When it comes to janitorial supplies and cleaning products, not all are created equally. Dilution ratios will vary, and the quality is not the same for every product.
Check the Dilution Ratio
Some cleaning products such as disinfectants will dilute at a ratio between 2 to 4 ounces where others may only use 1 ounce per gallon water. So which is better? There is lots of misconception that “more is better” but this is simply not true. The manufactures of janitorial supplies and cleaning products have to test all their products, especially chemicals to insure they meet all necessary requirements.
Disinfectants in particular have to meet certain requirements in order to be able to list their kill claims. So if a dilution ratio is 4 ounces per gallon that means it has been tested at that ratio to achieve their kill claim factor. This would be the same for 1 or 2 ounces as well. Therefore, if your disinfectant calls for 1 ounce per gallon it was tested at that ratio and more of the chemical will not kill more. On the other hand, using too little will result in less than the kill claim factor.
So which is better?
If one disinfectant group out of a list of janitorial supplies calls for 1 ounce and the other calls for 4 ounces, one may think the latter is the better. In fact, they would both be equal if the kill claims are the same. In this case, it would come down to either cost or personal preference. In many cases, the cleaning products that use less would be the wiser choice because there would be less environmental impact.
One other thing that may help you make a choice is how well does the cleaning product clean. Some chemicals are used for cleaning only while some will disinfect and clean. In this case, again the latter would be the better choice.
The next time you are in need of janitorial supplies and cleaning products, look closely at the dilution ratio before making your choice. Talk with the person selling the product and get their input as well.
Good article reflecting on the differences in products