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How does Universal Cleaner work?Updated a day ago

TL;DR: Universal Cleaner is a ready-to-use alkaline surface cleaner. Don't mix it with water or any other product. Spray it straight onto the surface, let it sit for 10 to 30 seconds, then wipe clean with a Koh cloth. Two ingredients only: potassium hydroxide (the alkali that cuts grease) and laboratory grade purified water (an ultra-pure solvent). Most surfaces need no rinse. Food prep surfaces do, and they need to air dry before food touches them.

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Koh Universal Cleaner product features
Koh Universal Cleaner before and after on a kitchen surface

Do I need to dilute Universal Cleaner with water?

No. Koh Universal Cleaner is made for neat use, straight from the box. Don't dilute it with water and don't mix it with any other cleaning product. Adding water reduces cleaning performance because the alkali concentration drops below the level needed to saponify grease effectively. Mixing with other cleaners can neutralise the alkaline formula or create unwanted reactions, particularly with acidic cleaners such as vinegar, citrus cleaners or bleach. Universal Cleaner works the way it does precisely because it stays at full strength.

⚠ Don't dilute it

Universal Cleaner is made for neat use, straight from the box. Adding water drops the alkali concentration below the level that does the work. Mixing with other cleaners can neutralise the formula or create unwanted reactions, particularly with acidic cleaners such as vinegar, citrus cleaners or bleach.

No water No other cleaners Ready to use

How does Universal Cleaner actually clean?

Koh Universal Cleaner cleans through saponification. The potassium hydroxide is a strong alkali that reacts with fats, oils and organic grime on a surface, converting them into soluble soap. Once that conversion happens, the soap and grime complex lifts off the surface and wipes away easily. Laboratory grade purified water acts as an ultra-pure solvent that carries everything off cleanly. That combination is why Universal Cleaner works on grease, soap scum and organic soil without needing a rinse on most surfaces, and why it leaves glass and polished surfaces streak-free. The alkaline formulation is what cuts through cooking grease and organic matter, making it easier to clean. Made in Australia.

✓ Potassium hydroxide

The alkali that does the work. It reacts with fats, oils and organic grime through saponification, turning them into a soluble soap that lifts off the surface.

Higher alkaline solution Saponifies fats

✓ Laboratory grade purified water

Ultra-pure solvent. It carries the soap and grime complex off the surface, which is why glass and polished surfaces finish without streaks or water spots.

Ultra-pure Streak-free

Do I need to rinse after using Universal Cleaner?

On most surfaces, no. Spray Koh Universal Cleaner, wait 10 to 30 seconds, wipe with a Koh cloth, and you are done. That covers glass, mirrors, tiles, sealed floors, bathroom surfaces, ovens and stovetops. Food prep surfaces are the exception. Universal Cleaner is a higher alkaline solution, so on benchtops, chopping boards and the inside of the fridge, rinse with a clean damp cloth and let the surface air dry before food touches it. That rinse is part of the method on food prep surfaces, not an optional extra. The formula needs no rinse elsewhere because there are no surfactants and no fragrances in it.

✓ Most surfaces, no rinse

Glass, mirrors, tiles, sealed floors, bathroom surfaces, ovens, stovetops. Spray, wait, wipe clean with a Koh cloth. Done.

No rinse Streak-free No added fragrance

✓ Food prep surfaces, rinse and air dry

Universal Cleaner is a higher alkaline solution, so on benchtops, chopping boards and the inside of the fridge, rinse with a clean damp cloth and let the surface air dry before food touches it. That step is part of the method here, not an optional extra.

Rinse with a damp cloth Air dry first

How do I use Universal Cleaner?

Using Koh Universal Cleaner takes four steps. Decant the cleaner straight from the box into a spray bottle: the Atomiser Spray Bottle for a fine mist on glass and light surfaces, or the Spray Mop Bottle for floors. Spray directly onto the surface, neat, with no water and no dilution. Let it sit for 10 to 30 seconds, or up to a few minutes for heavy baked-on grime or soap scum, so the alkali has contact time to break the grime down. Wipe clean with a Universal Cloth or any clean Koh cloth. On food prep surfaces, add a rinse with a clean damp cloth and let the surface air dry before food touches it.

✓ Step by step

1

Decant into a bottle. Atomiser Spray Bottle for a fine mist on glass and light surfaces, or Spray Mop Bottle for floors.

2

Spray directly onto the surface. Neat, no water, no dilution.

3

Let it sit for 10 to 30 seconds. Up to a few minutes for heavy baked-on grime or soap scum. The alkali needs contact time.

4

Wipe clean. Use Universal Cloths or any clean Koh cloth. On food prep surfaces, rinse with a damp cloth and let the surface air dry before food touches it.

Koh Universal Cleaner Starter Kit

Universal Cleaner Starter Kit

One box with Universal Cleaner, Atomiser Spray Bottle and Universal Cloths Mixed 4pk. Everything you need to start.

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Koh Universal Cleaner refill

Universal Cleaner

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certified, Allergy UK certified, Sensitive Choice approved, Eczema Association of Australasia recognised. Two ingredients, used undiluted, made in Australia. Bag-in-box lasts about 3 months in an average home.

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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Koh Australia

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