What's in my cleaner?
Select a product to see its chemical classes, reactivity level, and what it should never be mixed with.
When to Use the Ingredient Decoder
Before Buying a New Cleaner
Check what chemical class a product belongs to before adding it to your cleaning cabinet. If you already own bleach-based products, you may want to avoid buying ammonia-based ones to reduce the risk of accidental mixing.
Understanding Warning Labels
Product labels say "do not mix with other chemicals" but don't explain why or which ones. The Ingredient Decoder translates those warnings into specific, actionable information about what each chemical class reacts with.
Choosing Safer Alternatives
Products with only surfactant or mild-base classes have very low reactivity. If you want to simplify your cleaning cabinet and reduce risk, the Decoder helps you identify which products are inherently safer to keep together.
Teaching Chemical Literacy
Understanding what "sodium hypochlorite" or "quaternary ammonium" means helps you make informed decisions about cleaning products for the rest of your life — not just today.
Ingredient Decoder FAQ
What is a chemical class?
A chemical class groups products by their active reactive ingredient — for example, all bleach products are "hypochlorite" regardless of brand. This classification determines which other products are dangerous to combine with it. The Ingredient Decoder shows you exactly which classes are in your product.
Why does my product show multiple chemical classes?
Many cleaning products contain more than one active ingredient. For example, a bleach-based all-purpose cleaner contains both hypochlorite (the bleach) and surfactants (the soap). Each class has its own reactivity profile, so the product inherits the safety restrictions of all its classes.
What does "high reactivity" mean?
High reactivity means the chemical class reacts dangerously with multiple other classes, producing toxic gases or corrosive compounds. Products with high-reactivity ingredients (bleach, strong acids, caustics) should never be mixed with other cleaners and should only be diluted with water.
How is this different from reading the product label?
Product labels list ingredients but rarely explain what they react with. The Ingredient Decoder translates those ingredients into chemical classes and shows you exactly which other products are dangerous to combine — information that no label provides.
Are surfactant-only products safe to mix with everything?
Surfactants (soaps) have low reactivity and are generally safe to combine with other products. However, mixing two surfactant products doesn't make them more effective — you're usually better off using one product as directed. The Ingredient Decoder helps you identify which of your products are surfactant-only.