Let us now turn to the section on precautions for safe and knowledgeable handling of these substances:

1. Do not confuse sodium chlorite with sodium hypochlorite (which is bleach), this step is very important, as although the names are similar and both contain chlorine, the substances are very different from each other. When we mix the sodium chlorite with the acid, we generate chlorine dioxide and the mixture gives a yellowish colour that turns a caramel colour when the reaction has finished and a smell similar to the chlorine in the swimming pool. In the case of hypochlorite mixed with acid, the gases are very strong and toxic, and the reaction is more violent,
   creating effervescent bubbles, which does not occur with sodium chlorite.
2. Chlorine dioxide should not be inhaled in large quantities, as it could cause throat irritation and even breathing difficulties if inhaled for a prolonged period of time. This toxicity is only through inhalation and not in ingestion or application to the skin, as it is harmless by these routes. Therefore, when preparing CDS it is important to do so in a ventilated environment and out of direct sunlight.
3. ALWAYS add water to the mixture of sodium chlorite with acid. Never take MMS, CD or CDS orally without first diluting it with water. The same for application to the skin, both CD and MMS must be diluted first, in the case of CDS it does not need to be diluted for use on the skin.
4. We never use metal containers to store any of the products, as the chlorine dioxide itself will react with the metal and rust it, including stainless steel.
5. Be careful with rubber drippers, as in the case of sodium chlorite, as it has a pH of 13 (which is very alkaline) it tends to degrade the rubber of the dripper and mixes with the liquid, contaminating it. Therefore, we should avoid them; there are
   PE (polyethylene) drippers that do not degrade.
6.  It is preferable to use ophthalmological dropper bottles. The best materials for storing our products, both sodium chlorite and acid (hydrochloric or citric) are: glass (if it is darkened, the better), PE (polyethylene), HDPE (high density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene). These materials are resistant to the alkalinity and acidity of our products and do not degrade or react with them. PET bottles are only recommended for transporting the liquid already diluted with water in case we
   want to consume it during the day, for example. However, they are not recommended for storing concentrates as they also degrade.
7. Using citric acid as an activator can cause a certain intestinal acidosis with diarrhoea and/or discomfort in more sensitive people, as well as conflicts with the citrobacter bacteria that feed on the citrate (which remains as waste after the reaction). This is why we tend to avoid using it in our mix, although it is still effective in producing chlorine dioxide. It should be noted that we could use citric acid without problems to make CDS, as the residue will be left out of the mixture obtained, in which we will only be left with the gas mixed in water.
8. If in any case an excessive amount of sodium chlorite or chlorine dioxide is taken and you want to neutralise the effect, just take a dessert spoon of sodium bicarbonate mixed in a glass of water to neutralise the effect. Vitamin C used to be recommended but after studying the issue, we have found that the acid in vitamin C can react with the remaining sodium chlorite and create more chlorine dioxide (which is exactly what we are trying to avoid).
9. Chlorine dioxide reacts to ultraviolet light, so it is important to keep it protected from sunlight, for example when making CDS. For this reason, we usually recommend glass or darkened plastic jars, as this will better protect the CDS we have made.