Despite the wide variety of cleaning products available, all formulae eventually fall into one of four different categories: acids, degreasers, abrasives, and detergents. In the end, everyone has a distinct role, so it’s important to use the right agent for the job. We’re going over the differences between each cleaning agent and what you can and cannot use them for in order to be sure you’re doing just that.
Read also: Ways You Can Use Pumice Stone to Clean Your House
Types of Detergents And How They Work
Detergents
By lowering water’s surface tension, detergents facilitate the dispersion of cleaning agents over surfaces and into textiles. Cleaning agents known as surfactants, which are long-chain hydrocarbons that are hydrophilic (loving water) on one end and hydrophobic (hating water) on the other, are examples of detergents. The end that is hydrophobic adheres to the
Although dish and laundry detergent are the most often used forms, the term can also refer to a variety of goods, such as hand soap and shampoo. Furthermore, other substances like water softeners and enzymes may be included in these cleaning solutions.
When to Use Detergent
Detergents work well for a variety of simple cleaning jobs, such as floor cleaning and laundry, and dishwashing. Keep in mind that this is merely a cleaning solution; it does not sanitize or disinfect. However, when you actually wish to eradicate germs, this is a crucial initial step. Depending on the product, it is frequently required to clean surfaces with detergent before sanitizing or disinfecting.
How to Avoid Using Detergent
When a water-based cleanser (such as silk or wool) would be more suitable or when a detergent’s pH is incompatible with a surface (such as marble), it is not advisable to use detergent. Additionally, you should make sure that the right amount of detergent is being used. Clothes may appear faded or discolored as a result of an invisible film left behind by detergent buildup that traps dirt and hard water minerals.
Degreasers
Anything that eliminates oil, including fats and proteins, is a degreaser. Oil can be broken up by a variety of multi-surface cleaning sprays, such as scouring powders, surfactants, and acids. “The acid’s strength and formulation, as well as the oil’s concentration, determine which one works best.”
In general, oil removal works best with treatments that have a higher pH. For instance, oven cleaners must remove carbonized debris that has baked on over time, which makes them extremely alkaline.
When Degreasers Should Be Used
Anytime you need to get rid of stains or oily areas, use degreasers. When used to pretreat oily stains on cloth, liquid dish soap, which is often used for hand cleaning dishes, actually acts as a degreaser.
When Degreasers Should Not Be Used
If you are not attempting to remove oil, do not use degreasers. For instance, a degreaser won’t do much to get rid of a water-based stain on a kitchen counter, like coffee or red wine. The same is true for laundry.
Abrasives
Abrasives are materials used for rubbing away dirt, grime, and other debris from surfaces. They need to be hard enough to remove soil, but not so hard that they damage the item you’re trying to clean. Abrasives for cleaning include: steel wool and other scrubby sponges, abrasive powder cleansers, chlorine bleach, rust remover, ammonia, and glass window cleaners. These materials are used with mechanical energy that you provide and require scrubbing in order to work.
When to Use Abrasives
You can use an abrasive as long as it is compatible with the material you’re trying to clean. For example, a mirror may be susceptible to scratches if it’s cleaned with an abrasive. Abrasives are typically used to remove stubborn spots and stains that can be lifted with gentle scrubbing.
How Not to Use Abrasive Materials
Avoid using an abrasive if it might harm the surface you’re cleaning or if it won’t work on a particular kind of soil. An excellent illustration of this is soap scum. “Scrubbing a surface covered in soap scum using an abrasive cleanser is typically not enough to remove the soap scum.”
Acids
A cleaning solution that has a pH of six or less is considered an acid.It is not advisable to combine toilet bowl cleansers with bleach because some of them contain acids. Because they contain strong acids, rust removal chemicals should never be combined with bleach. Acidic products are usually the best at getting rid of soap scum.
Read also: Spring Cleaning Kitchen Tips You Should Follow