Expert warns misuse of bleach can damage skin, cause fatal poisoning

For many Jamaicans, bleach is a trusted household staple used to clean kitchens, disinfect surfaces, and even treat water in times of emergency. But improper use, especially without correct dilution or when mixed with other chemicals, may be quietly causing skin damage and other health problems that often go unreported.

That is the warning from Sherika Whitelocke-Ballingsingh, poison information coordinator at the Caribbean Poison Information Centre, College of Health Sciences at the University of Technology.

Data from the Ministry of Health & Wellness Surveillance Unit shows that, from 2017 to the present, children have consistently made up approximately 80 per cent of confirmed paediatric bleach poisoning cases across Jamaica.

Although cases fell in 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions and heightened awareness were in place, the numbers rose sharply in 2021, when Whitelocke-Ballingsingh says that continued public education was a necessity.

“The majority of Jamaicans who would have done the dilution factor for bleach, they would not be using the correct type of bleach,” Whitelocke-Ballingsingh explained while speaking with The Gleaner.

She noted that bleach strength varies depending on its intended use.

“The bleach solution for a household purpose should be up to three per cent. And for industrial purpose, it should be up to five per cent,” she said.

However, many retail products may be weaker, leading users to skip dilution altogether, inevitably just throwing the bleach into whatever substance.

While chlorine is effective in killing microorganisms, Whitelocke-Ballingsingh cautioned that it can be harmful depending on concentration.

“Chlorine itself, it has its own implication on the body depending on the concentration. It’s not something that should be taken in the body just like that.”

She added that chlorine can also commonly cause skin problems.

“Things with chlorine, things with anything that is caustic or kind of corrosive, will have a dermatological impact on most persons’ skin.”

DANGER IN IMPROPER USE

According to the poison expert, the greatest danger lies in improper use, especially when treating drinking water.

“We must differentiate when we’re talking about the use of drinking water or sanitising or disinfecting [with]water. We have to be very careful because the majority of the time it is not carried out properly,” she said. “General statements cannot be made. It has to be placed in context.”

She warned that overuse without proper dilution can lead to both dermatological and broader health problems and urged Jamaicans to seek guidance.

“We would caution Jamaicans to contact their health department or even to contact the poison centre in regard to the correct concentration of chlorine for dilution factor when they’re treating their water.”

Despite the risks, Whitelocke-Ballingsingh said cases are rarely reported.

“They’re not going to report it,” she said plainly. “Because in our culture, we do this thing that is called self-remedy.”

She explained that many people only seek help when symptoms become severe.

“When the pandemic just started and persons were overusing the chemicals, I got calls when people thought that they were going to die after two weeks of abusing the chemicals,” she said.

She also noted that people often don’t see any effects in the first day or two of using the chemicals, so they may not realise that the symptoms they develop later are caused by the bleach.

Often, symptoms are mistaken for other conditions.

“Somebody might say, ‘Oh, I have eczema’, or they might say, ‘Maybe it’s something I drank’. They cannot associate what is happening with… what it is that they’re using.”

As such, she encourages health officials to get the information out about the implications of bleach misuse.

“Once you put the information out there and they start reading it, they start looking at their practices and they can associate the cause [and] effect.”

One such case is Michael, who often handles the cooking at home, and who says his love for cleanliness turned into a painful lesson.

“I love bleach. It smells very nice [and] I like to use it,” he admitted. “So I usually mix it with either dishwashing liquid or detergent. I usually clean the kitchen surfaces before I cook. Prior to COVID-19, I usually clean surfaces [but] I didn’t observe any problems with it or any negative effect.”

Unaware of the dangers, Michael said he unknowingly created a harmful chemical reaction.

“Little did I know… the synergism in the bleach and the soap, or the bleach and the detergent was negative.”

After COVID-19, his hands began to deteriorate.

“Both hands got damaged, started to have cuts on it, started to have puss marks all over both hands,” he said, also adding that COVID restrictions such as having to frequently apply hand sanitisers at public spaces such as banks and supermarkets worsened the condition.

“I had to go to the doctor for prescriptive medication,” Michael said, adding that he later had to see a dermatologist. While he still uses bleach, he now takes precautions of his own.

“I use it with a glove. But I don’t mix it with the soap.”

Looking back, he admits he never measured quantities.

“I was just putting some bleach in a little water. And then some soap in it… . I wasn’t doing it in a way to scale.”

Michael has since switched to milder alternatives.

“Now I use vinegar. It is a milder agent with soap… . I think that is a safer way to do it.”

However, the damage still remains as too much exposure to bleach and other chemicals could put his hands back to square one.

“My hands are still sick,” he said. His doctor has since prescribed him a milder medication to use instead of the hand sanitisers distributed at public spaces.

Whitelocke-Ballingsingh also cautioned against certain cultural cleaning practices, particularly the mixing of bleach with soap or detergents.

“This practice is strongly discouraged,” she said, explaining that chemical reactions between these agents can release toxic gases or form highly irritating compounds. While respiratory distress is a known danger, she noted that a more common but less visible outcome is chronic skin damage.

Health officials have observed an increase in hand dermatological problems including contact dermatitis, chemical burns, and long-term skin sensitisation among persons who routinely engage in this mixing practice.

But beyond mixing chemicals, Whitelocke-Ballingsingh also noted that one of the reasons children account for the vast majority of reported bleach poisoning cases is largely due to unsafe storage practices in households.

“Bleach is frequently left within easy reach of inquisitive children under sinks, on low shelves, or even on the floor during and immediately after cleaning activities,” she said.

Another major risk factor is the common practice of decanting bleach into containers originally used for food or drinks. Bleach is often stored in plastic water bottles, soda bottles, or unmarked jugs, which can easily be mistaken for beverages.

“These misleading containers are familiar to children and can lead to accidental, and potentially fatal, ingestion,” Whitelocke-Ballingsingh warned.

Whitelocke-Ballingsingh hopes other people will rethink their practices and seek help early.

“When they get the information, then they call to ask,” she said. “And that’s when prevention really starts.”

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com