Just how poisonous is laundry detergent?
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Ever buy coffee anywhere? I found out one of the places I get coffee runs bleach through their coffee machine daily...
Bleach is chlorine.. Its in your drinking water and swimming pools, when diluted its fine.
Also chlorine bleach off-gasses pretty quickly. If you leave a bucket of water standing for 24 hrs the chlorine will offgass and be gone. (This is what you do for chlorinated water if you want to use it in a fishtank but ran out of de-chlorinator.) If you want it to offgass quicker, aerate the water- swizzle it around for a while to get more air in it and make it offgass quicker. I see no problem at all with running bleach through a coffee machine, especially if you run water through it afterward.0 -
Ick! :sick:
I agree with the people who said your own health comes first. Since she won't listen to you, it's time to protect yourself and get away from her.
If you really want to help her, there are organizations that help immigrants and refugees. They offer advice and assistance in finding housing, learning daily life skills, and adapting to life in their new country. See if you can refer her to a place like this.0 -
Ick! :sick:
I agree with the people who said your own health comes first. Since she won't listen to you, it's time to protect yourself and get away from her.
If you really want to help her, there are organizations that help immigrants and refugees. They offer advice and assistance in finding housing, learning daily life skills, and adapting to life in their new country. See if you can refer her to a place like this.
She's already involved with those organisations, she just doesn't seem to think she needs to adapt to anything. Sigh.
I'm looking for apartments now. This place is cheap, but I can afford to spend a little more for my health...0 -
How is not having a high school education ANYONE'S fault other than her own???
Long story short, she's originally from a third-world country where education prospects were dim for women anyway, and which is currently in a state of civil war. That's why I feel sorry for her; she'd have difficulty finding another place to stay. I wonder how much of it is cultural. On the other hand, political correctness is no reason to be held hostage in my own house.
none of what you describe is cultural. It sounds like she has obsessive compulsive disorder and to be honest I can't believe there's been so many post saying she's crazy or even psychotic...? (i.e. pretty appalling attitudes towards people with mental health problems....!!!)
She would benefit from therapy (I think cognitive behaviour therapy is good for OCD). What country do you live in now? Does she have medical insurance? Can you get her to see a GP or whatever your country's equivalent of a GP is? You mentioned that she's a refugee, usually there are ways for refugees to access psychiatric services free of charge. Many of them suffer from PTSD (she may have this and it may be underlying the OCD, because they're both anxiety disorders and can be related). In any case, do what you can to get her referred to whatever psychiatric services are available for her, because it really sounds like she needs help. Trying to be rational to her when she clearly has a deepseated and irrational fear of germs or whatever else is underpinning her behaviour will get you nowhere. And thank you for caring about her enough to not kick her out in the street.0 -
Lot of calories?Don't drink or eat Laundry detergent.0 -
So, should I be worried about what I've been eating unknowingly? :frown:
Not as much as continuing to live with that fruit-loop of a house mate.
Give her the boot.0 -
Throw her out or leave....0
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Hmmm. Housemate seems odd
Having said that, forget the plastic chopping boards and use the wooden one (wash it first if she's going to leave raw chicken dirt on it!!!). Wooden boards have natural resins that kill germs better than the plastic ones where despite cleaning germs can get caught in the texture.
YUCK!
Raw meat should NEVER be cut on a wooden chopping board. Use wooden boards for fruit and veggies only. Use plastic for meat. Heck my dad, a microbiologist, refuses to even cook with a wooden spoon anymore because you can never get those things clean enough.0 -
Hmmm. Housemate seems odd
Having said that, forget the plastic chopping boards and use the wooden one (wash it first if she's going to leave raw chicken dirt on it!!!). Wooden boards have natural resins that kill germs better than the plastic ones where despite cleaning germs can get caught in the texture.
YUCK!
Raw meat should NEVER be cut on a wooden chopping board. Use wooden boards for fruit and veggies only. Use plastic for meat. Heck my dad, a microbiologist, refuses to even cook with a wooden spoon anymore because you can never get those things clean enough.
research indicates that whilst bacteria may be absorbed into the board they soon die. Plastic boards, especially those well used, have deep knife cuts that can a) retain bacteria and b) introduce small amounts of plastic into your food.
I will carry on using my wooden chopping boards and wooden spoon. I have never had food poisoning.0 -
The only part of any of it that really concerns me health wise is the cutting board not getting washed. Laundry detergent and dish detergent are pretty much the same except for the sudsing action. Toilet bowl cleaner may do a good job on pots and isn't going to be toxic if it's rinsed off. There aren't many household cleaning products sold that will actually hurt you. The powers that be have made sure that we can't hurt ourselves!0
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But how soon is "soon?" Soon enough for me to cut up my next meat without cross contaminating it? Nope, not ever going to use a wooden board for meat. Just too gross for me.Research indicates that whilst bacteria may be absorbed into the board they soon die.
:ohwell: Not an issue for me. I have 3 of the things and just shove them in the dishwasher when I'm done. Can't do that with wood.Plastic boards, especially those well used, have deep knife cuts that can a) retain bacteria
I'd rather chance small amounts of plastic than salmonella. When a board starts looking "well loved" on both sides, I toss it and get a new one. They aren't that expensive.and b) introduce small amounts of plastic into your food.
I use my wooden spoons only for non-meat cooking needs. Such as for mixing sweet tea for a party, or pushing veggies around a skillet.0 -
none of what you describe is cultural. It sounds like she has obsessive compulsive disorder and to be honest I can't believe there's been so many post saying she's crazy or even psychotic...? (i.e. pretty appalling attitudes towards people with mental health problems....!!!)
She would benefit from therapy (I think cognitive behaviour therapy is good for OCD). What country do you live in now? Does she have medical insurance? Can you get her to see a GP or whatever your country's equivalent of a GP is? You mentioned that she's a refugee, usually there are ways for refugees to access psychiatric services free of charge. Many of them suffer from PTSD (she may have this and it may be underlying the OCD, because they're both anxiety disorders and can be related). In any case, do what you can to get her referred to whatever psychiatric services are available for her, because it really sounds like she needs help. Trying to be rational to her when she clearly has a deepseated and irrational fear of germs or whatever else is underpinning her behaviour will get you nowhere. And thank you for caring about her enough to not kick her out in the street.
Thank you - that's what I think, which is why I don't want to be too quick with any ultimatums. She says that even growing up, her family always told her off for wasting so much... Some things really do seem to be cultural (for example, she was angry that I bought pots and pans because she said that no one woman in a household should own all the pots and pans, and that I was trying to assert my dominance. Huh?) but others seem to be just the way she is.
Unfortunately, she seems to thrive on (largely unecessary) medical attention, so I'm not sure sending her to a doctor would help.0 -
Oh, and I'm actually allergic to chicken (one of the reasons I went veggie), so chicken juice soaked into the chopping board is problematic beyond just salmonella. Hence why I use the plastic ones that are easier to rinse.0
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Coming from a social work perspective, your roommate needs an intervention. They even have warning labels on toilet cleaner. If you get that on your skin it will eat at your skin. Putting you at health risk makes me want to call crisis intervention. Not cool. I'd report it.0
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PS I have OCD as well... and there is antibacterial dish soap out there... She is endangering your life. Take a good read on the back of the toilet cleaner bottle...0
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My housemate has her own, very particular brand of "hygiene", which consists of being wasteful and then complaining about having to pay for electricity, replacement cleaning supplies, etc. She'll only eat off her own plate and bowl - carefully washed with a tablespoon of dish soap each, under running water and dried with paper towels. She'd never use the dish towels we plebs use, but takes it upon herself to wash them - two at a time, on a full, hot cycle. On the other hand, she'll happily use a chopping board for raw chicken, then just lean it against the wall to dry, because "the chicken gets cooked anyway". I never use the wooden one, and wash the plastic ones before every use.
But today takes the cake. We ran out of dish soap yesterday evening (we go through a bottle a week because of her). She passed at least three convenience shops that were open on her way to church, but rather than replace anything, I just caught her washing the dishes that didn't get done last night for lack of soap with laundry detergent. A tablespoon of powdered Daz per plate.
I told her not to do that, it's poisonous. She says it's ok, she's always done this, and added that once a week, she'll scrub all the pans with toilet cleaner . And anyway, the boiling water she pours on it kills all the "germs in the cleaner" that poison you.
When I pointed out that the package said it's harmful if ingested, she told me "that's only science" and you can't believe everything science says...
So, should I be worried about what I've been eating unknowingly? :frown:
"That's only science" - Gotta love religious nuts0 -
She does sound a bit odd, but if you looked at my cleaning habits, you'd probably think I'm odd too. I've been known to clean my sink and some dishes with toilet bowl cleaners, depending on what the chemical is, it does a great job of getting residues and stains off. And I've been known to use my clothes detergent (all free and clear) on dishes. I wouldn't use tide on them though. And I clean cutting boards and surfaces/crevices with peroxide. Most cleansers are remarkably similar when it comes to ingredients and chemical formulas, no matter what their label is.
Having said all that, I'll say that I've lived with difficult roommates before and the only thing I can suggest is to hide and/or lock up the items you don't wish her to have access to. But, as long as things are will rinsed, whatever cleansers have been used, it is unlikely to harm you. Straight ingestion of any of them, even dish soap, is harmful, but the highly diluted residue on a rinsed dish shouldn't be problematic.0 -
none of what you describe is cultural. It sounds like she has obsessive compulsive disorder and to be honest I can't believe there's been so many post saying she's crazy or even psychotic...? (i.e. pretty appalling attitudes towards people with mental health problems....!!!)
She would benefit from therapy (I think cognitive behaviour therapy is good for OCD). What country do you live in now? Does she have medical insurance? Can you get her to see a GP or whatever your country's equivalent of a GP is? You mentioned that she's a refugee, usually there are ways for refugees to access psychiatric services free of charge. Many of them suffer from PTSD (she may have this and it may be underlying the OCD, because they're both anxiety disorders and can be related). In any case, do what you can to get her referred to whatever psychiatric services are available for her, because it really sounds like she needs help. Trying to be rational to her when she clearly has a deepseated and irrational fear of germs or whatever else is underpinning her behaviour will get you nowhere. And thank you for caring about her enough to not kick her out in the street.
Thank you - that's what I think, which is why I don't want to be too quick with any ultimatums. She says that even growing up, her family always told her off for wasting so much... Some things really do seem to be cultural (for example, she was angry that I bought pots and pans because she said that no one woman in a household should own all the pots and pans, and that I was trying to assert my dominance. Huh?) but others seem to be just the way she is.
Unfortunately, she seems to thrive on (largely unecessary) medical attention, so I'm not sure sending her to a doctor would help.
See that thing about thriving on medical attention - that could also be part of an underlying issue she has. Maybe she's a hypochondriac (which as far as I'm aware is another anxiety disorder, i.e. anxiety that there's something wrong with you), and even if it's pure attention seeking, there's usually an underlying (and treatable) issue going on, e.g. if she's afraid to face her real issues, but thinks (or hopes) the doctor can somehow magically "fix" her some other way. Also, anxiety causes physical symptoms, and many people who have anxiety disorders seek medical help for the physical symptoms but don't discuss any emotional issues, so the doctor can't find what's wrong (because the illness isn't physical) nor does the doctor know that there's an underlying psychiatric problem, because the patient doesn't discuss it.
so IMO her being like this about medical attention is all the more reason to get her to see a doctor, not a reason not to suggest it. However the doctor needs to be aware of all the issues, not just her going to a doctor who doesn't know any background by herself.
So I think what you probably need to do is write down all your concerns about her (including the thing you said about medical attention), and speak to a doctor who at least has a basic working knowledge of psychiatry, and get advice. If you're in the UK, then I'd suggest calling NHS direct and discussing everything with one of the nurses there, who should be able to arrange for her to get seen by a doctor who knows the whole story. However if you're not in the UK that's not going to be any use to you. If you can get advice, or even better find a way for you to refer her to psychiatric services (with all the information) so you and they can work together to make her get the help that she needs.0 -
... She blinded me with science. Literally.
Leave her to it. Stupidity is the new survival of the fittest.0 -
Time for a new room mate.0
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Get a new roomate. LOL. Fer seriously. Or buy your own cooking utensils and hide them. It may not kill you, but... why take a chance on getting really sick?0
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I think you've stumbled across the cause AND effect of her malfunction.
It's a vicious cycle that will force you to find a new roommate in a few months when the toxins in her bloodstream relegate her to a drooling mess of goo....0 -
Oh my
that's horrifying!
I saw an episode of my strange addiction where the girl would eat laundry detergent all the time...she was still alive at least...0 -
Having spent time in a 3rd world country, the stuff she's doing (using multiple cleaners for the same job) sounds pretty familiar. The laundry/dish/hand soap is pretty similar, and they don't typically have toilet cleaners, cause, ya know, they have no toilets! (except in the city, of course)
She might actually be ignorant.
Having said that, I agree that you should take control of your own health and dishes. Not worth the risk.
note: I have no high school ed either - religious upbringing didn't allow it. But I have/am educating myself through books, etc. And I am a born/raised American.
Not everyone has the opportunities that you might think. 0 -
Ever buy coffee anywhere? I found out one of the places I get coffee runs bleach through their coffee machine daily...
That is a good thing. Bleach won't kill you if ingested, unless you drink it straight. Even then, it'll burn you pretty badly but probably not kill you.
Bleach water is recommended for disinfecting lots of things. It also rinses pretty cleanly... because it's easily diluted.
They even recommend frequently sanitizing infant/toddler toys in bleach water - everything goes in their mouths!0 -
how about using paper plates and plasticware? Boom! problem solved!0
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The laundry soap will get rinsed away, but the toilet cleaner? Are we talking Comet abrasive cleaner, or tidy bowl? Either way, it's time for a new room mate.
^^^ This!^^^ Wow!!!!
She sounds looney!0 -
"They even recommend frequently sanitizing infant/toddler toys in bleach water - everything goes in their mouths! "
You rinse the toys very well with clean water after you sanitized them.
To OP -- your roommate is too stupid for words. Don't waste your time trying to get through - just run.
These things can have cumulative effect -- you won't get violently ill today but they may contribute to developing cancer years from now. Ingesting chemicals that one uses gloves to handle is not something a person in right mind would do.0 -
She sounds like she has a strange form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She seems terrified of germs on plates and things but not on chopping boards. It sounds like she needs some plain speaking and some consequences. Right now you have to be cruel to be kind. Eventually you will move on and if this is not tackled now, getting another place will be a lot harder for her.
You need to make everything extremely clear for her in black and white. Does she has a counsellor to help her or that you could talk to? Is there any mediation for this type of situation available?
Tell her that if she wants to stay in the house then she must follow the rules. such as: how to wash up, when to wash up, no running the washer without a full load, etc. { I have different laundry baskets for stuff, one for boil wash, whites, darks, etc. That might help}
Give her a copy of those rules, make sure she understands them and then signs the agreement. (you can make it so that everyone has to sign if you like)
Generally speaking, using laundry degergent on ware and crockery will be fine so long as its well rinsed, it is the amount of product she is using that is causing the problem. Using bleach on aluminium and nonstick pans will ruin them. You can get sticky labels and stick them on the different cleaning products with signs, if she has trouble understanding the language. This problem will only get worse if not treated. Be consistent and stick to your plan. Dont feel sorry for her because that will not help her in the long run. Good luck. I would love to know how you all get on. Tina.0 -
i agree with previous posts about OCD or other anxiety/panic disorders. i think she would benefit from some sort of help. i'm not sure what your situation is, but it might help you to speak to a professional about this problem for advice. a college health center, your company's EAP program, or even a community mental health hotline. perhaps they could help you understand how to approach the situation and help get her the help she obviously needs.0
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