Degreasers are powerful, and the world needs them. Whether you are a homeowner looking for the perfect way to cut through the grease at home or you own a restaurant, there will come a time when you will need deep cleaning. When it’s grease you’re going after, the results will depend heavily on how effectively you target the grease. These types of cleaners are designed for very specific jobs, and if you use the wrong chemical, the cleaning process will take longer and be much more tedious.
So what’s the chemical action going on in a degreaser?
Let’s explore how these agents take care of business.
The Science of the Degreaser
A degreaser is used to remove grease, cut certain fluids, handle soils, take fingerprints, or deal with other contaminants that occur in metal fabrication, automotive applications, airplanes, and certain sectors of the service industry. Every facility wants to keep its workplace safe and clean. It is not uncommon for people to get confused when it comes to degreasers, all-purpose cleaners, or cleaner degreasers.
Let’s unblur the lines between degreasers and regular cleaners before we move forward. A degreaser removes grease, but other cleaners can also remove grease as well. Degreasers are a subcategory of cleaners, and they are used for very specific tasks.
Other names associated with degreaser action include maintenance cleaners, precision cleaners, brake cleaners, and others. They are a unique weapon for any cleaning professional, and here’s what the common homeowner and business owner should know.
A good degreaser works quickly because its intended purpose is for it to remove whatever offending substance is targeted without the need for scrubbing or wiping— or at least minimizing it as much as possible.
All cleaners will usually be engineered to be acidic, alkaline, or neutral. Their pH level will determine what kind of cleaning action they can handle. The pH level will determine the hydrogen ion concentration. A solution with a high pH is more alkaline, and a solution with lower pH indicates a more acidic solution.
Because grease tends to be an organic substance—such as tough commercial kitchen spills—they require alkaline solutions. The higher hydrogen concentration can better break down the oils.
What You Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Cleaner or a Degreaser
When it comes to cleaning up a mess in your home or business, there are a few ways to approach the problem. Below are a few questions to consider when embarking on the cleaning journey.
What type of chemical am I targeting?
The first thing you want to address is: what type of soil are you targeting? When the area that needs cleaning is heavily soiled and cannot be cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner, it is time to pull out a heavy-duty degreaser.
Does your industry require specific cleaners?
This is an industry-specific question. Many industries must be careful with the types of degreasers and cleaners they use. For example, the food industry or commercial kitchens must use one that will be food safe. Certain chemicals can be harmful if used around kitchens or food preparation sites.
What is the surface you’re dealing with?
The kind of surface that needs cleaning will be an important consideration. If you’re trying to target some plastics, glass, or painted wood, the kind of cleaner or degreaser can damage the surface if not used carefully.
When cleaning plastics or rubber, the chemical makeup of the degreaser becomes an important factor. If not compatible with the surface material, the cleaners can create cracks or make the surface brittle. If you are cleaning rubber seals, the chemicals in the degreaser can cause these materials to shrink or dissolve.
What type of equipment are you cleaning?
In some commercial spaces, the surfaces that need cleaning might not be movable. This means places are harder to reach. A foaming degreaser can be a great option for these hard-to-reach areas.
Consider the flammability. Some degreasers will contain hydrocarbon solvents and flammable alcohols. So keep in mind whether you are using a degreaser that contains flammable properties and can pose a threat to your equipment or property.
What other considerations are needed?
Depending on what you’re cleaning and where the problem spot is located, other safety and environmental hazards need to come into play. Professional cleaners will know how to adequately dispose of hazardous or toxic chemicals. Toxicity is a serious consideration, as some chemicals have proven harmful to people or the environment.
Manual cleaning involves a lot more contact with these solvents, so commercial facilities should contact a professional cleaner to ensure they are using the proper chemicals and safety protocols. When cleaning floors, special solutions should be used to ensure that the floor does not become extra slippery and cause slip and fall accidents.
Degreasers are great cleaners and can turn a greasy and grimy surface into something new and sparkly. In many industries, these degreasers are needed for important applications and the proper operation of machinery.
Need Some Serious Degreasing? We Got You Covered with the Right Cleaners
Many industries require the use of high-quality cleaners to ensure the safety, cleanliness, and proper operation of their equipment and facilities. We provide a wide array of industries necessary cleaners and degreasers.
Want to learn more about what we do? Give us a call here at Baron Chemical and get your cleaning done right.