Mildew removers are common household cleaners. Swallowing, breathing in the product, or spraying it in the eyes can be potentially dangerous.

• Detergents
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Sodium hypochlorite
• Sodium perborate
• Sodium percarbonate

Mildew removers are sold under various brand names.

• Airways and lungs
  • Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
  • Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Severe pain in the throat
  • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
  • Vision loss
• Gastrointestinal
  • Abdominal pain -- severe
  • Bloody stools
  • Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
  • Vomiting, possibly with blood
• Heart and blood
  • Collapse
  • Low blood pressure -- develops rapidly
  • Severe change in blood acid level -- leads to organ damage
• Nervous system
  • Coma
  • Stupor
• Skin
  • Burns
  • Irritation
  • Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues

Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional.

If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move him or her to fresh air.

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The patient may receive:

• Breathing tube
• Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Oxygen
• Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
• Washing of the skin (irrigation) -- perhaps every few hours for several days

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. The ultimate outcome depends on the extent of this damage. Damage continues to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the poison was swallowed, and death may occur as long as a month later.

Medical Management Guidelines for Calcium Hypochlorite and Sodium Hypochlorite. Atlanta, Ga. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2007.