Viral WhatsApp post misinterpreted as call to harm homeless people

In a WhatsApp group, residents of Luxembourg City’s Gare district regularly exchange messages about local problems. One recurring issue is homeless people spending the night in building entrances.

Recently, a particularly disturbing message from this group was shared on Reddit. The post, which was translated into English, suggested pouring bleach and white vinegar in front of a house entrance to prevent homeless people from "surviving the night."

Anonymously written and mistranslated 

It remains unclear who originally wrote the message. The phone number was censored, and the text was only forwarded within the group. While RTL did not see the original, the police confirmed that they had. The Reddit version shows eleven people reacting with either a thumbs-up or a heart — which can be interpreted as agreement.

At first glance, the English text appears to describe a method to kill homeless people. However, the police explained that this was most likely a mistranslation. According to them, the original Luxembourgish version spoke instead of scaring people away with the strong smell of a mixture of bleach (“Eau de Javel”) and vinegar.

In that message, a woman claimed she poured the mixture in front of her restaurant and doorway to prevent people from settling there overnight. Crucially, police stressed that the Luxembourgish version did not contain any wording such as “not surviving the night.” The message is circulating in several languages, but no formal complaint has been filed so far.

The original advice therefore seems to have been about using a strong odor to deter people, not about causing them direct harm. Still, mixing bleach and vinegar is dangerous in itself: the combination releases toxic chlorine gas, which can cause eye irritation, coughing, and even serious lung damage if inhaled in high concentrations.

Explanation from a chemist

Chlorine gas, a toxic substance, can indeed be released when bleach is mixed with vinegar. The reaction is triggered by hypochlorite, a compound found in many bleach products. When hypochlorite comes into contact with an acid, chlorine gas is formed, recognisable by its sharp, biting smell.

"Chlorine gas is poisonous and can cause serious health problems. In extreme cases, it can even be fatal," explained a Luxembourgish chemist who preferred not to be named. "However, that requires a high concentration of gas in a small, enclosed space. This is school-level chemistry knowledge. That’s why many bleach products are formulated with additional alkaline substances to slow down or prevent such dangerous reactions."

© University of Rochester Medical Center

Unintentional exposure can occur during everyday cleaning. Bleach is often used to remove stains, and if another cleaner is applied afterwards, for instance one containing vinegar or citric acid, chlorine gas may be released.

Outside: noticeable smell, minimal risk

Inhaling chlorine gas in such household contexts usually leads only to temporary effects such as dizziness or coughing. Severe lung damage is rare, and fatalities rarer still. The most common symptom is simply the overpowering odor, which can linger in enclosed rooms. Outside, however, the gas disperses quickly and poses virtually no risk, whether to residents or to people without shelter.

The Luxembourg police advise: "If people experience problems, we naturally recommend they contact the police."

Whether authorities are investigating the Reddit post could not be confirmed.