How to Choose the Right Cleaner
When selecting the right cleaner to use, there are several factors that must be considered in order to get the best results. Generally, if a cleaner has a lot of dye and perfume, it is a sales gimmick to give the appearance of being strong without the ingredients to do a good cleaning job. The ingredients must be designed to meet the conditions of use, and this should be what determines the selection. Using a cheap cleaner because of price can cost a lot more than an effective cleaner. Here are some of the factors that should be used when selecting a cleaner.
1. What type of soil is being cleaned?
Petroleum oil is different from a vegetable or cooking oil and calls for different cleaning actions. Vegetable or cooking oils can be converted to soaps which helps emulsify oils for easier rinsing. With petroleum oils, a different type of detergent is needed to remove and emulsify the oil for a clean rinse. Using a solvent without an emulsifying detergent to clean will result in the film of the oil being left on the surface — which is good if it is a steel surface that needs protection from rust, but is bad if the surface is to be painted. Good adherence is needed to prevent the paint from peeling.
Soils other than oils need a different system of cleaners with builders to enhance the properties of water and prevent the soils from re-adhering to the surface. These ingredients will be wasted in cleaning petroleum oils, and a cleaner designed for petroleum oils will be ineffective in cleaning these soils. A general purpose cleaner will be designed to clean all types of soils, but may not be the best choice for cleaning one type of soil.
2. What type of surface is being cleaned?
Soils adhere to different types of surfaces by different means. Cleaning plastic or painted surfaces is different than cleaning metal surfaces where there is an ionic attraction to the soil and the surface. Possible corrosion of the metal surface must be considered when cleaning metal, and additionally, adverse chemical reactions with plastic or organic surfaces must be considered as well.
3. What method of cleaning is being used?
Agitation and temperature plays an important role in the removal of soils from a surface and what type of cleaner is used. If a pressure washer or spray cabinet cleaner is used, foam can inhibit the cleaning action. When cleaning walls, foam can allow the cleaner to adhere to the surface, giving a better cleaning action.
In a hot soak tank or ultrasonic cleaning, a film on the surface allows the soil to re-adhere to the object being cleaned as it is removed, unless ingredients are used to prevent this.
4. What type of rinsing is being done?
Rinsing plays an important role in cleaning by removing any remaining soil and cleaner from the object. Certain ingredients, like soaps, can leave a film that attracts soils and promotes re-soiling. Other ingredients added to the rinse can prevent flash rusting or oxidizing of parts.
5. How is the waste disposed of?
This environmental concern has become a huge factor as the cost of disposal of waste has increased as regulations have increased. Petroleum solvents or waste cannot be put in the sewer or in landfills unless they are biodegradable. Heavy metals must also be disposed of as hazardous waste and can not be permitted to get in the environment. Oil split cleaners separate hazardous oils and solvents from the cleaning solution, so they can be separated and disposed of separately while the cleaning solution can be sent to the sanitary sewer. Cleaners can be designed so that heavy metals can be precipitated out and disposed of apart from the cleaning solution.
Considering the cost of waste disposal when purchasing the cleaner can lower the total cost of cleaning considerably and avoid problems with regulatory authorities.
