Chemicals & dosing
Correct dosing of concentrate
From dilution ratio 1:X to ml of concentrate in the bucket
Correct dosing is about economy, the environment and the result: too little gives poor cleaning, too much costs money, leaves residues and burdens the environment. The guide shows how to go from the label's dilution ratio 1:X to the exact number of ml of concentrate in the bucket.
Find the dosage on the label — never guess
The correct dilution ratio is always stated on the product's label or instructions for use, e.g. 1:50. The dosage depends on the product and the task (daily cleaning vs. heavy-duty cleaning), so it cannot be looked up in a general table — it is read from the specific product.
The dosage is always on the label. Never make up a ratio.
Be aware of how 1:X is interpreted
«Total volume» (most common in practice) means 1 part concentrate in X parts of total working solution → ml per litre = 1000 ÷ X. «Additive» (chemically correct) means 1 part concentrate + X parts water → 1000 ÷ (X+1). Additive products give slightly lower ml figures — always follow the label.
Total volume1000 ÷ X ml/LAdditive1000 ÷ (X+1) ml/LCalculate ml of concentrate per litre
Divide 1000 by X. At 1:50 this gives 1000 ÷ 50 = 20 ml concentrate per litre of working solution. That is the amount you need for every litre of water in the bucket.
Example 1:5020 ml/LScale up to the bucket's volume
Multiply ml per litre by the number of litres in the bucket. At 20 ml/L in a 10-litre bucket: 20 × 10 = 200 ml concentrate, the rest (≈ 9.8 L) is water. Use Discebo's dosing calculator if you want the figures automatically.
10 L bucket @ 1:50200 ml concentrateWater≈ 9.8 LAdd water first, then concentrate
Put water in the bucket first and then add the concentrate. This reduces foaming and splashes of undiluted concentrate on skin and eyes. Wear gloves for wet work — especially with acidic or alkaline chemicals.
Water first, concentrate afterwards — less foam and less splashing.
Use dosing equipment for precision
A measuring cup, dosing pump or a fixed central dosing system gives the same dose every time and eliminates incorrect dosing «by eye». A central dosing unit mixes automatically when dispensing and saves both chemicals and packaging.
Reference table (total volume, 10 L bucket)
For a quick check: 1:10 = 100 ml/L (1 L), 1:20 = 50 ml/L (500 ml), 1:50 = 20 ml/L (200 ml), 1:100 = 10 ml/L (100 ml), 1:200 = 5 ml/L (50 ml). The table is simple ratio arithmetic — the binding figure is still the one on the label.
1:10100 ml/L1:10010 ml/L1:2005 ml/LKeep an eye on the environmental ceiling
If the company is Nordic Swan Ecolabel certified, chemical consumption may be max. 300 µl of cleaning agent per cleaned m² (Nordic Swan Ecolabel cleaning services v4). Precise dosing with measuring equipment or a dosing system is the prerequisite for staying below the ceiling.
Swan label v4max. 300 µl/m²
Source
Based on Discebo's dosing template and calculator (total-volume interpretation verified against Skumtøsen/NorthClean) and Nordic Swan Ecolabel criterion 076 (v4).