Cleaning Solution Dilution Calculator

How it is calculated

The ratio field is the number of parts of water for each 1 part of concentrate, so a label ratio of 1:10 (1 part concentrate to 10 parts water) is entered as 10. The finished bottle holds ratio + 1 parts in total, so concentrate = bottle / (ratio + 1) and water = bottle − concentrate. The bottle size is the final volume of the mixed solution, in ounces, not the water alone. Both numbers must be above zero, otherwise there is no result.

Amounts are shown to two decimals in ounces. The ratio is echoed back as water:concentrate exactly as you entered it (0.5 stays 0.5:1, 10.5 stays 10.5:1), so you can check you did not reverse it. The tool does no unit conversion and assumes volumes simply add up, which is the normal practice for labels written in parts.

Common mistakes

• Typing the ratio as 11 because the bottle has 11 parts. The field wants the water parts per one part of concentrate, so 1:10 is 10.
• Reading a ratio the wrong way round. A label 1:10 (concentrate:water) is entered as 10, and the result line reads 10:1 (water:concentrate); a reversed entry makes the solution far too weak or too strong.
• Pouring the calculated amounts into an already full bottle. The bottle size here is the final volume, so the water and concentrate together must fill it, not top it up.
• Entering the size in litres or millilitres. The field is ounces, and the answers are in ounces too.
• Using one ratio for every task. Disinfecting and general cleaning often have different ratios on the same label.