell:
- Use bleach only in well-ventilated areas.
- Turn on fans and exhaust systems after cleaning with bleach.
- Rinse the cleaned area with water to reduce residual odor.
6. Plastic Burning/Overheating
Problem: Burning Plastic
Burning plastic emits toxic fumes, some of which may smell similar to chlorine. Overheating plastic can release hydrochloric acid, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, and other hazardous chemicals.
Solution: Identify the Source
Inspect your surroundings, including extension cords and electrical appliances, for signs of burning plastic. This odor could also emanate from overheating plastic in the kitchen, such as melting pan handles. Identify and eliminate the source of the chlorine-like smell.
7. Faulty Electrical Equipment
Problem: Electrical Malfunctions
Malfunctioning electrical equipment, such as motors and transformers, can emit an odor resembling chlorine.
Solution: Equipment Inspection
Check electrical motors in devices like doorbells, boiler transformers, furnace blowers, and air conditioning units for overheating and unusual odors. If the equipment is the source of the odor, consult a technician for necessary repairs or replacements.
8. Mixing Ammonia and Bleach
Problem: Bleach and Ammonia Mixture
Mixing bleach with ammonia, often unintentionally when cleaning toilet bowls, can produce a strong chlorine-like odor due to the formation of chloramine. This generally happens when you pour bleach into the toilet bowl or add chlorine tablets without flushing the toilet. Urine contains ammonia in trace amounts and when combined with chlorine can be responsible for the pungent odor in your home.
Solution: Safe Cleaning Practices
Ensure you flush the toilet before adding chlorine-based products to the bowl to prevent the mixture of bleach and ammonia. Ventilate the bathroom after using such products to minimize odor spread.
9. Water Issues
Problem: Chlorine in Water
Excessive chlorine levels in your home’s water supply, possibly due to municipal water treatment processes, can result in a chlorine smell in your tap water. Other factors like recent treatment changes or hot water storage may also contribute.
Solution: Flushing and Contacting Authorities
Run the tap water for a while to allow excess chlorine to dissipate. If the issue persists, contact your local water treatment facility to investigate and resolve the problem. Boiling drinking water as a precaution may be necessary until chlorine levels return to normal.
10. Mold and Humidity
Problem: Mold Infestation
High humidity levels can lead to mold growth in your home, which may initially resemble a bleach-like odor before becoming more noticeable. This often occurs during rainy seasons.
Solution: Mold Removal
To eliminate the odor, clean and remove mold using solutions like vinegar and baking soda or consult a professional mold removal service. Timely action is crucial to prevent respiratory issues and exacerbation of asthma symptoms.
How to Eliminate Bleach/Chlorine Smell
To remove a bleach or chlorine smell from your home, consider the following steps:
- Ventilation: Open doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate and eliminate odors.
- Air Purifier: Install an air purifier to help reduce odors and improve indoor air quality.
- Air Fresheners: Use air fresheners to mask lingering smells and leave your home with a pleasant scent.
Does Carbon Monoxide Smell Like Bleach?
Carbon monoxide doesn’t smell like bleach. In fact, it’s an odorless gas and challenging to recognize.
You can easily notice the strong bleach smell around your property. However, recognizing carbon monoxide is almost impossible because it doesn’t smell like anything. This also explains why homeowners install carbon monoxide detectors to detect the gas and alert them in the event of emergencies.
Does Refrigerant/Freon Smell Like Chlorine?
Freon is nearly odorless in low concentrations, but high concentrations may emit a chlorine-like smell.
Electrostatic air filters generate ozone and can let out a smell similar to chlorine.
Detecting a Chlorine Gas Leak
To detect a chlorine gas leak, firmly tie a cloth at the end of a stick and soak the cloth in ammonia and then bring it close to the suspected area. If a chlorine gas leak is present, it will create a white cloud when exposed to the ammonia-soaked cloth. Use commercial-grade ammonia for this test, as household ammonia may not be strong enough.
The United States Bureau of Reclamation recommends a method for testing a chlorine gas leak.
