Household cleaning
Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray dupe
Why pay around £3.50 for Dettol? The bulk active is Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical — 85% less per working litre than a typical shelf pack.
From the retail pack to the active and the mix
1 · Retail
Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray
750 millilitres · £3.50 typical snapshot
Water, ethanol, surfactants, fragrance
2 · Active
Chloroxylenol (PCMX)
4.8% on the label
88-04-0C8H9ClO
Bulk Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical
3 · Mix
48 g crystals per litre (≈4.8% w/v)
£0.72 per working litre · 85% less than the shelf pack
- Active
- Chloroxylenol (PCMX)
- CAS
- 88-04-0
- Dupe
- Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical
- Saving
- 85% / L
Saving is per litre of working-strength mix versus a typical pack price, not versus the DIY kit total. Shop prices move — always check the listing.
Label teardown
What the pack promises versus what the label chemistry actually is.
The marketing claim
“Kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses”
The chemical reality
Dettol’s smell is chloroxylenol (PCMX, CAS 88-04-0) at about 4.8%. A kilogram of technical PCMX crystals dissolved to the same strength is the same biocide without the trigger tax.
Active vs filler
4.8% Chloroxylenol (PCMX) · 95% carrier / filler — Water, ethanol, surfactants, fragrance
- Typical retail
- £3.50
- 750 millilitres
- Estimated active cost
- £0.54
- Scaled from bulk £14.99 / 1 kg
- Indicative markup
- 6.5×
- Snapshot maths, not a live shop price
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A 750 millilitres pack of Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray typically retails around £3.50 in household cleaning. That is a UK shelf-price snapshot for the maths on this page — not a live shop quote or a manufacturer RRP. Listings, sizes and deals move. The marketing line is that you are buying a finished lifestyle product, not a weighed chemical.
On the pack: Kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses; No bleach, no taint on food surfaces; and Cuts through grease on kitchen worktops.
The catch: Dettol’s smell is chloroxylenol (PCMX, CAS 88-04-0) at about 4.8%. A kilogram of technical PCMX crystals dissolved to the same strength is the same biocide without the trigger tax.
- “Kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses”
- “No bleach, no taint on food surfaces”
- “Cuts through grease on kitchen worktops”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is Chloroxylenol (PCMX) at 4.8%. Everything else in the pack is water, ethanol, surfactants, fragrance.
At 4.8% active, most of what you pay for is carrier and packaging. The brand is selling convenience, fragrance and a label — not a uniquely potent molecule.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 99% Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical, mixed to 48 g crystals per litre (≈4.8% w/v).
- Labelled active
- Chloroxylenol (PCMX)
- 4.8%
- Carrier
- Water, ethanol, surfactants, fragrance
- Retail pack
- 750 millilitres · £3.50
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical at 99% bulk. Indexed as CAS 88-04-0, formula C8H9ClO. Buy it as 1 kg for around £14.99 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: 48 g crystals per litre (≈4.8% w/v). Indicative cost £0.72 per diluted litre — 85% below a typical branded pack on a per-litre basis, before you reuse leftover bulk.
Follow the mixing method and the supplier SDS. Wear the listed PPE. Do not mix incompatible oxidisers, acids or ammonia.
- Toxic if swallowed. Gloves when weighing crystals. Work in ventilation — PCMX has a strong medicinal odour.
- Dissolve 48 g of PCMX in 952 ml of warm water (about 4.8% — Dettol spray strength). Add a drop of washing-up liquid if you want the same grease cut.
- Spray, leave the contact time on your label, then wipe or rinse food surfaces as the branded bottle instructs.
- 1 kg of crystals makes about 20 litres of 4.8% spray — roughly 27 Dettol bottles.
- Store locked away from children. Do not mix with bleach or strong oxidisers.
Dilution recipe
1 L working batch
Working strength 48 g crystals per litre (≈4.8% w/v). Educational estimate from the listed ratio — check the SDS before you mix.
Chemical
48 grams
Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical
Water
1 litres
Carrier / diluent
0% concentrate · 100% water by working volume (solids are dissolved into the water share).
Required PPE
Loading calculator…
Side-by-Side Price & Potency Comparison
Head-to-head comparison
| Measure | Retail brandedDettol | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Antibacterial Surface Cleanser SprayAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical |
| Pack / unit | 750 millilitres · £3.50 | 1 kg · £14.99 |
| Active | Chloroxylenol (PCMX) at 4.8%Carrier: Water, ethanol, surfactants, fragrance | 99% bulkC8H9ClO |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 88-04-0 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute 48 g crystals per litre (≈4.8% w/v) |
| Cost per litre | £4.67 / L typical pack | £0.72 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 85% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Eye protection. Indirect-vent splash goggles — not ordinary spectaclesVentilation. Use outdoors or with mechanical extraction |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
Is Dettol the same as Domestos bleach?
No. Domestos is sodium hypochlorite (oxidiser). Dettol is chloroxylenol (phenolic biocide). Never mix them — you do not need both on the same surface.
Can I use PCMX on baby toys?
Follow the label on the product you hold. DIY PCMX lacks Dettol’s surfactant blend — rinse food-contact surfaces with clean water after the contact time, same as the branded bottle says.
How do you mix the Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray dupe stack?
Toxic if swallowed. Gloves when weighing crystals. Work in ventilation — PCMX has a strong medicinal odour. Dissolve 48 g of PCMX in 952 ml of warm water (about 4.8% — Dettol spray strength). Add a drop of washing-up liquid if you want the same grease cut. Spray, leave the contact time on your label, then wipe or rinse food surfaces as the branded bottle instructs. 1 kg of crystals makes about 20 litres of 4.8% spray — roughly 27 Dettol bottles. Store locked away from children. Do not mix with bleach or strong oxidisers.
DupeStack provides chemical concentration data and educational mixing guides only. Wellness pages compare food supplements, not medicines or prescribed treatments. Always review the supplier Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and comply with UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated substances. Mixing and storage are at your own risk. Some links are affiliate advertisements (Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, and Awin when those programmes are live). Commissions do not change listed concentrations or calculator output.
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Indicative DIY stack