What happens if you consume bleach?

If you're reading this article due to an emergency where you or someone else has ingested bleach, cease reading and immediately contact the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or call 911. Now.

Now that the emergency is addressed, let's delve deeper into bleach. It's likely you have some stored away with your cleaning supplies for scrubbing countertops and bathrooms. The main ingredient in bleach is sodium hypochlorite, a salt-based compound that's usually diluted with water. It's commonly used to eliminate fungi, bacteria, and viruses, and can help you stay healthy during flu season. However, sodium hypochlorite is also corrosive, which means it can cause severe tissue damage to humans [source: May].

It’s strange that some companies are exploiting bleach as a potential medicine, especially with products like Miracle Mineral Solution or Master Mineral Solution, which claim to fight HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, cancer, or the flu. These dangerous concoctions instruct users to mix sodium chlorite (a sanitizer) with acidic liquids, like citrus juice. The combination forms chlorine dioxide, a bleach also used in water purification.

The FDA has issued a formal warning regarding these solutions. In July 2020, the family behind this product was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and deliver misbranded drugs, according to the Washington Post. Reports have emerged of people being hospitalized or dying after using Miracle Mineral Solution.

These are not legitimate remedies and certainly don't deliver on their promises. Attempting to 'cure' a child's autism with these mixtures could lead to arrest.

Aside from fraudulent remedies, there's a myth circulating that consuming bleach can 'cleanse' your urine to pass a drug test. However, this is simply a false rumor [source: Mikkelson].

If a child or careless adult were to drink some household cleaner, should you be concerned? In most cases, you'll likely be okay. Household bleaches generally contain low concentrations of sodium hypochlorite, around 3-6 percent. This doesn't mean you should try it, but for an average adult, the worst you may face is an upset stomach [sources: May, Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center].

What would happen if you twist open the cap and start drinking it straight from the bottle? Or what if you sip on a more potent batch of industrial-strength bleach, where the sodium hypochlorite concentration can be much higher? Or what if you disregard the warnings about Miracle Mineral Solution (containing 28 percent sodium chlorite) and take it anyway?

You're in for a real disaster. The symptoms can range from gagging, discomfort, and irritation in the mouth and throat, to pain or even burns in the esophagus and stomach. Vomiting and shock could occur immediately or within a few hours. If the symptoms aren't treated promptly, you could permanently damage your digestive system and internal organs, and depending on how much you ingested, it could be fatal [sources: Rettner, Benzoni and Hatcher].

While long-term damage and fatalities are rare, it's still crucial to act fast. If you're not vomiting or convulsing, drink 4 to 8 ounces (118 to 237 milliliters) of milk or water to dilute the bleach [source: Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center]. Unless directed otherwise by Poison Control, do not induce vomiting. Once emergency services arrive and you reach the hospital, treatments may include an endoscopy or gastric lavage, a procedure that removes the contents of your stomach via a tube [source: MedlinePlus].