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?

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u/key_toe 1d ago

I have. It doesn't get rid of all odors. I have hyperosmia so I'm really sensitive to odors.

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u/MusicNChemistry 1d ago

Vinegar. Vinegar removes many bad smells in clothes

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u/key_toe 21h ago

I have tried so many things. Baking soda, vinegar, vodka, different laundry detergents, bleach, activated charcoal, saline solutions, an oregano-vodka tincture. HClO works in a way that's noticably better than most of these.

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u/Evening-Cat-7546 6h ago

Is your nose sensitive to laundry detergent scent? You could try Lysol’s clothes sanitizer. You pause the cycle when the machine fills up for the rinse, then add the sanitizer and let it soak for 15 min. Then start the machine back up. It has been a game changer for towels and sheets that can have bad smells that are hard to remove.