The Trick to Chemical Diluting

Written by Barbara Morris

Most professional cleaning products are concentrated formulas that require chemical diluting at the point of use, which is essential to ensure this is done correctly. Automatic dilution equipment makes this process simple, however, if you’re using a manual dilution process, then you should always consider the Health and Safety implications, follow COSHH guidelines, and wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. 

Dilution Rates can usually be found on the product label and on your product information sheets. If you over-dilute your chemicals, you could be wasting product, time, and money and get incorrect results. If you under-dilute your chemicals, you could be at risk of having a mixture of solution with a high risk of fume injury and/or chemical burns as well as damage to the surfaces you are cleaning. Under-diluting can also reduce the efficacy of surface sanitisers and disinfectants, so it is of vital importance to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Be sure to always measure water first, adding the cleaning product to the water. Use the same size container for measuring both the cleaning product and the water and fill it to the same level. Some products may have different ratios for different cleaning tasks, so ensure you are consulting the product label per use. When a label says the chemical should be “Neat” that means it does not require dilution. 

Dilution ratios are simple to understand if you can remember your primary school maths. If a product ratio is 1:25 and you are using 20ml of chemical product, then you will need to dilute it with 500ml of water. 

The simplest solution for a business or healthcare trust is to set up chemical dosing systems for commonly used cleaning products. This can improve worker safety by minimising exposure to chemicals and reducing the risk of dilution error. 

ClearTrace has refined the art of Chemical Dosing Dispensing Systems within the workplace, and they are available for all our products. After an assessment of your business facility and cleaning processes, our technicians will install the relevant Dosing Systems for you. Installation includes all appropriate guidance and safety signage.  

To learn more about our Chemical Dosing Dispensing Systems or any other services ClearTrace offers, call 01524 220225.