(July 31) - A Florida man who wanted a pristine toilet ended up in the hospital after mixing a potentially deadly combination of cleaning fluids.
Michael Newton, 44, of St. Petersburg, was taken to Bayfront Medical Center on Thursday morning, the St. Petersburg Times reported. He was suffering from shortness of breath and irritated lungs and eyes.
Newton created a chlorine gas cloud when he combined bleach and an ammonia-based product to "make a stronger bathroom cleaner," St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue spokesman Lt. Joel Grenata told the paper.
Fire and hazardous materials teams were called to Newton's home. They ventilated the home and scrubbed the walls.
Chlorine gas has been used as a weapon of mass destruction and exposure to it can cause severe illness or death. Authorities warn consumers never to mix bleach and ammonia when using cleaning products.