Like many, my wife and I fell for the Koh Cleaner advertisements on Facebook. While their surface cleaner works, you’ve probably heard (or not at all) that Koh is pretty much water. This is true, the active ingredient Potassium Hydroxide (known as KOH) only makes up 0.5% of the ingredients, the rest is is purified water aka distilled water.
Here is a recipe to make your own Koh Cleaner at home for a fraction of the cost.
Ingredients:
- 1 litre (1000 ml) of distilled water
- 5 grams of potassium hydroxide (KOH)
Corrected Instructions:
- Preparation: Ensure you have a clean, dry workspace and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and eye protection. KOH can be caustic, so avoid getting it into your eyes, mouth or skin.
- Measure the Water: Measure 1 litre (1000 ml) of distilled water and pour it into a suitable container. A glass or high-density polyethene (HDPE) container is preferred due to its resistance to caustic substances.
- Weigh KOH: Carefully weigh 5 grams of potassium hydroxide (KOH). Precision is important to ensure the correct concentration and to maintain safety.
- Add KOH to Water: Slowly add the potassium hydroxide to the water while stirring gently. Adding the KOH to the water is crucial and not vice versa. Adding water directly to KOH can cause an exothermic reaction, which will happen regardless, but you want it to be gradual, not instant.
- Dissolve KOH: Stir the solution until the KOH is completely dissolved. This may take a few minutes. The solution may warm due to the exothermic nature of the dissolution process, so allow it to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
- Storage: Once the KOH is fully dissolved and the solution has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a storage container if necessary. Label the container clearly with the contents and the date of preparation.
- Clean Up: Clean any spills immediately with plenty of water. Neutralise small spills with vinegar or citric acid solution.
That’s how you make your own homemade Koh. As you can see, it is easier, but you should take precautions to avoid ending up at the hospital.
