Wednesday, May 09, 2007

What you Don’t Know can Kill You

The reaction was fast and the toxic gas was released instantaneously. The blue liquid turned transparent within mere seconds under the chemical reaction. Having no idea what was going on then, I breathed normally. That was when I felt my throat started to burn and my lungs started to sting. I turned the tap on and flushed the surrounding air furiously in an attempt to neutralize the poison. Still oblivious to the hazard posed by the situation, I was taking in shallow breathes. Finally, I can take it no more and I escaped. What followed was almost 2 hours of difficulty breathing followed by non stop coughing. Breathing had to be forced and was no longer automated. I had to force myself to breath. My chest felt tight, my throat felt narrowing. I had to stay cool as I expected shock to set in. I could feel fluids building up in my lungs as I started wheezing. I had to gulp for air.

I almost died from cleaning my toilet.

Bleach is a wonderful agent. Introduced by my dear friend Ant Tua Ni as the lazy man’s agent to cleaning out the toilet. Had been using it for 2 years. Just spray here and there, leave it for a moment, flush with water and your toilet is cleaned of all scum. The tiles will be white. What he did not tell me was not to mix the blue Toilet Duck with the common bleach. Can’t blame him I guess, maybe he don’t know, but it’s always better to blame someone. I wanted to clean the toilet in double time. So first I sprayed toilet duck all over the sink, the floor and then the bowl. Then I picked up the trusty bleach and sprayed a second layer. The ordeal thus begins. Ant, you cheebye… you almost killed me.

Researching the Internet, chlorine is a gas that is released very rapidly when certain household cleaning agents are mixed. It is especially dangerous in enclosed environment and inhalation of too much an amount could lead to organ failure and death. Ant you asshole. When chlorine is mixed with water, harmful acids are produced from the reaction. Thus when chlorine is inhaled, it reacts with the moisture lining your windpipe and deep in your lungs, thus explaining the burning stinging sensation. Lungs will swell and react by introducing fluids, an attempt to produce phlegm to flush the toxins out via coughing I guess. Adverse reactions may lead to pneumonia, drown in your own phlegm, or lungs will bleed, drown in your own blood. Ant.. you asshole. Throat passage being burnt by acid will start to swell, so if I am any fatter, I may have suffocated. Lack of oxygen will lead to organ failure as they shut down. Then brain dies and hello Buddha land.

Other then falling off high rise buildings cleaning the windows, this is one of many ways your household maid may get killed. Kind of reminds me about an incident many years ago when my grandma’s maid had sardine explode in her face. She heated a can of sardine, unopened on the naked stove. We had to scrap sardines off the ceiling. This can also be one of the accidental ways old people may get killed. Pour Toilet Duck and then 3 liters of bleach over them.

Asshole you, Ant. My breathe still smells weird of chlorine or whatever after 24 hours. Wanna try bo? My toilet is now squeaky clean.

1 comment:

Antz said...

You KNN, Tua CB... I din tell u to mix right? Ha Ha Ha, at least I learnt a lesson... Thanks for being the guinea PIGGY!! Good Lesson learnt today!!!