What concentrates and refills are
A cleaning product is mostly water. A concentrate removes much of that water so the pack is smaller and lighter to make and transport, and you add water at home. A refill is a different idea: you keep the durable bottle and replace only the contents, either from a pouch, a larger container, or a refill point in a shop.
The two often go together. A small bottle of concentrate, a tablet or a capsule is mixed into a reusable spray bottle that you already own. But they are separate decisions, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
Where the environmental benefit comes from
The potential advantages are fairly simple. Less plastic per wash or per spray bottle of cleaner, fewer bottles to throw away, and lower transport weight because less water is moved around. How much this matters depends on the product and on how you use it, and the evidence for the size of the benefit is mixed. A life cycle assessment of a specific product would be needed to put a number on it, and results can differ from one product format to another.
Some caveats are worth knowing:
- A refill pouch uses less plastic than a rigid bottle, but flexible pouches are often harder to recycle than a simple bottle. Check what your local collection accepts rather than assuming.
- A reusable bottle only helps if you actually reuse it for a long time. Buying several new “starter” bottles can cancel out the savings.
- If a concentrate leads you to use far more than needed, the savings vanish. Over-dosing is one of the most common ways to waste product.
- Packaging is only part of a cleaner’s footprint. The ingredients, how the product is made and how much of it ends up down the drain also matter.
Dilution: the part that needs care
Diluting a concentrate correctly matters for both results and safety. The label gives the ratio, and it is usually different for different jobs such as general cleaning, floors or tougher stains. A few practical rules:
- Follow the label ratio, not a guess. Using more concentrate than directed does not usually clean better. It can leave residue, make surfaces sticky, increase skin irritation and use up the bottle faster.
- Measure. Many products include a cap with marks or a dosing pump. If not, use a clean measuring cup kept only for that purpose.
- Add the concentrate to water, as the label directs. Some instructions specify the order, so check. Avoid hot water unless the label says it is suitable.
- Mix only one product at a time in a container. Never top up a bottle that holds a different product, and never combine different cleaners to make a “stronger” one. The reasons are covered in the article on mixing cleaners.
- Use the right container. Some concentrates are not suitable for certain plastics or spray triggers. The label or the supplier’s instructions usually say what the diluted product can be stored in.
A simple check on arithmetic: if a label says to dilute 1 part concentrate with 9 parts water, that is 1 part in 10 in total. So 100 ml of concentrate makes 1 litre of diluted product, using 900 ml of water. Reading a ratio as “1 to 9” and as “1 in 9” can lead to different results, so see how the label expresses it.
Concentrates are stronger than the finished product
This is the safety point most easily forgotten. A concentrated cleaner can be more hazardous than the same product after dilution. It may carry a corrosion or irritation pictogram that the diluted version would not, which is one reason the hazard symbols on the bottle are worth reading before you open it.
Sensible handling includes:
- wearing gloves, and eye protection if the label suggests it, when pouring or measuring
- working in a ventilated space
- pouring slowly to avoid splashes
- keeping the concentrate in its original container with the original label, and not decanting it into drink bottles
- following the chemical storage advice for children and pets, because a small, attractive-looking bottle of concentrate is a real swallowing risk
Label every diluted spray bottle with the product name and ratio, and the date you made it. Homemade or diluted solutions are not tested or preserved in the way a finished commercial product is, and some products lose effectiveness or can degrade once diluted, so make small amounts and use them within the time the manufacturer suggests.
Refill systems: pouches, bulk containers and shops
If you are considering refill stores, a few questions are worth asking:
- Is the refill product the same one that would be sold in a bottle, with a full label? Decanted products should still come with the hazard information and directions.
- Is the container you bring clean, intact and compatible? Refilling an old bottle that held a different product is a risk if any residue remains.
- How far will you travel? A special trip by car can outweigh the packaging saving.
- Does the system suit how much you actually use? A product you use rarely may go stale or be used up slowly.
Bulk containers such as a large jug can be economical, and they often cost less over time per use, but check that you can store and pour them safely. A heavy container that is awkward to tip is a spill risk.
Tablets and capsules
Dissolvable tablets or capsules reduce the water shipped even further and remove the dilution measurement from the process. They are convenient, but the same rules apply: dissolve them as directed, label the bottle, and keep unused tablets away from children and pets, since some look like sweets.
Choosing sensibly
A concentrate or refill system is worth considering if you use a product regularly, you will keep and reuse the bottles, you can recycle or reuse the leftover packaging locally, and you are comfortable measuring and labelling. It makes less sense if you rarely clean with that product, or if it tempts you to buy extra bottles.
Packaging claims can also be vague. Phrases about being “better for the planet” deserve the scepticism covered in the discussion of greenwashing claims. For a wider view on picking products, see the guidance on eco-friendly cleaners, and remember that a refill is only one part of lowering the impact of how you clean.
This is general information. Always follow the manufacturer’s label for dilution, storage and disposal.