The higher chloromethanes, i.e., CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2, CHCl.sub.3 and CCl.sub.4, are simultaneously produced by chlorinating methyl chloride with chlorine in a first reaction zone A, chlorinating at least one of the higher chloromethanes CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 and CHCl.sub.3 with chlorine in a parallel second reaction zone B, combining the reaction products from said first and said second reaction zones A and B, separating higher chloromethanes from said combined reaction products, and recycling at least one of said separated higher chloromethanes CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 and CHCl.sub.3 as chlorination feed to said second reaction zone B.