To Mix or Not to Mix - That Is the Question!
In the cleaning and restoration industry, it seems many people have a deep-seated desire to be a bit of a chemist or cook, mixing different chemicals to see what happens and how the concoctions work. This type of experimenting may be okay with your favorite chili, but in the case of cleaning or restoration products, it's important to follow chemical label directions.
What can happen if you ignore this advice? It is pretty well-known that when substances like ammonia and chlorine bleach are mixed a toxic gas is released. But what’s not as well known is that mixing certain cleaning agents will neutralize each other. Mix a general purpose carpet detergent, for example, with a quaternary-based antistat and you get – neither a cleaner nor an antistat. The problem is that the antistat molecule has a positive electrical charge and the surfactants typically used in carpet detergents have a negative charge. When mixed together, these opposite charges stick to each other and the result is a whole bunch of microscopic grease balls that neither clean nor disinfect.
So: follow chemical label directions. And if you really want to mix it up, call the manufacturer of the product first and get their advice.