Re: sodium bisulfite
Peter Marshall (petermarshall@cix.compulink.co.uk)
Thu, 17 Aug 95 22:07 BST-1
In-Reply-To: <199508171628.AA00912@conch.vast.unsw.edu.au>
> I checked with a retired chemistry friend who has an interest in the
> history of chemistry, and he didn't know of sodium sulfite ever being a
> household cleaner. He doubted it, because the sodium sulfite is rather
> toxic.
Sodium bisulphite (not sulphite) was and I think still is the major
constituent in a commonly used WC cleaner. You could cause havoc by
mixing this acidic material with household bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
and liberating chlorine. (It made a change from mixing bleach with
household ammonia to give chloramines.) You should avoid trying these,
but it explains why these products carried warnings on them not to mix
them with other household cleaners.
The related sodium metabisulphite is of course used by winemakers etc for
sterilising bottles.
Peter
petermarshall@cix.compulink.co.uk