Pass:
The active ingredient in bleach is a salt-based chemical compound called sodium hypochlorite, a relatively clear liquid that's diluted with water and used to kill fungi,
bacteria and viruses, and helps you make it through flu season in one piece. But sodium hypochlorite is also corrosive, meaning it can destroy human tissue.
Returning to that late-night scene in the kitchen, should you worry about drinking a mouthful of bleach? You'll probably be fine. Most household bleaches contain fairly low concentrations of sodium hypochlorite -- about 3 to 6 percent. That's not an endorsement for trying it, but for the average adult, you shouldn't expect anything worse than an upset stomach.
Now, what if you pop the cap and start guzzling away? Or what if you slurp from a more concentrated supply of industrial-strength bleach, where the percentage of sodium hypochlorite can swell to double digits? You're in for a world of hurt. Symptoms range from gagging, pain and irritation in the mouth and throat; pain and possible burns in the esophagus and
stomach; vomiting; and shock can appear right away to within a few hours. If you don't treat the symptoms immediately, you can permanently damage your gastrointestinal tract and internal organs -- and, depending on how much you drink, you could die.