Compounds and cleaning · Tool
Never-mix chart
Check any two before they share a shelf, a bucket, or a drain. All 33 compounds, plus the bottles already under your sink.
Two-tap checker
Pick one item to see everything it has to stay away from. Pick a second to check that exact pair.
The critical pairs
From the book. Memorize these first.
Calcium Hypochlorite + Acids
Generates highly toxic chlorine gas.Store separately
Calcium Hypochlorite + Ammonia
Generates hazardous chloramine gas.Store separately
Calcium Hypochlorite + Organics
Oils, glycerin, jelly, camphor: accelerates burning or explosion.Store separately, cool & dry
Potassium Permanganate + Glycerin
Spontaneous combustion, with no heat needed.Store separately
Potassium Permanganate + Organics
Oils, waxes, camphor, jelly: serious fire hazard.Keep away from all organics
Lye + Aluminum Containers
Produces flammable hydrogen gas.Use HDPE or steel, not glass long-term
Lye + Acids
Violent reaction: extreme heat and splashing.Keep separated
Sulfur Powder + Strong Oxidizers
With cal-hypo or permanganate: fire hazard.Store away from oxidizers
Potassium Nitrate + Flammables
Jelly, paraffin, camphor: dramatically enhances fire.Store away from flammables
Also keep apart
| Keep apart | Why it matters | How to store |
|---|---|---|
| Acids + Bases | Vinegar/citric with soda/lye/washing soda: neutralize and lose usefulness. | Store separately |
| Vinegar or Citric Acid + Metal | Corrodes metal containers. | Use glass or food-grade plastic |
| Lugol's Iodine + Metal or Plastic | Degrades the container. | Store in amber glass only |
| Hydrogen Peroxide + Organics | Near oils, waxes, plant matter: breaks down faster. | Store separately, in the dark |
| Activated Charcoal + Aromatics | Absorbs odors and loses effectiveness. | Seal away from strong smells |
Shelf rules
- Isolate Oxidizers: Cal-hypo, permanganate, and nitrate away from everything else
- Split Acids & Bases: Keep them on separate shelves
- Keep Flammables Cool: Away from oxidizers and heat
- Seal & Label: Prevents mixing, enables inventory
- Cool, Dry, Dark: Minimizes degradation and reactions
- Bleach + Acid Is Deadly: Mixing calcium hypochlorite or bleach with an acid or ammonia releases toxic gas; never combine them, even in small amounts
Go deeper
The critical pairs, keep-apart table, and shelf rules come from the Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Appendix A. The wider checker adds household products and was checked against NOAA CAMEO Chemicals, Poison Control, Washington State Department of Health, Transport Canada CANUTEC. Peroxide verdicts assume the 3% brown bottle. A clean verdict is never a reason to mix two things without a recipe.