You've Been Warned: Never Mix These Common Cleaning Products With Fabuloso
In our post-pandemic world, there are new standards of what constitutes a truly 'clean' home. Looking the part isn't enough — we want our homes thoroughly sanitized and disinfected, free of viruses and harmful bacteria at the microscopic level. We are also short on time, so any opportunity to make daily chores more efficient and effective in meeting these standards is worth a try. Unfortunately, this sort of mentality can lead homeowners to dangerous cleaning practices, including combining cleaning products that can produce hazardous results.
The popular house cleaner Fabuloso is a prime example. Many homeowners swear by the cleaner, though others experience side effects from Fabuloso that make them feel sick. Case in point: Fabuloso is a powerful, concentrated cleaning solution that should be treated as such. In fact, the brand makes it clear that all of its liquid products are formulated to be diluted with water and should not be used for any alternative cleaning purposes, such as for dishes or as an air freshener. Fabuloso products contain either lactic acid or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate as their active ingredients, which are not safe to combine with some other cleaning solutions, especially for certain household chores. Play it safe and never mix these common cleaning products with Fabuloso.
Clorox bleach
Avoid using bleach and Fabuloso together at all costs. Fabuloso's website explicitly states that you should not combine any of its products with chlorine bleach. Lactic acid, which is found in the antibacterial formulas of Fabuloso, creates toxic chlorine gas when combined with bleach. Faubloso's other active ingredient, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, won't create a toxic gas when combined with bleach, but it is still not recommended to mix the two.
Toilet bowl cleaners
You may have seen the viral TikTok video of someone dunking a bottle of Fabuloso into their toilet tank, but what actually happens when you put Fabuloso in your toilet is less than ideal. Fabuloso is not designed to be used in plumbing, and its strong ingredients could damage your toilet's parts and pipes over time, especially when combined with toilet bowl cleaners which are already strongly formulated to clean and sanitize. Leave the bowl to specially formulated cleaners or natural cleaning options, and save Fabuloso for the outside of the commode.
Oven cleaners
Whether you are tempted to combine Fabuloso with your oven cleaner to tackle baked-on messes or to fill your home with a refreshing scent, just don't do it. First, Fabuloso's website states that the product is not meant to be heated up. Even if you clean your oven cold, because Fabuloso isn't formulated for oven cleaning, you run the risk of non-food-safe chemicals leeching into your next lasagna. Use oven cleaners and self-cleaning functions only as directed, and save Fabuloso for cleaning jobs that won't potentially mix with food.
Pine-Sol
Pine-Sol is a staple floor cleaner for many, so combining it with Fabuloso might be tempting to create an extra-strength cleaner (though combining two formulas with such strong scents might dissuade others from ever trying). However, Pine-Sol's website states that it is not recommended to combine the cleaner with any other cleaning products, citing the potential to create hazardous gases as the primary reason. While cleaning certain floor types with Pine-Sol produces good results, other surfaces are better without it, so use Fabuloso on the rest of the house if you want to use both products.
Leather and upholstery cleaners
Fabuloso is not intended for use on porous surfaces. So while you can use it in conjunction with a hard-surface furniture polish, don't mix it with leather or other upholstery cleaners. Since it is a hard-surface cleaner, its formula is too strong and potentially abrasive for your sofa. If you need extra cleaning power for the non-porous surfaces of your furniture, you can add Fabuloso to your furniture cleaner, but err on the side of caution, keeping in mind it should never be used on unsealed wood or porous natural stone.
Laundry detergent
This rule combines two previously mentioned warnings: Fabuloso should not be heated, nor is it safe for fabrics. So, despite the TikTok hack that praises the cleaning solution for fresh-scented laundry, it doesn't belong in your washing machine, nor should you combine it with your regular laundry detergent. If you need an additional reason not to use it in your laundry, Fabuloso isn't intended for use on the body in any way, so the lingering cleaner on your clothes could irritate your skin. Leave fabrics to specially formulated fabric cleaners, and again, only use Fabuloso on hard surfaces.
Natural stone cleaners
Fabuloso is fabulous on hard surfaces, so you may be tempted to mix it with your natural stone cleaner to tackle tough messes. But not all hard surfaces are created equal, and Fabuloso is only suitable for those that are nonporous and fully sealed. If you combine Fabuloso with a natural stone cleaner, the mixture may be too abrasive for your natural stone and can cause permanent damage. Whether you're cleaning stone countertops, floors, or showers, only use gentle cleaning products formulated for your particular stone, and don't combine them with multi-purpose cleaners like Fabuloso.