From acetic acid to sodium hypochlorite, we unravel the uses and benefits of these chemicals, helping you gain a better understanding of how they contribute to the effectiveness of cleaning products.
Alkalis: An effective grease remover
Alkalis are a group of chemicals with a pH value above 7. In cleaning products, alkalis play a crucial role as effective grease and grime removers. They do this through a process called ‘saponification’ which is where an alkali, such as caustic potash flake or caustic soda pearl react with the fatty acids in grease and oils to form soap molecules (alkaline salts of fatty acids). These soap molecules act as surfactants allowing the molecules to surround and trap grease and oils particles, breaking them down into smaller particles and making them easier to lift and remove.
Examples of alkalis in cleaning products:
- Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide): Caustic Soda is a strong alkali with a high pH value offering highly effective fat, oil, and grease removal properties. It is found in numerous heavy-duty cleaning products including oven cleaners, drain cleaners and industrial degreasers.
- Caustic Potash (Potassium Hydroxide): Caustic potash is another potent alkali used for its excellent grease removing abilities and overall cleaning efficacy. Products containing this compound include heavy-duty degreasers, industrial cleaners and certain cleaning agents formulated specifically for grease removal.
- Ammonia (Ammonium Hydroxide): Ammonia is a weak alkali often used for its effective degreasing and deodorising properties. It is a key ingredient in glass cleaners and hard floor cleaners as it possesses an excellent ability to cut through greasy residues without leaving streaks.
- Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash): Sodium carbonate is an alkali that acts as a water softener, helping to prevent mineral deposits and improve the performance of cleaning products. It is commonly found in powdered laundry detergents and dishwasher tablets.
- Potassium Carbonate: Potassium carbonate is an alkali used for its detergent and degreasing capabilities. As well as being a key ingredient in the manufacture of soaps, in laundry products it works as a detergent builder to improve overall cleaning performance and offers excellent odour neutralising capabilities.
- Sodium Metasilicate: Sodium metasilicate is a strong alkali making it effective in dissolving grease, oil, and mineral deposits. It is a commonly used as a base for dish washing and laundry detergent products where it increases cleaning efficiency by reducing the hardness of water.
Acids: Highly versatile cleaning agents
Acids are a group of chemical compounds with a pH of less than 7 and are typically classed into the two categories of weak or strong. In cleaning products acids are harnessed for their ability to dissolve mineral deposits, break down stubborn stains and neutralise alkaline substances. The pH adjusting capabilities of acids aid in achieving optimal cleaning conditions for various applications whilst their acidic properties make them excellent descalers, removing hard water deposits and lime build-up. Additionally, acids are great at removing rust stains and effectively clean a wide range of surfaces.
Examples of acids in cleaning products:
- Citric Acid (weak, organic acid): Citric acid is used in a range of cleaning products as a binding agent to increase dirt and soil removal by improving the properties of the cleaning agent. It is also a highly effective limescale remover dissolving mineral deposits and stubborn grime. Citric acid can be found in a range of descaling agents, dishwasher and washing machine cleaners and bathroom cleaning solutions.
- Acetic Acid (weak, organic acid): Acetic acid is a powerful and versatile cleaning agent acting as a disinfectant, scale remover and deodoriser. It is commonly found in all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners and surface disinfectants.
- Lactic Acid (weak, organic acid): Lactic acid is a highly effective descaler with the ability to dissolve and remove mineral deposits such as limescale, calcium and magnesium build-up. It is also considered to be environmentally favourable and milder than harsher alternatives. Lactic acid is commonly found in bathroom cleaners and limescale removers as well as a variety of descaling solutions for coffee machines and kettles.
- Oxalic Acid (weak, organic acid): Oxalic acid is primarily used in cleaning products for its stain-removing properties being particularly effective in the removal of rust stains, mineral deposits, and soapy residues. Products containing oxalic acid include specialist rust removers, bathroom cleaners and heavy-duty cleaning agents.
- Formic Acid (weak, organic acid): With strong antimicrobial properties, formic acid is used in a range of household cleaning and disinfection products and due to its descaling capabilities and low environmental impact it can also be found in many products designed for descaling such as kettle and coffee machine descalers and kitchen and bathroom cleaners.
- Hydrochloric Acid (strong, inorganic acid): Hydrochloric acid is a highly corrosive acid used for heavy-duty descaling and deep cleaning applications such as mould removal, descaling and drain cleaning. It effectively breaks down and removes a huge range of stains and build-up including hair, soap, rust, and scale. It is listed as an ingredient in certain drain cleaners, bathroom cleaners, cement and mortar removers and metal surface cleaners.
- Phosphoric Acid (weak, inorganic acid): Phosphoric acid is an effective product for descaling applications, removing mineral deposits and rust removal. It is commonly found in bathroom and kitchen cleaners, rust removers and metal surface cleaning solutions.
- Sulphamic Acid (strong, inorganic acid): Sulphamic acid possesses excellent descaling properties to effectively remove stains, limescale, and mineral deposits. Products containing sulphamic acid include descalers for kettles, coffee makers and other household appliances, bathroom cleaners and it is used in formulations for metal cleaning and finishing.
- Sulphuric Acid (strong, inorganic acid): Sulphuric acid is a powerful compound known for its heavy-duty cleaning capabilities, particularly within industrial applications. Due to its highly corrosive nature, it is commonly used as an industrial descaler to remove mineral deposits in heat exchangers, boilers and condensers. It is also used in metal surface cleaning such as pickling (a way to remove impurities such as a rust, scale or stains).
Oxidising Agents: Powerful disinfectants and stain removers
Oxidisation is a chemical reaction where a substance alters because of the addition of oxygen. This involves the transfer of electrons, resulting in the removal of electrons from other compounds. In cleaning products, oxidising agents play a crucial role in breaking down organic matter, removing stains and disinfecting surfaces.
Oxidising agents are commonly found in laundry detergents, stain removers, toilet cleaners and disinfectants and are highly effective in removing tough stains by breaking down organic residue.
Examples of oxidising agents in cleaning products:
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidiser with the ability to release oxygen radicals (an unstable molecule containing oxygen that easily reacts with other molecules in a cell). When applied to stains, hydrogen peroxide oxidises the pigmented molecules, breaking them down into smaller, colourless compounds making it ideal for cleaning and whitening applications. The oxidative nature of hydrogen peroxide also enables it to destroy microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi where it disrupts the cell membranes and inactivates them.
- Peracetic Acid: Peracetic acid is similar to hydrogen peroxide in regard to its ability to release oxygen radicals. When it comes into contact with organic compounds, it undergoes a decomposition process to release oxygen radicals which are highly reactive and act as a potent oxidising agent. In terms of disinfection, peracetic acid proves to be a potent antimicrobial agent, exhibiting remarkable efficacy against a wide range of microorganisms. It also eliminates odours, removes tough stains and works to prevent the formation of bacterial biofilms and growths in a wide range of applications.
- Sodium Hypochlorite: Sodium hypochlorite works as an oxidising agent in cleaning products due to its ability to release hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ions (OCl-) when dissolved in water. These compounds are powerful oxidisers and play a key role in the cleaning and disinfecting properties of sodium hypochlorite. Along with its strong disinfectant abilities, sodium hypochlorite also works as a bleaching and whitening agent, deodoriser and mould, spore and fungi remover.
Solvents: Efficient grease and dirt dissolvers
Solvents are substances with the ability to dissolve or disperse other substances such as liquids, gases and solids. They play a vital role in cleaning products as they help to dilute, dissolve and remove dirt, grease, residues and stains from surfaces.
Examples of solvents in cleaning products:
- Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA): Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is miscible with water (a liquid solution that dissolves into another liquid) and many organic solvents making it an excellent product for dissolving both water and oil based substances. When applied to a greasy or oily surface, IPA quickly penetrates and breaks down the grease allowing it to be easily wiped away. In addition to these properties, isopropyl alcohol also possesses disinfectant properties with the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi on surfaces.
- Butyl Glycol: Butyl glycol is a powerful solvent commonly used in cleaning products for its ability to dissolve a wide range of substances, specifically oils, greases, and other organic compounds. When applied to greases and oils it penetrates and dissolves them making them easy to remove. It also exhibits surfactant properties to emulsify and suspend oils and greases in water-based cleaning solutions. Another main use of butyl glycol is in paint and varnish removers where it acts as a potent solvent to strip away old paint from surfaces.
Others Ingredients: Enhancers and formulation aids
Additional ingredients, such as formulation aids, play a crucial role in enhancing the overall effectiveness, stability and user experience of cleaning formulations. Although they’re not the primary agent, they do contribute to better cleaning results, improved shelf life and ease of application which is key in providing a well-rounded product.
Examples of formulation aids in cleaning products:
- Glycerine: Glycerine plays an important role in enhancing the performance of cleaning formulations as it offers a wide variety of functions. It is hygroscopic in nature, meaning it easily absorbs moisture from the air which helps to prevent products from drying out and becoming too thick or solid. It helps to stabilise cleaning formulations, preventing them from separating or settling over time and leaves a moisturising effect leaving surfaces feeling soft and moisturised after use.
- Xanthan gum: Xanthan gum is used as a thickening agent helping to improve a formulation’s ability to cling to surfaces. It also acts to maintain the stability of a solution preventing the settling of ingredients over time.
- Demineralised Water: Demin water is a type of water that has had its mineral ions removed. It is commonly used as a base or diluent for various applications. As it is free from mineral ions it reduces the risk of leaving unwanted residues and mineral deposits after use. It also ensures consistency across products.
In conclusion:
In the manufacture of every single cleaning product a myriad of chemical ingredients come together to create innovative, effective and efficient formulations. Acids, alkalis, disinfectants, solvents, surfactants, builders and various other active agents blend together to tackle everyday dirt, stains, odour and grime.
At Monarch we understand the importance of consistency in these products and timely delivery ensuring supply chains continue to run smoothly. If you are a manufacturer or supplier seeking reliable chemical solutions, we are here to help. Get in touch today to explore our range of commodity chemicals we supply to the cleaning products and detergent markets and let us assist you in finding the right chemical solutions and supply arrangements to meet your specific needs.
