The irritancy of commercially available liquid handcleaners was determined by means of soap chamber test (with Big Finn Chambers®). This in vivo method appeared to registrate the irritant effects of the cleaners very well. Several alkaline soaps were tested in addition to surfactants and soaps with a neutral or low pH. Alkaline soaps were not extra irritating than other handcleaners. The cleaner with the highest irritancy score had a low pH. It was concluded that the pH was not a useful parameter to predict the irritancy of handcleaners.