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Draino spill six hours ago...need advice.

DrezDrez Registered User regular
edited November 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So somehow a full bottle (or so) of Draino spilled on the kitchen floor, about six hours ago. The kitchen in our home is right near (connected to) the front door.

Apparently it was left like that for about an hour until someone cleaned it up and then mopped it up using water only. However even now - six hours later - the fumes are very present and sickening. They turned on the air conditioner unit in the kitchen window but I'm not sure it's ventilating properly from that.

My mother vomited from the fumes about an hour or so ago. Now, she's a bit weak already for various reasons so I guess she's prone to that but I have to admit I almost feel like I'm going to throw up after being in the kitchen for the last 15-20 minutes. I had been in my bedroom for the last few hours.

Should I worry? What can I do? Should I mop the kitchen floor a few more times? What should I do?

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Posts

  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Open a window across from the door, if possible, and put a fan up blowing out the door.

    Sir Carcass on
  • PracticalProblemSolverPracticalProblemSolver Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I would call drano, normally you would try to neutralize a chemical spill like that but without knowing what's in it I can't recommend anything more than diluting with water and ventilating. Open the door and point a fan across the spill and out the door.

    If you try to combat the spill with chemicals(including vinegar) it's possible to make it worse.

    PracticalProblemSolver on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited November 2009
    Put this in the chat thread, but I'll repost here:

    The mop probably had been used before, right? Mop solution has ammonia in it.

    Bleach + Ammonia = Tear Gas.

    You need to get out.

    Chanus on
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  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Drano isn't bleach

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  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited November 2009
    Hmm... Odd. I thought it contained bleach for some reason. Touché

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • TaranisTaranis Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Bleach+Ammonia=Mustard Gas

    Much worse than tear gas.

    Taranis on
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  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited November 2009
    I thought mustard gas was bleach+ammonia+something else.


    Man, I'm off my game tonight.

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    PracticalProblemSolver wrote: »
    I would call drano, normally you would try to neutralize a chemical spill like that but without knowing what's in it I can't recommend anything more than diluting with water and ventilating. Open the door and point a fan across the spill and out the door.

    If you try to combat the spill with chemicals(including vinegar) it's possible to make it worse.
    Try to call customer support. Maybe's there's something you can neutralize it with.

    Platy on
  • TaranisTaranis Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Apparently I was wrong.

    They can create chlorine gas though, which is still bad for you.

    Taranis on
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  • khainkhain Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    EggyToast wrote: »
    Drano isn't bleach

    Drano has the chemical that makes mixing ammonia with bleach to produce a toxic gas. Since it's just a mop you should be able to use fan and just point it out a window and you can clean the Drano up with soap and water though don't use the mop.

    khain on
  • Durandal InfinityDurandal Infinity Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    DO NOT NEUTRALIZE A CHEMICAL. Draino is a strong base. With a PH at around 11, DO NOT MIX WITH AN ACID TO NEUTRALIZE. Dilute it with water and ventilate the room with a fan. Exposure to air and water will convert Draino to a bleach like substance which explains the fumes that you smell. If the liquid is off the floor just ventilate the room. Windows open, with a fan blowing out.

    Durandal Infinity on
  • Psychotic OnePsychotic One The Lord of No Pants Parts UnknownRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Definatly call Draino and see what they say. I imagine a vinegar would probably neutralize it or at least the smell. Definatly open some windows and the door and get a big fan to blow the air away from the rest of your home. Probably just need to super mop your floor a few times to get it out if it had time to sink into your floor. Wood, tile, Linolium?

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  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Go here and look up exactly what drano you had for advice:

    http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm

    Depending on what drano product it is, it looks like mixing with "strong acids or ammonia" may produce chlorine gas.

    Odds seem pretty good that there was bleach or ammonia residue in the mop.

    I'd say try to ventilate the area as well as possible.

    Corvus on
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  • PracticalProblemSolverPracticalProblemSolver Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Psychotic One wrote: »
    Definatly call Draino and see what they say. I imagine a vinegar would probably neutralize it or at least the smell. Definatly open some windows and the door and get a big fan to blow the air away from the rest of your home. Probably just need to super mop your floor a few times to get it out if it had time to sink into your floor. Wood, tile, Linolium?

    That's how you make chlorine gas.

    PracticalProblemSolver on
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