Due to the increased awareness about the germs and viruses floating around in the air, people are getting more concerned about disinfecting and sanitizing. Bleach can not only kill germs but also get rid of stains. So people want to go with those cleaning solutions that contain bleach. Others might be concerned about the environmental impacts of bleach-based cleaners.
Whichever side you’re on, in this article, we’ll see if Fabuloso contains any bleach or bleaching agents and does it kill germs.
Does Fabuloso Contain Bleach?
Fabuloso has a range of multi-purpose cleaners to suit different cleaning and scent tastes of people, and though these cleaning solutions contain different ingredients, they do not contain bleach.
However, to satisfy people who need the power of bleach to get rid of tough stains, Fabuloso manufactured a product that works like bleach.
What Are the Ingredients in Fabuloso?
As we earlier said, Fabuloso manufactures a variety of multi-purpose cleaners, and some ingredients are unique to each.
However, we will list and examine common ingredients amongst the cleaners and some unique ones.
1- Sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate: Fabuloso products like Fabuloso complete, Fabuloso multi-cleaner with bleach alternative, etc. contain this ingredient. It is a surfactant used in many cleaning products due to its foaming properties and the ability to get rid of grease and dirt.
This chemical surrounds and breaks dirt so that the particles are loosened from the surface to which they are attached. This makes it easier to get rid of them.
2- Sodium Laureth sulfate: This is also a surfactant, which is why it is a common ingredient found in cleaning and personal care products. Like sodium lauryl sulfate, it is a very effective foaming agent. It is responsible for the thick bubbles and foams you see when you use Fabuloso.
3- C9-11 Pareth-8: This is one of the emulsifying agents found in Fabuloso cleaners. As an emulsifier, it dissipates the oil holding the dirt on the surfaces you want to clean. This dissipation allows water to wet the surface thoroughly and the dirt is rinsed away.
4- Sodium Chloride: This is also known as salt. Apart from being used as a flavor and preservative, sodium chloride has bleaching and cleaning properties.
5- Hydrogen peroxide: This is an oxidizer that works as a bleaching and cleaning agent. It also disinfects.
6- Citric acid: This is an organic acid that is derived from citrus fruits. It kills bacteria and mildew and is great for general cleaning.
7- Lactic acid: This has disinfecting and cleaning properties. It can remove soap scum, lime scale, and tough stains. It is also biodegradable.
8- Glutaral: Although used in Fabuloso as a preservative, this is a great disinfectant often used to disinfect hospital equipment, and sterilize surgical instruments.
9- Xanthan gum: This is a thickening agent that can help liquid products become gel-like.
10- Baking soda: This is a mild alkali that cuts through grease and dirt easily. It can also be used to deodorize.
What You Can Do to Check the Presence of Bleach in Any Product?
Manufacturers usually list their ingredients on the labels of their products. If a product contains bleach, you will either see “sodium hypochlorite“ in the list of ingredients or “chlorine bleach”.
If you come across a product where the manufacturer isn’t required to list the ingredients used and you don’t like using bleach, you may want to skip buying that product. You may not be able to test for bleach. You can however go for products that use only safe ingredients; chemicals that aren’t toxic or dangerous.
Note that not all bleach is chlorine. There is non-chlorine bleach which is not as strong as chlorine bleach and is less toxic. You can use it to safely clean and disinfect surfaces in your home but it is not as effective as chlorine bleach.
This bleach is made with hydrogen peroxide instead of sodium hypochlorite. When you see hydrogen peroxide listed as an ingredient on a product, then it contains non-chlorine bleach.
A few Fabuloso solutions contain Hydrogen Peroxide.
Bleach Can Kill Grems! Does Fabuloso Kill Them Too?
While Fabuloso multi-surface cleaners clean well, they are not effective disinfectants. They can not be relied on to kill germs on contact. Some versions of Fabuloso contain Hydrogen peroxide which can kill some bacteria and viruses but it is not a disinfectant that can kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
This, however, does not affect the ability of the product since disinfecting is not what Fabuloso was manufactured for. As a cleaner, Fabuloso cuts through grime and dirt effortlessly and gets rid of tough stains. For deeper cleaning, you can opt for Fabuloso Complete as it is a bit different from Regular Fabuloso.
To kill germs on the surfaces in your home, however, Fabuloso manufactured a specific product to tackle the task. It is different from the regular multi-surface cleaners produced by the brand. It is called Fabuloso sparkling citrus antibacterial multi-purpose cleaner. They are easy to get, and they can kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses on hard surfaces.
Does Fabuloso Bleach Alternative Have Bleach in It?
Fabuloso bleach alternative is produced by combining special ingredients/surfactants. These ingredients work together to give the product the cleaning power that rivals bleach. So basically, the Fabuloso bleach alternative has the strength of bleach but contains no bleach.
This version of Fabuloso contains:
C9-11 Pareth-8
Sodium C12-15 Pareth Sulfate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Chloride
Citric Acid
Glutaral
Because of these ingredients, Fabuloso with bleach alternative cleans better than regular Fabuloso cleaners. It can remove hard water spots and grime buildup from bathroom walls, floors, and glasses.
You can also use this special Fabuloso cleaner to clean tiles, hardwood floors, and kitchen counters. Though it works like bleach, it does not discolor or leave stains on surfaces cleaned.
And like bleach, it can kill some bacteria and viruses because of Glutaral and citric acid.
Should Fabuloso be Mixed with Bleach?
Mixing Fabuloso with bleach will produce chlorine gas. The chlorine gas won’t be as toxic as when bleach is mixed with ammonia, but it would still be strong enough to harm you.
When inhaled, the gas can cause:
– Violent coughing
– Vomiting
– Nausea
– Lightheadedness
– Headaches
– Pain in the chest
– Abdominal pain
– Burning in Eyes
Mixing bleach with Fabuloso solutions containing Hydrogen peroxide is highly dangerous. It can violently create oxygen gas which can lead to an explosion. (Source) While not all Fabuloso multi-surface cleaners contain hydrogen peroxide, some do.
The scented versions of the regular Fabuloso, and 2 scents of Fabuloso Complete (Cool Mist and Floral Burst) contain Hydrogen Peroxide.
In fact, You shouldn’t mix bleach with any other cleaner, because it can be dangerous, especially if you are not familiar with the ingredients used in the cleaners.
You should avoid mixing bleach with any cleaner or product. It isn’t safe, and some alternatives work better.
When Should You Use Bleach or Bleach-Based Products?
You can use bleach or bleach-based products when you need to whiten a fabric or surface. Bleach whitens almost everything and also gets rid of stubborn stains from fabric easily. But because it usually discolors fabric by whitening it, it is used mainly on white fabrics.
Bleach products are also used to disinfect. As we earlier said, bleach kills bacteria and viruses effectively on surfaces around the home. This is why it is a common disinfectant used in public places and hospitals.
Ensure you dilute bleach with water before using. You should also protect yourself properly. by wearing nose masks, goggles, gloves, and long-sleeve clothes before mixing or using bleach. That way, there will be less chance of contact with skin or inhaling it.
Do Any Cleaners Contain Bleach?
1- Clorox Clean Up All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach: With the power of bleach, Clorox’s all-purpose cleaner removes tough bathroom and toilet stains and deodorizes your home.
2- Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach: With the power of bleach, this cleaner whites surfaces without leaving stains or discolorations. It can also kill mildew and remove mildew stains/soap scum from surfaces affected in the home. If you want to disinfect as well as clean, this is a good option for you.
How Bad Is Bleach for the Environment?
While bleach cleans and disinfects well, it isn’t good for the environment.
When you use bleach and the water gets into waterways, aquatic life can be harmed. This is because the bleach will produce dioxins in the water which will be ingested by aquatic animals, and maybe land animals too.
Apart from being bad for animal health, bleach indirectly affects humans too, when these animals are consumed too. The air can be contaminated by these dioxins too, which makes bleach bad for the environment.
The amount of bleach we use individually may not be enough to harm the environment, but buying these products by the masses does harm the environment.
Bleach is an oxidizing agent so in the case of a fire, it can be bad to have bleach around. It means it could make a fire worse.
Bleach is also not safe to use around children and pets. It might affect their breathing more.
Safely Using Cleaners That Contain Bleach!
1- Good Ventilation: Use these cleaners in well-ventilated areas. Because of their toxicity, bleach or cleaners with bleach can make it difficult to breathe if there’s not enough air. Inhaling the fumes for a long time can cause nausea, shortness of breath, throat irritation, etc. Your skin should also be well-covered t avoid burns.
2- Do Not Mix: Bleach is a highly reactive chemical. Mixing it with other products can be very harmful. Most time it will form chlorine gas or chloramine gas. Ammonia, alcohol, acidic cleaners, and other cleaners containing Hydrogen peroxide are just a few examples of things that bleach should not be mixed with. (Source)
3- Rinse: Ensure that you rinse all the surfaces where bleach is used before allowing children and pets to play there. This reduces the residue of the bleach and there’s less chance of harm coming to your kids or pets.
Final Thoughts!
Fabuloso does not contain bleach and it cannot be used with bleach. If you need bleach for a specific cleaning task in your home, then you should use bleach alone or use other multi-purpose cleaners that contain bleach.
Fabuloso however has a product that is made for people that love to use bleach. This cleaner does not contain bleach but is manufactured to work like bleach.
