Dilution Ratio Calculator — Concentrate & Water Mix
Enter a concentrate:diluent ratio (e.g. 1:9) and the total volume you need — get exact amounts of concentrate and water to add.
Volume unit
Add this to your diluent to reach the target volume
- 1
Total ratio parts
1 + 9 = 10 - 2
Concentrate fraction
1 ÷ 10 = 0.1 - 3
Concentrate volume
0.1 × 1,000 mL = 100
How does this calculator work?
For a c:d dilution ratio and total volume V, you need c/(c+d) × V of concentrate and d/(c+d) × V of diluent. A 1:9 ratio gives 10% concentrate; 1:4 gives 20%. Common for cleaning products, fertilisers, hair dye and lab work — always check the product label for which convention the ratio uses.
Formula
How this is calculated
A dilution ratio describes how many parts of concentrate are mixed with how many parts of diluent (usually water). A 1:9 ratio means one part concentrate to nine parts water, giving ten total parts — each part is 10% of the final volume. A 1:4 ratio gives 20% concentrate, and a 1:1 ratio gives 50%.
To find the actual volumes: divide concentrate parts by total parts (c ÷ (c + d)) to get the concentrate fraction, then multiply by the target volume. The diluent volume is everything else (total minus concentrate). The percentage shown is simply that fraction × 100.
Note that "1:10" can mean different things in different contexts. Some product labels use "parts to total" (1 in 10 = 10% concentrate), while this calculator uses the more common household convention "parts to parts" — one part concentrate to 10 parts water, giving an 11-part total at about 9.1% concentration. Always verify with the product instructions when accuracy matters.
Frequently asked questions
In the most common household convention (parts to parts), 1:10 means one part concentrate mixed with ten parts water — eleven total parts at about 9.1% concentration. In a "parts to total" convention it means one part in ten total (10%). This calculator uses parts-to-parts, so enter 1 concentrate and 10 diluent for the first convention.
Divide concentrate parts by total parts. For 1:4 → 1 ÷ (1+4) = 0.2 = 20%. For 1:9 → 1 ÷ (1+9) = 0.1 = 10%. For 1:49 → 1 ÷ 50 = 2%.
Yes, for simple volumetric part-to-part dilutions. For serial dilutions or molar-concentration calculations, use the formula C₁V₁ = C₂V₂ instead. Always follow laboratory safety protocols when handling concentrated chemicals.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Dilution Ratio Calculator — Concentrate & Water Mix [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/dilution-ratio-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Dilution Ratio Calculator — Concentrate & Water Mix." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/dilution-ratio-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Dilution Ratio Calculator — Concentrate & Water Mix," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/dilution-ratio-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_dilution_ratio_calculator, title = {Dilution Ratio Calculator — Concentrate & Water Mix}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/dilution-ratio-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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