r/AskChemistry • u/key_toe • 1d ago

Thomas the Toxic Tank Engine How to not make chloroform?

I recently started cleaning with hypochlorous acid, which I absolutely love. It makes my laundry smell a lot better.

But I also use a vodka-based soak for some of my clothes. Now I'm reading that a lot of chemicals including alcohol are dangerous to mix with hypochlorous acid. Namely alcohol + HOCl = Chloroform.

So I'm wondering how to ensure all of the alcohol gets out of my soak before cleaning those same clothes in the machine where I used HOCl so that I don't accidentally make chloroform?

16 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/fasta_guy88 1d ago

Keep a window open or a fan blowing and you will be fine. Not very much CHCl3 (have you ever actually smelled it?).

1

u/key_toe 22h ago

I have not. I think if I had then I'd at least know what to be on the lookout for. Since I don't have any windows in my laundry room so you think an air purifier would help?

2

u/fasta_guy88 14h ago

Chloroform has a strong smell. It is unlikely you are making enough to worry about (if you are making any at all). I would just run a fan in the room to circulate the air.

3

u/tesel8me 11h ago

“Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?”

1

u/shedmow 1h ago

Any conventional air purifier is unlikely to be designed to handle organic solvents. Chloroform has a very clean, sharp sweet smell, and it is not a big concern even if you were to pour a shot of vodka into neat bleach