# So what if I want to mix Hydrogen Chlorate with Chlorine Bleach??
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 18, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198 "2006-05-18T00:23:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/1 "2006-05-18T00:23:19Z")
On the bottle of toilet bowl cleaner, it specifically says I shouldn’t mix the two. But what happens if I do?
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/2 "2006-05-18T00:39:09Z")
Hydrogen chlorate is an acid (HClO3) while bleach is a base (NaOCl). Generally not a good idea to go mixing acids and bases unless you know what you’re doing. Especially since this one gives off chlorine gas.
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### Author:  [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/3 "2006-05-18T00:40:24Z")
I am not a chemist, however, I do know that when they combine they release chlorine gas which, depending on ppm can kill you with a few deep breaths. It was widely used during WW1 and responsible for many deaths.
> [@Surbey](#):
>
> On the bottle of toilet bowl cleaner, it specifically says I shouldn’t mix the two. But what happens if I do?
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/4 "2006-05-18T00:44:45Z")
I think you mean hydrogen chlor **ide** rather than hydrogen chlor **ate**. I’m not aware of any toilet bowl cleaners that contain perchloric acid, it’s _nasty_ stuff, but there are plenty which contain hydrochloric acid.
[Bleach reacts with HCl to form water plus chlorine gas.](http://www.chemistryquestion.com/English/Questions/ChemistryInDailyLife/3c_bleach_cleaner.html) Chlorine gas can make your [eyes, throat and lungs very unhappy.](http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic904.htm)
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/5 "2006-05-18T01:17:55Z")
> [@Squink](#):
>
> I think you mean hydrogen chlor **ide** rather than hydrogen chlor **ate**. I’m not aware of any toilet bowl cleaners that contain perchloric acid, it’s _nasty_ stuff, but there are plenty which contain hydrochloric acid.
>
> [Bleach reacts with HCl to form water plus chlorine gas.](http://www.chemistryquestion.com/English/Questions/ChemistryInDailyLife/3c_bleach_cleaner.html) Chlorine gas can make your [eyes, throat and lungs very unhappy.](http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic904.htm)
Perchloric acid is HClO4, hydrogen chlorate is, as I said earlier, HClO3. That said, I’m not sure either one would ever be used to clean stuff.
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### Author:  [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/6 "2006-05-18T01:37:41Z")
I double checked and it is Hydrogen Chloride.
I’m not sure why but it is called “The Works” 😃
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/7 "2006-05-18T01:43:48Z")
> [@asterion](#):
>
> Perchloric acid is HClO4, hydrogen chlorate is, as I said earlier, HClO3.
I knew that, I just didn’t write it. :smack:
Perchloric acid you can buy in a bottle from Aldrich. Chloric acid isn’t even stable at room temperature. Both are hellacious oxidants; not the sort of thing you’ll find in consumer prducts.
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/8 "2006-05-18T02:04:06Z")
> [@Squink](#):
>
> I knew that, I just didn’t write it. :smack:
> Perchloric acid you can buy in a bottle from Aldrich. Chloric acid isn’t even stable at room temperature. Both are hellacious oxidants; not the sort of thing you’ll find in consumer prducts.
Yeah, someone managed to keep me out of a hood for several days with a note on it “LiClO4 reaction in progress. Do not open.” Sure, that’s perchlorate anion, but still, it kept me well away.
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### Author:  [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/9 "2006-05-18T12:35:37Z")
I’m no chemist but I’ve seen what mixing ammonia and bleach will do to a person.
Several years ago my (former) step-son thought he’d help out by mopping the kitchen. He mixed the two chemicals and voila’ he mopped the floor will inhaling the noxious gas for over half an hour.
I got home and found him pacing around the house, eyes watering profusely, a rash on his face, and wheezing heavily.
Three hours in the ER getting his eyes flushed, breathing treatments, and a burn cream applied to his rash seemed to do the trick.
FWIW, he had chronic respiratory infections ever since then.
Nasty $hit.
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### Author:  [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/10 "2006-05-18T13:16:09Z")
I’ve mixed Hcl and clOH once, by accident, many years ago.
After I was released from the emergency room, it still took days before just breathing didn’t hurt like hell. And I just got a tiny whiff…
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### Author:  [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/11 "2006-05-18T13:42:25Z")
We mixed pool “bleach” and HCl when we were in grade school; fortunately we did it in the middle of a field. I recall being disappointed that it didn’t explode.
I also stupidly mixed Sodium Ferrocyanide and hydrochloric acid in my basement.
I caught the tiniest whiff and high-tailed it out of there. Later, I did a bit of hyperventillation before I returned to the scene of the “stupidity” to open the basement windows.
And now my 6 year-old is expressing interest in a chemistry set. My blood is chilled.
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### Author:  [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-if-i-want-to-mix-hydrogen-chlorate-with-chlorine-bleach/357198/12 "2006-05-18T17:24:49Z")
Fortunately for you BwanaBob those cyanide ligands are pretty tightly bound and you likely didn’t generate a significant amount of hydrogen cyanide. More likely you simply made ferrocyanic acid.