Here is the detailed answer to the frequently asked question: Is bleach corrosive to plastic?
Are you using bleach as a sanitizing agent to clean plastic surfaces? Or have you noticed the damage caused by the bleach to the plastic spraying bottle you have been using for cleaning purposes? Well, storing bleach in plastic bottles is not a good move.
Is Bleach corrosive?
Yes, it is corrosive to plastic. It does not eat up the plastic in one go (we are assuming you are using the diluted bleach or bleach water as the cleaning agent), but the damage it would create is definite.
If you’ll keep using this mixture on your plastic surfaces or continue using the bottle for long, you’ll see clear evidence of damage.
Why is that so?
Bleach is an oxidizing agent, so when it reacts with plastic, it oxidizes the upper layer. Continuous oxidation is the damage caused by oxidation.
How much time would it take to oxidize?
It depends on the type of plastic and the concentration of the used bleaching agent.
If you are using simple plastic, you’ll see the impact of the damage instantly. But If you are using a PVC material plastic bottle, it will take a while to see the actual impact because of PVC quality.
Similarly, if the bleaching agent is highly concentrated, even less exposure will lead to corrosion and vice versa.
How to clean plastic surfaces:
You can shift to glass bottles or plastic bottles that can tolerate higher exposure to the bleaching agent.
But when it comes to cleaning plastic surfaces, you can use a mixture of baking soda and water. It is also a cleaning agent that can help remove germs but won’t damage your plastic stuff.
Besides, you can use the all-purpose cleaners available in the market. They are strong enough to remove the germs, but they would not damage the plastic.
By shifting to these methods for cleaning plastics, you’ll save your plastic bottles and stuff and at the same time kills germs that can potentially harm you.
Also Check: How long is Sanitizer water good for?