The calculator
Runs in your browser. Litres or US gallons.
How it works
The amount of active product does not change when you add water: C1 × V1 = C2 × V2. For a final volume V2 at strength C2 from a concentrate at C1, the concentrate is V1 = C2 × V2 / C1 and the rest is water.
A label that says 1 : n means one part concentrate to n parts water, so the mix is 1 / (1 + n) of the concentrate's strength. 1 : 9 is 10 %.
Be sure which convention a label uses: “1 to 10” is sometimes meant as one part in ten in total (1 : 9). The data sheet usually says.
Worked example
5 L of a cleaner at 10 % from the full-strength concentrate.
- V1 = 10 × 5 / 100 = 0.5 L of concentrate.
- Water = 5 − 0.5 = 4.5 L; ratio 1 : 9.
500 mL of concentrate made up to 5 L.
Limits — when NOT to use this
- The product's data sheet and SDS govern the strength, the mixing order, the water quality and the protection to wear.
- Process solutions such as conversion coatings and anodizing baths are controlled by test, not by volume alone. Mix to the figure here, then test as the process specification requires.
- Weight-based strengths need densities to convert.
Questions people actually ask
Is 1 : 10 the same as 10 %?
Only if the label means one part in ten in total. As one part concentrate to ten of water, it is 1/11, about 9.1 %.
Sources
- Conservation of the dissolved amount, C1·V1 = C2·V2 — no product data is built in. Strength, mixing order and handling are inputs from the product's data sheet and safety data sheet.
Educational reference only. not approved data. Always consult the applicable SRM, AMM, or AC 43.13-1B and your certifying authority.