Lysol is a popular and helpful cleaning product used in typical American households. It helps us kill all the germs, viruses, and bacteria that otherwise would have injured our health.
While Lysol is useful, most users want to know how safe it is. So, answering the question, “Is Lysol flammable?” is important. After all, we can only use it well if we understand it.
Is Lysol Flammable?
Lysol is a flammable aerosol because it contains ethanol – an explosive and volatile compound. It is also liable to bursting or exploding because it comes in pressurized cans. These containers produce volatile compounds that cause them to burst when placed close to an open flame.
Overall, Lysol contains enough combustible chemicals to make it burst into flames in the presence of fire or a temperature higher than 55 degrees Celsius.
Is Lysol Disinfectant Flammable On Its Own?
Many Americans use Lysol for household cleaning and disinfecting. So, considering how often it is used, it is only normal to wonder if it’s safe or flammable. I’ll address this extensively to help keep your home clean and safe.
We cannot deny that Lysol does more good than harm when used correctly. It helps kill many viruses and bacteria effectively while keeping your home clean.
But can Lysol catch fire on its own? What about when you bring Lysol near a fire? Short answer: yes. Lysol can start a fire, especially when oxygen is present. For example, I sprayed a little bit of Lysol on a deserted part of my garden and sparked a flame; it lit up almost immediately.
Meanwhile, many people spray this product in various parts of their homes, including the kitchen and children’s nursery. While this isn’t wrong, only a few people take the necessary precautions when using this product.
Lysol often leaves a flammable trail behind; firefighters are trained to see this. Therefore, if you use Lysol, you should use it cautiously and ensure no combustible material is around.
What Does Lysol Contain?
I have talked about how Lysol can start a fire, but what exactly gives it this ability? The primary active ingredients in Lysol are ethanol and alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. In addition, it contains other ingredients such as butane, phenols, propane, ammonium hydroxide, water, and fragrances.
One of the most concerning ingredients used in Lysol is phenol, which is particularly harmful to children and pets. Upon contact with the skin, phenol can result in swelling, convulsion, peeling, hives, burning, and coma, according to Science Directs.
Most Lysol products also contain aerosol, which needs no permission to explode if you give it the right food (fire). On the other hand, certain Lysol products are not flammable – some good examples are wipes. Wipes will not combust into flames because only a minimal Lysol is present and not enough to start a fire.
Is Lysol Flammable When Dry?
Let us look at Lysol from another angle – is it flammable when dry? We have already established that the liquid Lysol is flammable and unsafe for the skin or inhalation. However, what if the product is dried? Can you use it around children and pets safely?
Lysol is flammable even after it dries because the product will still leave residue on the surfaces, which is dangerous. Nevertheless, the flammability level is lower than when it is liquid. However, that does not mean dry Lysol cannot cause a spark. It can, especially if it hasn’t been dry for more than 30 minutes to an hour.
So, if you are spraying Lysol somewhere your child will come in contact with often, simply letting it dry is not enough.
When you use Lysol and it dries, it still leaves residues on surfaces and vapors in the air. If your pet or child sniffs this, they could fall sick. Likewise, if your dog licks the surface, it could get very ill. Therefore, to ensure maximum safety, wipe the surface you used Lysol on with a wet cloth after it dries.
Furthermore, after wiping it with a wet cloth, ensure no one enters that space for the next one to two hours. By then, the residue on the surface should have vanished entirely, and the vapor in the air should have gone completely.
What Is The Safest Way To Use Lysol?
Being a useful yet strong disinfectant and cleaning agent, you want to use Lysol cautiously.
To start with, never use the product near any source of fire. This includes candles, fireplaces, and stoves. Also, do not spray Lysol into electrical outlets. If you must, spray onto a cloth first and then wipe the surface.
Lysol is used to clean different surfaces in the house, including tiles, sinks, countertops, bare floors, and toilets. However, surfaces like wooden floors or painted walls can get damaged by Lysol if you don’t use it correctly.
On the other hand, rayon fabric, wooden furniture, and acrylic plastic cannot tolerate Lysol. So, before you use Lysol on these surfaces, please read the label first to ensure it is safe.
Meanwhile, if you are cleaning up after a sick person using Lysol, ensure you thoroughly wash your hands afterward. Also, open the window or turn on a fan to let in some ventilation.
What Are Safety Precautions For Using Lysol?
The flammability of Lysol reduces when it comes in contact with neutralizing factors such as organic materials. These include feces, soil, manure, litter, and others. This implies that objects or surfaces soiled by any of these will give you a tough time disinfecting but will also reduce flammability.
I encountered this problem once when my kids ruined part of my garden and had soil littered everywhere – it wasn’t a good sight! To disinfect properly, I had to use some detergent to wash off first before I could disinfect maximally.
Also, Lysol is neither very effective nor flammable in alkaline PH nor in contact with cationic agents. Hard water, for instance, is cationic. In addition, it contains dissolved minerals that can interact with the chemicals in Lysol to neutralize its effect. So, if you mix your Lysol with groundwater, well, or lake water, it will be less effective.
The good side is that you can easily extinguish a fire caused by Lysol with hard water. However, if you want maximum effectiveness, avoid mixing them.
Edibles (food) should also be kept away from areas you intend to store or use Lysol. Humans or animals shouldn’t ingest Lysol as it can cause debilitating symptoms.
Additionally, the Lysol product’s container, without the product itself if exposed to heat or flame. Thus, if you are disposing of Lysol containers, do not incinerate or puncture the container, as this can cause explosions.
A heated Lysol container can release toxic sulfur oxides, which can be a fiery disaster. If you own Lysol products, store them in cool temperatures and far away from children and pets.
Final Thoughts
Is Lysol flammable? Of course, it is. Can anyone use it? Yes! Everyone can – excluding children and those with open injuries on their hands. However, while I cannot deny that Lysol helps kill germs, I must maintain that safety comes first.
Lysol is a very flammable product that will easily start a fire if exposed to heat or flame. Even its container is potentially flammable and should be disposed of appropriately to prevent explosions.
If you use Lysol, ensure you use it correctly, as mentioned in this article. But, more importantly, ensure you keep this product away from children and pets; it is very toxic.
