Work out exactly how much sanitiser concentrate and water to mix for food-contact surfaces, by ppm (chlorine) or by label ratio. Free dilution calculator.
A Sanitiser Dilution Calculator is a free tool that works out how much sanitiser concentrate and water you need to mix to reach a target strength (such as a ppm concentration or dilution ratio) for a given volume. It helps you make up sanitiser at the correct strength to effectively reduce bacteria on food contact surfaces. Its purpose is to avoid mixing sanitiser too weak to work or too strong to be safe, supporting the Food Standards Code requirement to keep equipment and surfaces sanitised. You can download the mixing instructions as a free PDF to keep at your sanitising station. When to use it: When making up sanitiser solution for benches, boards, utensils or sanitising buckets.. When you switch to a new sanitiser product with a different concentration.. When onboarding staff so they mix sanitiser to the correct strength every time.. Before a council inspection, to confirm your sanitiser strength is correct.. When scaling a batch up or down and you need to recalculate the amounts.. How to use it: Enter the total volume of solution you want to make. Enter your target concentration or dilution ratio and the product strength. Let the calculator work out the concentrate and water quantities. Download the free PDF mixing instructions for your sanitising station. Always follow the product label directions and contact time when mixing and using. How do I dilute sanitiser correctly? Enter the volume you want to make and your target strength, and the calculator tells you how much concentrate and water to combine. Always cross-check against the manufacturer's label, because different products vary and the label directions take priority. Why does sanitiser strength matter? Too weak and the sanitiser will not reduce bacteria to a safe level; too strong wastes product and can leave unsafe chemical residue on food surfaces. Mixing to the correct strength ensures it works and is safe to use. Do I clean before I sanitise? Yes. Sanitiser works poorly over grease and food residue, so surfaces must be cleaned with detergent and rinsed first, then sanitised. Cleaning and sanitising are two separate steps, always done in that order. What is contact time and why does it matter? Contact time is how long the sanitiser must stay wet on the surface to kill bacteria, as stated on the product label. If you wipe it off too soon it will not be effective, so let it sit for the time the manufacturer specifies. How often should I make up fresh sanitiser? Sanitiser in buckets loses strength as it gets dirty and over time, so make up fresh solution regularly through the day and whenever it looks soiled. Following the label and mixing accurately keeps it effective. Can FoodSafety HQ help manage sanitising records? Yes. This tool gives you free mixing instructions, and FoodSafety HQ can run your cleaning and sanitising schedule digitally, so sanitising tasks are assigned, signed off on a phone, and recorded for inspections.
How to use the Sanitiser Dilution Calculator
Enter the total volume of solution you want to make.
Enter your target concentration or dilution ratio and the product strength.
Let the calculator work out the concentrate and water quantities.
Download the free PDF mixing instructions for your sanitising station.
Always follow the product label directions and contact time when mixing and using.
Frequently asked questions
How do I dilute sanitiser correctly?
Enter the volume you want to make and your target strength, and the calculator tells you how much concentrate and water to combine. Always cross-check against the manufacturer's label, because different products vary and the label directions take priority.
Why does sanitiser strength matter?
Too weak and the sanitiser will not reduce bacteria to a safe level; too strong wastes product and can leave unsafe chemical residue on food surfaces. Mixing to the correct strength ensures it works and is safe to use.
Do I clean before I sanitise?
Yes. Sanitiser works poorly over grease and food residue, so surfaces must be cleaned with detergent and rinsed first, then sanitised. Cleaning and sanitising are two separate steps, always done in that order.
What is contact time and why does it matter?
Contact time is how long the sanitiser must stay wet on the surface to kill bacteria, as stated on the product label. If you wipe it off too soon it will not be effective, so let it sit for the time the manufacturer specifies.
How often should I make up fresh sanitiser?
Sanitiser in buckets loses strength as it gets dirty and over time, so make up fresh solution regularly through the day and whenever it looks soiled. Following the label and mixing accurately keeps it effective.
Can FoodSafety HQ help manage sanitising records?
Yes. This tool gives you free mixing instructions, and FoodSafety HQ can run your cleaning and sanitising schedule digitally, so sanitising tasks are assigned, signed off on a phone, and recorded for inspections.