Basics of chemical compatibility

Chemical compatibility is frankly a subject of dread.  And for good reason.

Here is a database of chemical compatibilities.  And here is a chart that gives a short version:

Chemicals that can be stored next to each other

 

The ones you really want to watch out for are H & E, the heat producers and the explosives.  Those can cause you more pain that you can imagine.

However – however, this is all academic in a certain way.  There are close to fourteen million recognised chemicals on the market.  That means that no one has a complete idea of the chemical hazards involved in mixing.

This doesn’t mean that separation is optional.  Here’s a picture of what happens when you store bleach – in a bottle – next to iron tools.  The fumes are enough to do this:

Metal corroded by bleach fumes

 

So perhaps the only approach is to separate what you can.