# Is putting bleach in my dishwater harmful? Was my mother wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151 "2007-03-23T08:26:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/1 "2007-03-23T08:26:20Z")
I picked this habit up from my mother, who always put a very small amount of Clorox (like, maybe three thimblefuls) in the dishwater. She said it helped kill bacteria. I’m sure it DOES kill bacteria, but now I’m wondering if it might kill brain cells too. I still put it in my dishwater, only now I just give it a few shpritzes from a bottle of general cleaner than contains bleach, instead of the stuff straight from the bottle. Could I be endangering my health? It’s pretty dilute, and I try and rinse all dishes thoroughly. Is bleach hazardous in any amount? And here’s a good question: If it is hazardous, does the antibacterial benefit outweight the possible harm? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/2 "2007-03-23T08:39:18Z")
Are you washing your dishes with raw sewage? Do you have some reason to suspect that your dishwater harbors some unholy bacterial colonies? If not, then you have no need for the bleach. You don’t need antibacterial soap either. Regular soap does the same thing. Both do more harm than good. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/3 "2007-03-23T08:46:03Z")
I’ve caught my girlfriend spraying the innards of a dishwasher pre-wash with surface disinfectant spray, on the basis that this will kill even more germs :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/4 "2007-03-23T09:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] Both do more harm than good. [/QUOTE] But what harm are they doing? And how is antibacterial soap different from plain old soap, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/5 "2007-03-23T10:45:04Z")
IIRC The dangers of anti-bacterial soap is you only wipe out the bacteria who aren’t resistant to antibiotics. Leaving behind the ones who don’t care about our modern chemicals and now have all this space to themselves to spread out in. Repeat with other antibiotics and you end up with superbugs who are immune to most of our weapons. Since you’re never going to be bacteria free anyway, nor would you want to be, just use regular old soap to keep the number in check, and stop training the bugs to destory us! ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/6 "2007-03-23T11:01:17Z")
[QUOTE=essell] IIRC The dangers of anti-bacterial soap is you only wipe out the bacteria who aren’t resistant to antibiotics. Leaving behind the ones who don’t care about our modern chemicals and now have all this space to themselves to spread out in. [/QUOTE] 1. Antibacterial soaps are not antibiotics or closely related to antibiotics. 2. The active ingredients in most antibacterial soaps iodine and alcohols. Hardly modern chemicals. In short antibacterial sopas aren’t training bugs to destroy us. There is growing evidence that raising children in overly sterilised environements significantly increases the risk of immune problems such as asthma and allergies, but that is about the worst effect. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/7 "2007-03-23T11:42:54Z")
[QUOTE=Blake] 1. Antibacterial soaps are not antibiotics or closely related to antibiotics. 2. The active ingredients in most antibacterial soaps iodine and alcohols. Hardly modern chemicals. In short antibacterial sopas aren’t training bugs to destroy us. There is growing evidence that raising children in overly sterilised environements significantly increases the risk of immune problems such as asthma and allergies, but that is about the worst effect. [/QUOTE] You do not state your location but to be honest I have never seen antibacterial soaps with iodine or alcohol in them. Triclosan and triclocarban are fairly common around here. Although as far as I know neither one of those causes any kind of resistant germs to breed either, triclosan has been suspected in being somewhat carcinogenic if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/8 "2007-03-23T12:11:10Z")
I don’t believe such a small amount would be hazardous to your health. Diluted bleach is used all the time for disinfecting restaurant surfaces and can actually be used to sanitize drinking water. I’d be more worried about the other chemicals in your general cleanser than the bleach. If your dishes are washed clean and rinsed with clean water, there should be no reason to further sanitize them, I’d consider the bleach treatment overkill. From[Clorox](http://www.clorox.com/solutions_reg_bleach_faq.php) > [@](#): > > For non-porous food contact surface sanitizing (refrigerators, freezers, plastic cutting boards, stainless cutlery, dishes, glassware, countertops, pots and pans, stainless utensils): > > Use 1 tablespoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water. Wash, wipe or rinse items with detergent and water then apply sanitizing solution. Let stand 2 minutes. Air dry. If you’re putting it in with dirty dishwater, I think you will burn out whatever sanitizing power the bleach has on the crud in the water, and not actually give yourself cleaner dishes. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/9 "2007-03-23T12:24:34Z")
Are there any ammonia compounds in dishwasher detergent? That’s the worry that stops me from adding bleach to other cleaners - cleaners are seldom labeled well, and IANAChemist. I had an employee gas us once as work mixing two cleaners, and am loathe to repeat the experience. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/10 "2007-03-23T12:29:29Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Are there any ammonia compounds in dishwasher detergent? That’s the worry that stops me from adding bleach to other cleaners - cleaners are seldom labeled well, and IANAChemist. I had an employee gas us once as work mixing two cleaners, and am loathe to repeat the experience. [/QUOTE] Chlorine bleach is pretty powerful by itself. There are dozens of different cleaning products out there. I generally use just one at a time. And don’t forget the **hot** water! ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/11 "2007-03-23T12:29:37Z")
Dishwashers heat water high enough to kill bacteria so it isn’t needed. Chlorinated water is already available in many places, no need to add more by adding bleach. But if your water is not chlorinated a small amount of bleach will make it so. In emergencies where the water is unsafe you can add a small amount of (pure) bleach for drinking. Bleach is a oxidizer and it will wear out your dishwasher sooner then it would on it’s own. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/12 "2007-03-23T12:36:43Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Are there any ammonia compounds in dishwasher detergent? That’s the worry that stops me from adding bleach to other cleaners - cleaners are seldom labeled well, and IANAChemist. I had an employee gas us once as work mixing two cleaners, and am loathe to repeat the experience. [/QUOTE] I’ve never had problems with adding a very small amount of bleach to Electrasol dishwasher detergent, so that one at least would be OK. I will add bleach occasionally because sometimes our dishwasher starts to smell a little rank and the bleach helps take care of it. I can tell you UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should one apply bleach to a urine stain. I found that out the hard way one day when our dog got a urinary tract infection and had an accident on a throw rug. I put it in the washer and instead of using the bleach dispenser I (like an idjit) poured the bleach directly on the spot on the rug. Almost burned out a lung. ---
**Author:** ![Solfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Solfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solfy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/13 "2007-03-23T12:53:04Z")
Many dishwashing detergents already contain bleach, which explains why some brands make my kitchen smell like a swimming pool. Sodium hypochlorite (common bleach) breaks down fairly rapidly in the presence of heat and/or light into salts and water. Most likely any bleach you add before starting the dishwasher is gone by the first rinse cycle. IOW, what you’re doing is harmless, but pointless. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/14 "2007-03-23T13:03:07Z")
Semi-related: can a little vinegar added to the dishwasher soap dispenser help with some kinds of “deposit” stains (like spots)? I’m thinking of the way coffeepots can be made virtually new again with a vinegar solution. ---
**Author:** ![Solfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Solfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solfy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/15 "2007-03-23T13:21:24Z")
It can help, as the acetic acid is good for disolving minerals, such as those that come from hard water. I’ve read the suggestion to put vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser, though I’ve never tried it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/16 "2007-03-23T13:30:05Z")
And that ‘bleach’ smell isn’t the bleach. It’s the dead stuff it leaves behind. ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Montgomery0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery0)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/17 "2007-03-23T14:08:31Z")
The hot water from the dishwasher and proper drying do more to get rid of bacteria than any antibacterial solution (that you’d sanely use.) If you make sure you get rid of anything crusted onto your plates you should be completely safe without having to use any special additives. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/18 "2007-03-23T14:29:55Z")
When I was in the Boy Scouts at summer camp our written instructions for dish washing had us use three containers 1. Dish water with soap 2. Rinse water 3. Sanitize which was another rinse with some bleach added. I don’t think they trusted teenaged boys to get everything clean and rinsed with just two containers. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/19 "2007-03-23T15:01:11Z")
I love bacteria. I grow huge colonies of them and eat them! Bacteria are wonderful things. Down with bacteria haters! ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151/20 "2007-03-23T15:05:53Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] Semi-related: can a little vinegar added to the dishwasher soap dispenser help with some kinds of “deposit” stains (like spots)? I’m thinking of the way coffeepots can be made virtually new again with a vinegar solution. [/QUOTE] This is anecdotal, but I use it as a rinse agent by itself, and it works for me. I also run an empty cycle every few months with white vinegar in the soap and rinse dispensers. Someone may be along to tell me that I’m not actually doing anything, and that may be true. But I’m certainly not hurting anything, and it smells cleaner afterward. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-putting-bleach-in-my-dishwater-harmful-was-my-mother-wrong/397151.md?page=2)