Since the dawn of the internet troll, the phrase “drink bleach” has been a popular
phrase amongst the less imaginative, or perhaps less educated keyboard warrior, but do they
know what this really means.
Hello and welcome back to Life’s Biggest Questions, I am Rebecca Felgate and today
we are finding out what happens when you drink bleach?
It may come as a surprise to some viewers, but most of us will already have drunk bleach.
Bleach is a Sodium Hypochlorite, as is chlorine, which is a type of bleach.
Very small amounts of bleach are usually present in municipal water supplies, too.
Swallowing very diluted amounts of bleach is fine – but you should not drink more
than 4 parts per million – usual drinking water has between 0.2 and 0.5 parts.
Okay, so what would happen if you drank household bleach, say you took a swig of Clorox.
Again…it depends how much you swallow.
Let’s start with a worse case scenario and say you somehow managed to drink a whole glass
of bleach…this is what would happen.
Your gag reflex would be activated…the smell and taste alone would be extremely unpleasant.
Bleach is corrosive.
If you drink it, it will burn tissue in your mouth, throat and stomach.
The burning sensation would begin within seconds, but the longer term damage may take hours
to feel in full effect.
You could end up with blisters in your mouth and a very damaged oesophagus and stomach
on the long term.
If you were lucky, you would vomit up the bleach immediately, although it may not happen.
Bleach that sits in your stomach will slowly corrode it, which is why seeking medical attention
is paramount.
After ingesting bleach you would be likely to experience chest pains and a strange sense
of delirium as your body reacts to the chemicals, a lot like being drunk…a really really painful
drunk.
Scarily, your heart beat rate and blood pressure will drop too and you will start to crash.
With that much harmful poison in your body, it is likely you will go into shock and, or
fall into a coma.
Circulatory shock is a life threatening condition which happens when your blood pressure is
so low that it cant get enough oxygenated blood around your body.
In shock, you will become cold, sweaty and grey to look at, your pupils will be dialated
and you will be confused.
When untreated, shock will lead to organ failure and death.
If shock doesn’t kill you when you drink bleach, the damage the corrosive liquid does
to your insides might.
In the very best case scenario, you will be violently sick…in the very worst…well
we covered that.
If you were just to have a small sip of bleach, it would be unpleasant for sure, but the most
you’ll experience is vomiting, nausea and a slightly burned throat…none the less,
it would still not be a pleasant experience.
Bleach is a poison and must be treated with care and respect.
There is a strange urban myth going around that has led some people to think drinking
bleach can help you pass a drug test.
This is categorically untrue – there is nothing in bleach that bind or metabolize
drugs, so if you want to pass a drug test…don’t drink bleach…and don’t take drugs in the
first place.
If you start vomiting from bleach consumption prior to a drugs test, it will probably be
pretty suspicious anyway..plus…you know…you might die.
A few more bleach facts you should know before we end this video – you should never mix
it with acids, for example, vinegar.
The chemical reaction between bleach and vinegar can release deadly chlorine gasses.
Chlorine gas attacks mucous membranes, so harms eyes, the throat and lungs and can kill.
You should also never mix bleach and alcohol, as this creates chloroform which can knock
you out unconscious and cause organ failure, which can kill you.
It seems to be the time I ought to sing a bleach is bad song… so…I guess here goes…
Bleach can be good, but only when used well…..when its not…bleach can be bad and your life
can be hell.
Drinking bleach will make you ill…sometimes drinking bleach can even kill…so don’t
be a fool….playing with bleach isn’t cool.
Good great…
glad we have that covered.
I just want to end this video by saying…If you do ever accidentally drink bleach, you
should drink as much water or milk as possible and call your emergency services.
But…you know…don’t drink bleach…think of the song.
So that is what happens when you drink bleach….anything to add?
A second verse to my song perhaps?
If you can think of one then tweet it to me at Rebecca Felgate..we can get something cooking
here.
For now, please like this video if you found it informative or entertaining….
And make sure you have that notification bell turned on.
Thanks for tuning in to LBQ, I am Rebecca Felgate, I’ll catch you in the next video
but for now stay curious, stay alert and never ever stop questioning!