Bleach and Your Client’s Surfaces
Yesterday Enviro USA, Inc shared a blog about the health risks of bleach, today we are going to be talking about the structural damage that bleach can cause to your client’s properties.
Using bleach might seem like the fastest easiest cleaner, but in the long run you run the risk of damaging and possibly replacing very expensive surfaces for your client.
- Stainless Steel: Dulls the shine and slowly eats through the stainless steel potentially causing irreversible damage.
- Carpeting: Discolors the surface but can also damage the backing and subfloor below.
- Hardwood Flooring: Depending on the type of hardwood floor if it is a raw wood flooring with no coating then it can discolor the wood itself and weaken the strength of the wood, if it is a sealed hardwood floor it can eat through the sealer causing discoloring and uneven surface.
- Brass/Chrome: Dulls the surface, causes spots, and can lead to premature rusting.
- Tile: Eats through the protective film on tile to the extent of having to be replaced.
- Marble/Limestone/Travertine: Acids will react with the calcium in the stone and etch, or dull the surface.
- Counter Tops: As with tiling bleach will eat through the protective film on the surface leading to replacement.
- Colored Porcelain: Causes discoloration.
- Laminate Wood Floors: It will soak into the laminate causing discoloration, damage to the finish and can buckle the flooring.
Never try to remove mold, the water component of bleach, however, does penetrate the dry wall or wood, which fosters further mold growth. Chlorine bleach will discolor or whiten the surface, leading the building occupant to believe the problem is solved – until the mold reappears.
As stated by OHSA please see below link to the OHSA Mold Remediation page.
In 2017 there are many replacements for bleach that work just as effectively. Do your research and talk with your crew to see what other cleaners work for them.
Changing to a less corrosive cleaners will save you and your client headaches and money.









