Protective Gear

• Always wear gloves when handling ammonia. When ammonia contacts the skin, it can cause redness, irritation, discomfort and even burns. Gloves will protect your hands from this danger. While using ammonia, it may be possible to splash the liquid on your skin, so it is also a good idea to wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent splashing directly on the skin. If ammonia gets on your clothing, it can soak through to the skin. Remove the contaminated clothing and put in the wash immediately. Flush your skin with clean water for 15 minutes to prevent any irritation or burns. When pouring ammonia into a bucket or another receptacle, be sure to protect your eyes. Ammonia in the eyes can burn and cause damage that could lead to blindness.
  
  

Dangerous Mixing

• Be careful what you mix ammonia with; it can be very volatile if mixed with the improper chemicals. Adding it to water is usually the best bet. You can even buy it pre-mixed with water at proper levels as ammonium hydroxide. Always be certain that you do not mix ammonia with chlorine bleach; the combination creates chloramines, which is a highly toxic gas that poses a threat to life if inhaled.
  
  

Food and Drink Cautions

• Be careful when using ammonia in areas with food and drinks. Refrain from touching anything you might put in your mouth with the gloved hand that may have ammonia on it. This may include fruit in a bowl by the sink, a glass you will be drinking from or even the filter of a cigarette. Swallowing ammonia can cause burns inside the mouth, throat and stomach and could cause death.
  
  

Fumes

• Ammonia fumes are among the biggest hazards associated with the chemical. Make sure you use ammonia in a well-ventilated area. The buildup of fumes can cause swelling and burning of the air passages and lungs. Death could result from overexposure to these fumes, and even those that survive may suffer from pulmonary edema later on. This is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be potentially life threatening.