Bleach Dilution Calculator
The bleach dilution calculator will tell you exactly how much bleach and water you need to mix to create a mixture of your choice.
With a little help from our bleach-to-water ratio calculator, you will easily get the bleach disinfectant dilution in all the units you can think of.
Read the article below to learn what the proper dilution of bleach for disinfecting is and discover how to count how much bleach to water you need.
And if you need to dilute some other liquid than bleach, then we would like to refer our solution dilution calculator to you.
How to dilute bleach?
The bleach dilution you need depends mostly on its application - what do you want to use it for?
- Are you trying to disinfect areas meant for food preparation? 🔪
- Are you a proud pool owner? 🏊
- Would you like to make your water safe in case of an emergency? 🚰
In the few next paragraphs, we will supply you with the bleach solution ratio needed in all these situations - along with the most popular bleach dilution ratio charts.
⚠️ Before you proceed, read the following precautions:
- Never mix bleach with other cleaners, vinegar, ammonia, or acids;
- Try not to inhale the bleach fumes. Make sure to perform your duties in a well-ventilated room;
- Use personal protection such as gloves, thick clothing, and goggles;
- Always read and follow the instructions on the product container; and
- Be careful. You're handling a toxic substance.
Disinfection & cleaning with bleach
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Recommended bleach type: unscented, 5-6% concentration
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General advice: Wash your surfaces with hot water and soap first, then sanitize them with bleach.
Bleach dilution chart for surface disinfection:
Area/Item | Bleach amount | Water amount |
|---|---|---|
Food surfaces | 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz/ 15 mL) | 1 gallon (3.8 L) |
Non-food surfaces | 1 cup (8 fl oz/ 240 mL) | 5 gallons (18.9 L) |
Cans with foods | 1 cup (8 fl oz/ 240 mL) | 5 gallons (18.9 L) |
Mold growth | 1 cup (8 fl oz/ 240 mL) | 1 gallon (3.8 L) |
Our bleach PPM calculator uses information from the . Visit their website for more details.
Also, check our log reduction tool to calculate the efficacy of disinfectants (e.g. bleach).
Pool disinfection
- General advice: Use your chlorine bleach daily. Use the bleach stabilizer (cyanuric acid) once a month - a portion of 45 mg/L (ppm).
Minimum bleach amount | Target bleach amount | Shock level |
|---|---|---|
3.5 ppm (mg/L) | 6 ppm (mg/L) | 18 ppm (mg/L) |
We sourced our information from .
Making water safe for drinking
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Recommended bleach type: 1% concentration of sodium hypochlorite (instructions for 5-6% concentration are also available below)
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General advice: If the water is a weird color or very cold, double the amount of bleach.
Bleach dilution ratios for disinfecting:
1% Bleach solution
Amount of water | Amount of bleach |
|---|---|
1 quart/1 L of water | 10 drops/ ½ ml/ 1/8 teaspoon of bleach |
1 gallon water | 40 drops/ 2½ ml/ ½ teaspoon of bleach |
5 gallons water | 200 drops/ 12½ ml ml/ 2½ teaspoon of bleach |
5-6% Bleach solution
Amount of water | Amount of bleach |
|---|---|
1 quart/1 L of water | 2 drops/ 0.1 ml of bleach |
1 gallon water | 8 drops/ ½ ml/ 1/8 teaspoon of bleach |
5 gallons water | 40 drops/ 2½ ml/ ½ teaspoon of bleach |
Enter the for more details.
One cup of bleach, two tablespoons of bleach - are you still confused about different units of measurement? Try our volume converter! 🧊
How to calculate bleach and water ratio?
Our bleach dilution calculator uses the following equations:
Amount of bleach needed = Desired concentration of mixture × Desired volume of mixture
Where:
- Amount of bleach needed is given in milligrams (mg);
- Desired concentration of mixture is given in milligrams per liter or parts per million (mg/L or ppm); and
- Desired volume of mixture is given in liters (L).
Volume of bleach needed =(Bleach amount needed × 0.00105) × (100/ Bleach concentration)
Where:
- Volume of bleach needed is given in milliliters (mL); and
- Bleach concentration is given as a percent (%).
If you're still not sure of your container's volume, visit our volume calculator for some less typical shapes. 🛢️
How to use the bleach dilution calculator?
Looking for the perfect Clorox to water ratio? Our chlorine calculator is here to help. You're just three steps away from your solution!
❗ Always add bleach to water, not the other way around!
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Enter your bleach concentration.
The usual solution available in American shops has a concentration of 5-6%.
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Enter your desired concentration into our bleach dilution calculator in ppm or mg/L.
Don't worry - our chlorine calculator offers you plenty of different concentration units!
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Enter the desired volume of your mixture.
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We got it! Your results are here. 🎉
Don't forget to choose your desired volume.