My washing machine says to make a paste with ammonia and color safe bleach to remove deodorant stains isn't that dangerous or is it the color safe that would make this safe?

Answer 1

I have done this for years and it works great...but it is VERY STRONG fumes!!! But does the trick and is not caustic. I have redone on blouses a few times and still no holes.

It has to be CHLORINE-FREE bleach. The active component of regular bleach is sodium hypochlorite, which reacts with ammonia to form hydrazine, which is a very toxic gas (NaOCl + 2 NH3 --> N2H4 + NaCl + H2O). There are also several side reactions that also produce other toxic gases. Chlorine-free bleach is usually hydrogen peroxide, but ammonia's reaction with H2O2 creates nitric oxide (also toxic) and nitrogen gas, but household H2O2 is usually very weak. I'd still be very careful and have plenty of ventilation.

Answer 2

Mixing ammonia and bleach, even if the bleach is labeled as color-safe, can produce toxic fumes that are dangerous to inhale and can potentially harm your health. It's best to avoid this combination altogether and use alternative methods to remove deodorant stains, such as white vinegar or baking soda.