Home Care Topics
The Home Care department within IKW provides competent answers to questions concerning hygiene, washing and cleaning.
Information for manufacturers
IKW: Voluntary Agreement on hypochlorite-containing household cleaners
In the year 1985 the then Federal Ministry of Youth, Family and Health and the IKW signed the voluntary agreement on hypochlorite-containing household cleaners. This agreement remains in force.
The voluntary agreement applies for manufacturers of hypochlorite-containing household cleaners for private end-users in Germany with a content of salts of the hypochlorous acid of more than 10 grammes per kilogramme, calculated as active chlorine. This voluntary agreement does not apply for products which are intended for use in lavatory cisterns and which do not release more than 0.5 grammes of active chlorine per flush into the flushing
The hypochlorite-containing household cleaners with a content of salts of the hypochlorous acid of more than 10 grammes per kilogramme, calculated as active chlorine, which are covered by the voluntary agreement
1. are not to be placed on the market using designations, items of information, forms of presentation, descriptions/pictures or other statements that indicate that these products are intended or suitable for use in toilet bowls;
2. are not to be the subject of advertising/promotion using designations, items of information, forms of presentation, descriptions/pictures or other statements that indicate that these products are intended or suitable for use in toilet bowls;
3. are to be given an additional alkali reserve by adding so-called buffer substances (e.g. sodium salts and/or potassium salts of a weak acid for sanitary cleaners);
The additional alkali reserve is to be calculated in such a way that – additionally to the titration value of a pure sodium hypochlorite solution with the same active chlorine content as in the respective product – at least 100 millimoles of hydrochloric acid per 100 grammes of product are needed to achieve the pH value 5.
This requirement does not apply for products which are intended exclusively for bleaching, pipe cleaning and mould removal;
4. must not exceed the content of salts of the hypochlorous acid of 50 grammes per kilogramme of the hypochlorite-containing household cleaner, calculated as active chlorine;
5. are to be distributed only in child-resistant packaging according to DIN EN ISO 8317:2016-05, bearing a relevant warning (e.g. “Keep away from children”);
6. are to bear – according to the provisions of Annex V to the Preparations Directive (1999/45/EC) respectively of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, which became mandatory after conclusion of this voluntary agreement – on the packaging and on the container at least twice (out of this, once on the front side and in an area of different colour) in an indelible, easily legible and clearly visible way and in German language, the following wording:
"Vorsicht! Nicht zusammen mit anderen Produkten verwenden, da gefährliche Gase (Chlor) frei gesetzt werden können."
[“Warning! Do not use together with other products. May release dangerous gases (chlorine).”]
Moreover, further adequate warnings are affixed and/or adequate wordings are used.
The exact wording of the voluntary agreement on hypochlorite-containing householder cleaners is available on request from the IKW office, both the original version in German language and an English wording translation.