Please Help!

[Megan99]

Our cleaners had used some kind of chlorine based detergent to clean our bathtub. I took a shower shortly afterwards and the steam gathered around, and I breathed it in. I am now worried that I could have breathed in the chlorine gas and will develop chemical pneumonia or something bizarre like that. I had rinsed the floors with water before I got in. But now I am really wondering if I breathed in the chemicals. I had the doors and windows open while I showered. I don't know who to ask this question to? Poison control? Sorry, this is a weird question.

[Fishmanpa]

Ummm... no...

Positive thoughts

[Mindprison]

Ok, just have a think about it for a second. If such a thing had even a remote chance of happening, chlorine or chlorine based products would not be used anywhere.

Your question isn't weird, but I would be wary about your anxiety levels because they must be rather high if your mind is coming up with such scenarios.

Take care!

[MyNameIsTerry]

This is the anxiety talking, Megan.

When you work with chemicals, you have to be trained. The company has regulatory standards to adhere too.

If the levels of chlorine were dangerous in a substance, it wouldn't be licenced for use outside of some protected circumstances. If combining water or steam with a detergent like that could cause toxic levels of chlorine, it wouldn't even be allowed to be used like that as it would be completely unacceptable for it's use.

Combining chemicals can change their toxicity levels but not water & steam in this case.

You haven't mentioned the symptoms associated with even the very low levels of chlorine gas, which suggests you haven't smelled a high enough toxicity level for that, let alone the dangerous levels which bring on fast symptoms. For instance, you mention the worry of pneumonia from it but that's at a higher toxicity than the immediate chest pain & breathing issues you would be experiencing.