ZMUni Compliance Centre

On April 30, 2026, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) jointly issued GB 26396-2026 Safety Technical Specification for Cleaning Products (the "Standard”), replacing the previous recommended standard GB/T 26396-2011 Technical Specification for Safety of Soaps and Detergents.

The new Standard upgrades cleaning product safety requirements from a recommended national standard to a mandatory national standard and will take effect on May 1, 2027. From this date, cleaning products placed on the Chinese market must comply with the new requirements on ingredients, labeling, and safety documentation.

This article highlights the key compliance requirements under the new Standard.

Which Products Are Covered by the New Standard?

Under the Standard, cleaning products are defined as preparations containing soap and/or surfactants that are intended for washing and cleaning purposes.

The Standard applies to a wide range of household and commercial cleaning products, including:

What Compliance Requirements Should Companies Prepare for?

To place cleaning products on the Chinese market, companies should focus on three key areas: raw material requirements, labelling requirements, and safety assessment documentation.

1. Raw Material Requirements

1.1 Formulation Ingredient Requirements

The Standard specifies requirements for ingredients used in cleaning products. The formulation requirements include the following:

1.2 Surfactant Requirements

Surfactants used in cleaning products must be biodegradable. The impacts of surfactants and their degradation products on animals, plants, and the environment must remain within acceptable limits.

Specifically, surfactants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Primary biodegradability: not less than 90%;

• Ultimate biodegradability: not less than 60%.

1.3 Hazardous Substance Requirements

Hazardous substances present as residues from raw materials used in cleaning products must comply with the requirements of applicable national or industry standards.

Where no relevant standards are available, such substances must be evaluated in accordance with the safety assessment approach described above and confirmed to be within an acceptable safety level.

Note: For phosphorus-free cleaning products used in areas where phosphorus restrictions apply under Chinese regulations, the mass fraction of total phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅) in the product must not exceed 0.5%.

2. Labelling Requirements

Product labels and packaging information must comply with GB/T 36970 Instruction for Use of Consumer Products - Labelling for Detergents. Required labelling information includes:

• Product name;

• Trademark;

• Manufacturer name and address;

• Net content;

• Date of manufacture / expiry date information;

• Product standard number;

• Product category;

• Quality grade;

• Ingredient information;

• Other required information, such as usage instructions, storage conditions, warnings, and applicable symbols.

⚪️ Special Labeling Requirements

If nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and its salts, enzymes, preservatives, biocides, or fragrances are intentionally added to a cleaning product, their presence must be indicated on the product label.

For products that may present safety risks during use, manufacturers must conduct a risk assessment and provide clear instructions on applicable conditions of use, usage methods, precautions, situations to avoid, and emergency measures for foreseeable accidents. Where necessary, appropriate preventive measures must also be implemented.

For example, laundry detergent pods may pose a risk of accidental ingestion by infants and young children. Specific packaging and labeling requirements for such products are provided in QB/T 5658-2021 Laundry Detergent Capsules.

3. Safety Documentation Requirements

For cleaning products intended to come into contact with human skin or eyes, relevant safety documentation must be available.

For products intended for skin contact, safety information or data must demonstrate that the product does not cause unacceptable skin irritation, corrosion, or sensitization at the intended use concentration.

For products intended for eye contact, safety information or data must demonstrate that the product does not cause serious eye damage at the intended use concentration.

Supporting documentation may include:

• Product safety assessment reports;

• Safety assessments or safety information for formulation ingredients;

• Toxicological test data relevant to the product formulation;

• Safety evaluations based on similar formulations, previous safe use experience of formulation ingredients, or established safe use history.

How ZMUni Can Support Your Compliance

ZMUni Compliance Centre provides regulatory support for cleaning product compliance, including:

• Ingredient compliance review;

• Label compliance review;

• Compliance testing coordination;

• Preparation of safety assessment reports;

• Development of enterprise standards.

For any inquiries, please contact us at info@zmuni.com.