Everyday Cleaning Products That Work Best When Watered Down

When it comes to household cleaners, some people assume that the stronger the cleaning solution, the better the clean. However, using undiluted cleaning products increases the chance of damaging your surfaces and wasting more product than necessary. Common cleaning products that should be diluted include bleach and certain all-purpose cleaners from brands like Pine-Sol, Fabuloso, and Mr.Clean.

Bleach is often used right out of the bottle, but the CDC recommends a ratio of five tablespoons of bleach to every gallon of room-temperature water. For general disinfecting, they also recommend using bleach with 5-9% sodium hypochlorite. Higher concentrations of bleach with unspecified concentrations, like those found in splashless bleach, may not be appropriate for disinfecting. All-purpose cleaning products like Mr. Clean All Purpose Cleaner should also be diluted with a ratio of a quarter cup of cleaning solution to every gallon of room-temperature water. If mopping floors or wiping surfaces with Pine-Sol, mix an eighth of a cup of Pine-Sol with a gallon of water. For tougher stains and disinfecting, you can mix a quarter cup of Pine-Sol with a gallon of water. Some people also find that Pine-Sol works well for shower doors.

Some disinfectants can make asthma worse or trigger allergies, which is why diluting cleaning products might help reduce exposure to irritating chemicals and make them suitable for households with children or sensitivities. Diluting cleaning products could also help you save quite a bit on cleaning solutions. If you only need five tablespoons of bleach for every gallon of water, and one gallon of bleach has around 256 tablespoons, that means you have enough bleach for nearly 50 cleaning sessions! Lastly, diluting products could also protect your surfaces from damage. Most concentrated products can be harsh on their own. To avoid wasting products and damaging surfaces, use cleaning products as recommended. Some products can leave residue, corrode surfaces, cause buildup, or lead to discoloration. Read directions thoroughly to ensure your products are safe to use on certain surfaces, and always check for specific guidance on diluting products.

Even natural cleaning solutions like vinegar should be diluted. Vinegar can make a powerful cleaner for kitchen countertops, bathrooms, and other household surfaces, but the ratio of water to vinegar will depend on what's being cleaned. For countertops and bathroom surfaces, you can mix one part vinegar with two parts water.  Vinegar and other common household cleaners like bleach and ammonia might destroy certain surfaces, so be careful when using them, especially on your floors. Bleach and ammonia are known to ruin engineered hardwood floors. A pH-balanced cleaner should help remove dirt and stains without damaging the finish. For bathroom cleaning and laminate floors, Fabuloso makes a great cleaning solution.