chemistry/ bleach vinegar

Question

Besides chlorine gas after mixing these two chemicals what liquid byproduct is left? I assume the liquids will not continuously evaporate into a toxic gas as that only seems to happen for a few minutes at most then there is a liquid left. (I have tried it before carefully not breathing any in). Would the liquid be safe and or effective for cleaning (skin contact) and or a speed up of a rusting process? ( bleach and vinegar/amonia both seem to increase rusts oxidizing speeds)

Answer 1

It is true that the chemical reaction will not continue for a long time, but whether or not the resulting mixture is safe for human use (cleaning skin, e.g.) remains to be seen. Here is a little of the chemistry, without getting too complex. Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) which dissociates in solution to Na⁺ and ClO^- ions. In contact with acid, it is the ClO^- ions that end up producing the toxic chlorine gas (Cl₂). In this question, you are asking about vinegar, which is a dilute solution of acetic acid (CH₃COOH). Looking at the reaction between sodium hypochlorite and vinegar, we have...

NaOCl(aq) + CH₃COOH(aq) ==> CH₃COONa(aq) + HOCl(aq). The HOCl is called hypochlorous acid. In the presence of acid, there are several complex reactions of HOCl, but here is what is probably happening in acetic acid. 3ClO ^- + 2H⁺ ==> ClO3^- + H2O + Cl₂ and the Cl2 gas is what is toxic to breath.

What is left at the end of the reaction, and after all the Cl₂ gas has been purged from the solution? That would then be a solution of acetic acid, sodium acetate, and sodium chlorate. I'm not sure how these will affect one's skin, especially since they aren't buffered. There certainly are safer and better ways to cleanse the skin and/or hasten the rusting process.