Household cleaning
Dri-Pak Bicarbonate of Soda dupe
Why pay around £1.99 for Dri-Pak? The bulk active is Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda) — 50% less per working litre than a typical shelf pack.
From the retail pack to the active and the mix
1 · Retail
Dri-Pak Bicarbonate of Soda
500 grams · £1.99 typical snapshot
None (food-grade powder)
2 · Active
Sodium bicarbonate
100% on the label
144-55-8NaHCO3
Bulk Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda)
3 · Mix
25 g per litre for general cleaning / paste with a little water
£0.05 per working litre · 50% less than the shelf pack
- Active
- Sodium bicarbonate
- CAS
- 144-55-8
- Dupe
- Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda)
- Saving
- 50% / 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
“Mild cleaner for worktops, hobs and fridges”
The chemical reality
Dri-Pak’s 500 g box is sodium bicarbonate (CAS 144-55-8) — baking soda. The molecule is the product. A 5 kg sack of the same food-grade powder is the cupboard staple without the grocery-box markup. This is not soda crystals (carbonate) and not borax substitute (sesquicarbonate).
Active vs filler
100% Sodium bicarbonate · 0% carrier / filler — None (food-grade powder)
- Typical retail
- £1.99
- 500 grams
- Estimated active cost
- £1.00
- Scaled from bulk £9.99 / 5 kg
- Indicative markup
- 2.0×
- Snapshot maths, not a live shop price
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A 500 grams pack of Dri-Pak Bicarbonate of Soda typically retails around £1.99 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: Mild cleaner for worktops, hobs and fridges; Deodorises carpets, bins and drains; and Clean and Natural mineral compound.
The catch: Dri-Pak’s 500 g box is sodium bicarbonate (CAS 144-55-8) — baking soda. The molecule is the product. A 5 kg sack of the same food-grade powder is the cupboard staple without the grocery-box markup. This is not soda crystals (carbonate) and not borax substitute (sesquicarbonate).
- “Mild cleaner for worktops, hobs and fridges”
- “Deodorises carpets, bins and drains”
- “Clean and Natural mineral compound”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is Sodium bicarbonate at 100%. Everything else in the pack is none (food-grade powder).
Even when the pack is sold as “pure” or ready-to-use, the dose that actually does the work is Sodium bicarbonate. The rest is how they get it into a bottle you will pick up.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 100% Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda), mixed to 25 g per litre for general cleaning / paste with a little water.
- Labelled active
- Sodium bicarbonate
- 100%
- Carrier
- None (food-grade powder)
- Retail pack
- 500 grams · £1.99
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda) at 100% bulk. Indexed as CAS 144-55-8, formula NaHCO3. Buy it as 5 kg for around £9.99 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: 25 g per litre for general cleaning / paste with a little water. Indicative cost £0.05 per diluted litre — 50% 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.
- Gloves optional for a dry sprinkle; wear them for hot liquor or long soaks. Do not mix with acids or bleach in one bucket.
- Dissolve 25 g per litre of warm water for worktops, hobs and a mild floor wash. For a paste scrub, mix powder with a little water until it holds.
- Fridge and bin odours: an open dish of dry powder. Drains: a handful followed by hot water — this is not caustic drain gel.
- 5 kg is ten 500 g grocery boxes. Store dry; bicarbonate cakes if it picks up moisture.
- This is milder than soda crystals at the same grams-per-litre — do not expect oven-cleaner strength.
Dilution recipe
5 L sprayer
Working strength 25 g per litre for general cleaning / paste with a little water. Educational estimate from the listed ratio — check the SDS before you mix.
Chemical
125 grams
Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda)
Water
5 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 brandedDri-Pak | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Bicarbonate of SodaAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda) |
| Pack / unit | 500 grams · £1.99 | 5 kg · £9.99 |
| Active | Sodium bicarbonate at 100%Carrier: None (food-grade powder) | 100% bulkNaHCO3 |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 144-55-8 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute 25 g per litre for general cleaning / paste with a little water |
| Cost per litre | £1.99 / pack | £0.05 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 50% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Ventilation. Use outdoors or with mechanical extraction |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
Is bicarbonate the same as Dri-Pak soda crystals?
No. Soda crystals are sodium carbonate decahydrate (CAS 6132-02-1) — a stronger laundry alkali. Bicarbonate (CAS 144-55-8) is milder: fine for fridges, hobs and a paste scrub. See the soda-crystals teardown for the hotter wash booster.
Can I mix bicarbonate with vinegar for extra power?
They cancel. The fizz is carbon dioxide as alkali meets acid — not extra cleaning power. Use one or the other, then rinse. Never mix in a sealed bottle.
How do you mix the Bicarbonate of Soda dupe stack?
Gloves optional for a dry sprinkle; wear them for hot liquor or long soaks. Do not mix with acids or bleach in one bucket. Dissolve 25 g per litre of warm water for worktops, hobs and a mild floor wash. For a paste scrub, mix powder with a little water until it holds. Fridge and bin odours: an open dish of dry powder. Drains: a handful followed by hot water — this is not caustic drain gel. 5 kg is ten 500 g grocery boxes. Store dry; bicarbonate cakes if it picks up moisture. This is milder than soda crystals at the same grams-per-litre — do not expect oven-cleaner strength.
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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£16.00Save 50% / L
Indicative DIY stack