AnIntroductiontoCleaningProducts

History,BasicChemistry&Principles

November2010


TheHistory&EvolutionofCleaningProducts

Theoriginsofpersonalcleanlinessdatebacktoprehistorictimes.

Sincewaterisessentialforlife,theearliestpeoplelivednearwaterandknewsomethingaboutits
cleansingproperties,oratleastthatitrinsedmudofftheirhands.

AsoaplikematerialfoundinclaycylindersduringtheexcavationofancientBabylonisevidencethat
soapmakingwasknownasearlyas2800B.C.Inscriptionsonthecylinderssaythatfatswereboiled
withashes,whichisamethodofmakingsoap,butdonotrefertothepurposeofthe"soap."Such
materialswerelaterusedashairstylingaids.

RecordsshowthatancientEgyptiansbathedregularly.TheEbersPapyrus,amedicaldocumentfrom
about1500B.C.,describescombininganimalandvegetableoilswithalkalinesaltstoformasoaplike
materialusedfortreatingskindiseases,aswellasforwashing.

Ataboutthesametime,MosesgavetheIsraelitesdetailedlawsgoverningpersonalcleanliness.He
also related cleanliness to health and religious purification. Biblical accounts suggest that the
Israelitesknewthatmixingashesandoilproducedakindofhairgel.

TheearlyGreeksbathedforaestheticreasonsandapparentlydidnotusesoap.Instead,theycleaned
their bodies with blocks of clay, sand, pumice and ashes, then anointed themselves with oil, and
scrapedofftheoilanddirtwithametalinstrumentknownasastrigil.Theyalsousedoilwithashes.

Clotheswerewashedwithoutsoapinstreams.

Soapgotits name, accordingto an ancient Romanlegend,fromMount Sapo, whereanimals were

sacrificed.Rainwashedamixtureofmeltedanimalfat,ortallow,andwoodashesdownintotheclay
soilalongtheTiberRiver.Womenfoundthatthisclaymixturemadetheirwashcleanerwithmuch
lesseffort.

TheancientGermansandGaulsarealsocreditedwithdiscoveringasubstancecalledsoap,madeof
tallowandashes,thattheyusedtotinttheirhairred.

AsRomancivilizationadvanced,sodidbathing.ThefirstofthefamousRomanbaths,suppliedwith
waterfromtheiraqueducts,wasbuiltabout312B.C.Thebathswereluxurious,andbathingbecame
verypopular.BythesecondcenturyA.D.,theGreekphysician,Galen,recommendedsoapforboth
medicinalandcleansingpurposes.

AfterthefallofRomein467A.D.andtheresultingdeclineinbathinghabits,muchofEuropefeltthe
impact of filth upon public health. This lack of personal cleanliness and related unsanitary living
conditionscontributedheavilytothegreatplaguesoftheMiddleAges,andespeciallytotheBlack
Deathofthe14thcentury.

It wasn't until the 17th century that cleanliness and bathing started to come back into fashion in
muchofEurope.

Still,therewereareasofthemedievalworldwherepersonalcleanlinessremainedimportant.Daily
bathingwasacommoncustominJapanduringtheMiddleAges.AndinIceland,poolswarmedwith
waterfromhotspringswerepopulargatheringplacesonSaturdayevenings.

SoapmakingwasanestablishedcraftinEuropebytheseventhcentury.Soapmakerguildsguarded
their trade secrets closely. Vegetable and animal oils were used with ashes of plants, along with
fragrance.Graduallymorevarietiesofsoapbecameavailableforshavingandshampooing,aswellas
bathingandlaundering.

Italy,SpainandFrancewereearlycentresofsoapmanufacturing,duetotheirreadysupplyofraw
materialssuchasoilfromolivetrees.TheEnglishbeganmakingsoapduringthe12thcentury.The
soap business was so good that in 1622, King James I granted a monopoly to a soapmaker for
$100,000 a year. Well into the 19th century, soap was heavily taxed as a luxury item in several
countries. When the high tax was removed, soap became available to ordinary people, and
cleanlinessstandardsimproved.

Amajorsteptowardlargescalecommercialsoapmakingoccurredin1791whenaFrenchchemist,
NicholasLeblanc,patentedaprocessformakingsodaash,orsodiumcarbonate,fromcommonsalt.
Sodaashisthealkaliobtainedfromashesthatcombineswithfattoformsoap.TheLeblancprocess
yieldedquantitiesofgoodquality,inexpensivesodaash.

The science of modern soap making was born some 20 years later with the discovery by Michel
EugeneChevreul,anotherFrenchchemist,ofthechemicalnatureandrelationshipoffats,glycerine
andfattyacids.Hisstudiesestablishedthebasisforbothfatandsoapchemistry.

Alsoimportanttotheadvancementofsoaptechnologywasthemid1800sinventionbytheBelgian
chemist,ErnestSolvay,oftheammoniaprocess,whichusedcommontablesalt,orsodiumchloride,
to make soda ash. Solvay's process further reduced the cost of obtaining this alkali, and increased
boththequalityandquantityofthesodaashavailableformanufacturingsoap.

These scientific discoveries, together with the development of power to operate factories, made
soapmakingoneofNorthAmerica'sfastestgrowingindustriesby1850.Atthesametime,itsbroad
availability changed soap from a luxury item to an everyday necessity. With this widespread use
camethedevelopmentofmildersoapsforbathingandsoapsforuseinthewashingmachinesthat
wereavailabletoconsumersbytheturnofthecentury.

Thechemistryofsoapmanufacturingstayedessentiallythesameuntil1916,whenthefirstsynthetic
detergent was developed in Germany in response to a World War Irelated shortage of fats for
makingsoap.

Knowntodaysimplyasdetergents,syntheticdetergentsarewashingandcleaningproductswithout
soap, "synthesized" or put together chemically from a variety of raw materials. The discovery of
detergents was also drivenby the need fora cleaning agent that,unlike soap,wouldnotcombine
withthemineralsaltsinwatertoformaninsolublesubstanceknownassoapcurd.

HouseholddetergentproductioninNorthAmericabeganintheearly1930s,butdidnotreallytake
offuntilafterWorldWarII.Thewartimeinterruptionoffatandoilsuppliesaswellasthemilitary's
needforacleaningagentthatwouldworkinmineralrichseawaterandincoldwaterhadfurther
stimulatedresearchondetergents.

The first detergents were used chiefly for hand dishwashing and fine fabric laundering. The
breakthroughinthedevelopmentofdetergentsforallpurposelaundryusescamein1946,whenthe
first "built" detergent (containing a surfactant/builder combination) was introduced in the United
States.

The surfactant is a detergent product's basic cleaning ingredient, while the builder helps the
surfactant to work more efficiently. Phosphate compounds used as builders in these detergents
vastlyimprovedperformance,makingthemsuitableforcleaningheavilysoiledlaundry.

By1953,salesofdetergentsintheUnitedStateshadsurpassedthoseofsoap.Nowdetergentshave
all but replaced soapbased products for laundering, dishwashing and household cleaning.
Detergents(aloneorincombinationwithsoap)arealsofoundinmanyofthebarsandliquidsused
forpersonalcleansing.

Since those early achievements in detergent and builder chemistry, new product activity has
continuedtofocusondevelopingcleaningproductsthatareefficientandeasytouse,aswellassafe
forconsumersandfortheenvironment.Here'sasummaryofsomeofthoseinnovations:

1950s
Automaticdishwasherpowders
Liquidlaundry,handdishwashingandallpurposecleaningproducts
Fabricsofteners(rinsecycleadded)
Detergentwithoxygenbleach
1960s
Prewashsoilandstainremovers
Laundrypowderswithenzymes
Enzymepresoaks
1970s
Liquidhandsoaps
Fabricsofteners(sheetsandwashcycleadded)
Multifunctionalproducts(forexample,detergentwithfabricsoftener)
1980s
Detergentsforcoolerwaterwashing
Automaticdishwasherliquids
Concentratedlaundrypowders
1990s
Ultra(superconcentrated)powderandliquiddetergents
Ultrafabricsofteners
Automaticdishwashergels
Laundryandcleaningproductrefills

ProductsandIngredients

Soaps and detergents are essential to personal and public health. Through their ability to loosen
andremovesoilfroma surface,theycontributetogoodpersonalhygiene;reducethepresenceof
germsthatcauseinfectiousdiseases;extendtheusefullifeofclothes,tableware,linens,surfacesand
furnishings;andmakeourhomesandworkplacesmorepleasant.

Soapsanddetergentsfoundinthehomecanbegroupedintofourgeneralcategories:
1. personalcleansing,
2. laundry,
3. dishwashingand
4. householdcleaning.

Withineachcategoryaredifferentproducttypesformulatedwithingredientsselectedtoperforma
broad cleaning function as well as to deliver properties specific to that product. Knowing the
differentproductsandtheiringredientshelpsyouselecttherightproductforthecleaningjob.

Products

PersonalCleansingProducts

PersonalCleaningProductsincludebarsoaps,gels,liquidsoapsandheavydutyhandcleaners.These
products get their cleaning action from soap, other surfactants or a combination of the two. The
choiceofcleaningagenthelpsdeterminetheproduct'slatheringcharacteristics,feelontheskinand
rinsability.
Barsoaps or gels are formulated forcleaningthe hands, face and body.Dependingonthe
other ingredients, they may also moisturize the skin and/or kill or inhibit bacteria that can
cause odour or disease. Specialty bars include transparent/translucent soaps, luxury soaps
andmedicatedsoaps.
Liquidsoaps are formulated forcleaningthe hands or body, and feature skinconditioners.
Some contain antimicrobial agents that kill or inhibit bacteria that can cause odour or
disease.
Heavydutyhandcleanersareavailableasbars,liquids,powdersandpastes.Formulatedfor
removingstubborn,greasydirt,theymayincludeanabrasive.

LaundryDetergents&LaundryAids

LaundryDetergents andLaundryAidsareavailable as liquids, powders,gels, sticks,sprays, pumps,

sheetsand bars.They areformulatedtomeetavarietyofsoiland stainremoval, bleaching,fabric
softening and conditioning, and disinfectant needs under varying water, temperature and use
conditions.

Laundrydetergentsareeithergeneralpurposeorlightduty.Generalpurposedetergentsare
suitableforallwashablefabrics.Liquidsworkbestonoilysoilsandforpretreatingsoilsand
stains. Powders are especially effective in lifting out clay and groundin dirt. Light duty
detergentsareusedforhandormachinewashinglightlysoileditemsanddelicatefabrics.
Laundry aids contribute to the effectiveness of laundry detergents and provide special
functions.
Bleaches(chlorineandoxygen)whitenandbrightenfabricsandhelpremovestubbornstains.
Theyconvertsoilsintocolourless,solubleparticlesthatcanberemovedbydetergentsand
carried away in the wash water. Liquid chlorine bleach (usually in a sodium hypochlorite
solution)canalsodisinfectanddeodorizefabrics.Oxygen(coloursafe)bleachisgentlerand
workssafelyonalmostallwashablefabrics.
Bluingscontainabluedyeorpigmenttakenupbyfabricsinthewashorrinse.Bluingabsorbs
theyellowpartofthelightspectrum,counteractingthenaturalyellowingofmanyfabrics.
Boosters enhance the soil and stain removal, brightening, buffering and water softening
performanceofdetergents.Theyareusedinthewashinadditiontothedetergent.
Enzymepresoaksareusedforsoakingitemsbeforewashingtoremovedifficultstainsand
soils.Whenaddedtothewashwater,theyincreasecleaningpower.
Fabricsofteners,addedtothefinalrinseordryer,makefabricssofterandfluffier;decrease
staticcling,wrinklinganddryingtime;impartapleasingfragranceandmakeironingeasier.
Prewashsoilandstainremoversareusedtopretreatheavilysoiledandstainedgarments,
especiallythosemadefromsyntheticfibres.

Starches,fabricfinishesandsizing,usedinthefinalrinseorafterdrying,givebodytofabrics,
makethemmoresoilresistantandmakeironingeasier.
Water softeners, added to the wash or rinse, inactivate hard water minerals. Since
detergentsaremoreeffectiveinsoftwater,theseproductsincreasecleaningpower.

DishwashingProducts

Dishwashing Products include detergents for hand and machine dishwashing as well as some
specialtyproducts.Theyareavailableasliquids,gels,powdersandsolids.

Hand dishwashing detergents remove food soils, hold soil in suspension and provide long
lastingsudsthatindicatehowmuchcleaningpowerisleftinthewashwater.
Automatic dishwasher detergents, in addition to removing food soils and holding them in
suspension, tie up hardness minerals, emulsify grease and oil, suppress foam caused by
proteinsoilandhelpwatersheetoffdishsurfaces.Theyproducelittleornosudsthatwould
interferewiththewashingactionofthemachine.
Rinse agents are used in addition to the automatic dishwasher detergent to lower surface
tension, thus improving draining of the water from dishes and utensils. Better draining
minimizesspottingandfilmingandenhancesdrying.
Film removers remove buildup of hard water film and cloudiness from dishes and the
interiorofthedishwasher.Theyareusedinsteadofanautomaticdishwasherdetergentina
separatecycleortogetherwiththedetergent.
Lime and rust removers remove deposits of lime and/or rust from the interior of the
dishwasher.Theyareusedwhennodishesorotherdishwasherproductsarepresent.

HouseholdCleaners

Household Cleaners are available as liquids, gels, powders, solids, sheets and pads for use on
painted,plastic,metal,porcelain,glassandothersurfaces,andonwashablefloorcoverings.Because
no single product can provide optimum performance on all surfaces and soils, a broad range of
productshasbeenformulatedtocleanefficientlyandeasily.Whileallpurposecleanersareintended
formoregeneraluse,othersworkbestunderhighlyspecializedconditions.

Allpurpose cleaners penetrate and loosen soil, soften water and prevent soil from
redepositingonthecleanedsurface.Somealsodisinfect.
Abrasive cleansers remove heavy accumulations of soil often found in small areas. The
abrasive action is provided by small mineral or metal particles, fine steel wool, copper or
nylonparticles.Somealsodisinfect.
Specialty cleaners are designed for the soil conditions found on specific surfaces, such as
glass,tile,metal,ovens,carpetsandupholstery,toiletbowlsandindrains.
Glasscleanersloosenanddissolveoilysoilsfoundonglass,anddryquicklywithoutstreaking.
Glassandmultisurfacecleanersremovesoilsfromavarietyofsmoothsurfaces.Theyshine
surfaceswithoutstreaking.
Tub,tileandsinkcleanersremovenormalsoilsfoundonbathroomsurfacesaswellashard
waterdeposits,soapscum,ruststains,and/ormildewandmould.Somealsotreatsurfaces
toretardsoiling;somealsodisinfect.
Metal cleaners remove soils and polish metalware. Tarnish, the oxidation of metal, is the
principal soil found on metalware. Some products also protect cleaned metalware against
rapidretarnishing.
Oven cleaners remove burnedon grease and other food soils from oven walls. These
cleanersarethicksotheproductwillclingtoverticalovensurfaces.

Rug shampoos and upholstery cleaners dissolve oily and greasy soils and hold them in
suspensionforremoval.Somealsotreatsurfacestorepelsoil.
Toiletbowlcleanerspreventorremovestainscausedbyhardwaterandrustdeposits,and
maintainacleanandpleasantsmellingbowl.Someproductsalsodisinfect.
Drain openers unclog kitchen and bathroom drains. They work by producing heat to melt
fats, breaking them down into simpler substances that can be rinsed away, or by oxidizing
hairandothermaterials.Someusebacteriatopreventgreasebuildup,whichleadstodrain
clogging.

Surfactants and builders are the major components of cleaning products. Other ingredients are
added to provide a variety of functions, such as increasing cleaning performance for specific
soils/surfaces,ensuringproductstabilityandsupplyingauniqueidentitytoaproduct.Let'sexamine
howsurfactantsandbuildersworkandthenreviewothercommonlyusedingredients.

CleaningProductChemistry

HowDoCleaningProductsWork?

Understanding the how and why of cleaning product chemistry will help eliminate the guesswork
when choosing the best solution for your cleaning needs. Although seemingly a simple matter,
cleaninginvolvesmanyvariables.Somecanbecontrolled,othersnot.Forthebestresult,weneedto
utilizeasmanyvariablesaspossible.Forbetterunderstandingofcleaningproductchemistrywefirst
needtolookattheproblemofsoilanditsremoval.

Whatissoil?

Soil can be anything foreign to the basic construction of an item, be it carpet or hard flooring.
Examplesofsoilinclude:sand,dirt,hair,foodspills,oil,urineandaneverendinglistofpossibilities.

Most soil is tracked or brought in on peoples shoes, clothes, boxes, or in their hands. Others are
generatedasabyproductofsomeactivitytakingplaceonornearthesoiledfloortype.

Someoftheseactivitiesincludebutarenotlimitedto:
Spillsorcookinggreasefromthekitchen
sootordustfromaheatingorcoolingsystem
petaccidentsandhair
food,cleaningproductsorhealthandbeautyproducts

Soil found in both residential and commercial settings can be classified as either dry particulate
matterorasallother.

Mostsoilisconsidereddryparticulatematter.It'scategorizedasbeingsolidandis:
grittyorabrasive
dust,hairorfibres
consideredinsolubletheycannotbedissolvedineitherwaterorsolvent
Thistypeofsoilismosteasilyremovedbyvacuuming

Theallothertypeofsoiliscategorizedasbeingfluidandis:
fats,oils,greaseandtars
resinsorgums

urineandbodyresidues
industrialorautomotivefumes,soot
dyesorpigments
consideredstickyortohavemoisturecontent
thissoiltypegenerallyneedsmoisture,chemicalsandagitationtobecompletelyremoved

ThistypeofsoilismostlyACIDICbynature.

ForthisreasonmostcleaningproductchemistryisontheAlkalinesideofthepHscale.

Alkalinecleanersneutralizethisacidconditiontoincreasesoilremoval.

Whataretheprinciplesofcleaningsoil?

Theprinciplesofcleaningsoilconsistof4majorsteps.

Step1:DrySoilRemoval
apreliminarystep
bestaccomplishedthroughtheuseofagoodvacuumcleaner
isanintegralpartofanoverallmaintenanceprogram

Step2:SoilSuspension
isthekeyprincipleofcleaningproductchemistry
involvesseparatingthesoilfromthefibersorhardsurfaceforremoval
iswherethemajoreffortofthetechnician,chemicalsandequipmentisapplied

Thefourfundamentalswhichdeterminehowefficientlysoilsuspensionoccursare:
1. Temperature
2. Agitation
3. ChemicalAction
4. Time

WecanusetheacronymT.A.C.T.asawaytorememberthese4fundamentals.

TheT.A.C.Tfundamentalsofcleaningproductchemistryarerepresentedasapiewith4equalslices.

Each cleaning situationdeterminesthesizeof eachpieslice. Anytimeyoudecrease oneofthe pie

slices(fundamentals)youmustincreaseanotherpieslicetokeeptheoverallpie(cleaningefficiency)
aslargeaspossible.

Step3:SoilRemoval
thesuspendedsoilandthecleaningsolutionareremovedfromthecleanedsurface
isaccomplishedbyrinsingpriortodryingaswithawetextractionmethod
isaccomplishedbyvacuumingafterdryingaswithashampooordrypowderprocess
propersoilremovalleavesthesurfaceclean,freshandresiduefree

Manydetergentbasedcleaningproductsleavebehindresidue.

This residue can cause rapid resoiling and lessen the appearance of the cleaned surface not to
mentiontheeffectontheuserorbuildingoccupants.

Step4:Drying
istheprocessofremovingallmoisturefromthecleanedsurface
allowsthecarpetorhardfloorsurfacetoreturntonormalappearanceandtexture
quickdryingtimereducesproblemsrelatedtomildew,resoilingandodor
accomplishedbyairmovementandventilation

DetergentResidue

Whatdoyourcleaningproductsleavebehind?

Doanyofthefollowingapplytoyou?
1. Haveyouevercleanedaspot,whichmysteriouslyreappearsafewdaysorweekslater?
2. Doreappearingspotsturnblackandgrowlarger?
3. Haveyou,oraprofessionalcarpetcleanerevercleanedyourcarpet,whichlooksgreatwhen
cleaned,butshortlythereafter,looksdull,dingyandworsethanbeforeitwascleaned?
4. Dotheareascleanedwithcarpetstainremoversfeelsticky?
5. Areyoureluctanttohaveyourcarpetcleanedbecauseitnever"seemsthesame"orit"loses
something"afterward?

These are common problems associated with the detergent residue some cleaning products leave
behind.

Itbecomesafilmthat'sleftonpracticallyanythingcleanedwithadetergentbasedcleaningproduct.

Nomatterhowoftenrinsed,itsimpossibletocompletelyremove.

Todemonstrate,trythesesimpletests:
1. Place your ready to use cleaning product in a bowl and dip a clear drinking glass into the
solution. Remove the glass and let dry. Whatever cloudiness is seen is film the detergent
basedcleaningproductleftbehind.
2. Takeawasheditemofclothingandplaceinatubofplainwater.Squeezeseveraltimesin
water.Anyfoamorsudsingthatappearsiswhatthedetergentleavesbehind.

Understanding detergent formulation can aid in selecting an alternativecleaning product, namely,
residuefreecleaningproducts.

Whatisadetergentandwhyistheredetergentresidue?

The word detergent means to clean. The most basic form is called soap, which is formed by
combininganimalfatorvegetableoilswithastrongalkaline(highpH).

Inordertoworkproperly,soap:
utilizes "saponification" a processwhereby thesoap's high pH breaksdown thegreasysoil
intosoapforeasierremoval.
willleaveastickydetergentresidueifnotcompletelyrinsed
forms insoluble salts when combined with hard water. This stops any cleaning action and
formssoapscum("ringaroundthetub").

Syntheticdetergentsweredevelopedtocorrectthedrawbackofsoap.Althoughsuperiortosoap,in
that they are less prone to leaving detergent residue and are more stable in hard water, the
downsideincludes:

arelianceonphosphatestowork,whichiswhichisbadfortheenvironment.
requires a high alkaline pH (over 10) to work, which isn't safe for 5th generation or later
nyloncarpet.

These detergents have been reformulated to correct these problems by adding other ingredients,
whicharediscussedbelow.
Detergentsaresolubleinwaterandloveoilysoil.Itsmoleculehastwoends.Oneendloveswater
andtheotherendlovesoil.

When agitation is introduced, the oily soil is loosened from the surface. The detergent molecule
surroundstheoilysoil,whichcanthenbeflushedaway.

Toaidthismolecularprocess,detergent"wettingagents"areaddedtodecreasesurfacetensionand
allowthecleaningchemicalstospreadandpenetratethesurface.

Thedetergentmoleculesurroundsthesoiltoliftor"suspend"itintothecleaningsolution.

Thissuspendedsoiliscalledan"emulsion",meaningonesubstancesuspendedinanother.

Duringtheprocessofemulsion,thefinesoilparticlesarecollectedtogethertoformlargerparticles
makingthesurfacelookcleaner.Thisisknownasagglomeration.Theemulsionprocessalsoprevents
thesoilfrombeingredepositedonthesurface.

Commoningredientsaddedtocarpetandfloordetergentformulationsmayhelptheirperformance,
however, some may contribute to the rapid resoiling associated with detergent residue. These
ingredientsincludebutarenotlimitedto:

Builders:Theyactasawatersoftener.Softwateruseslessdetergentandimprovescleaning.
Keepshardwaterionsfrominterferingwiththeactionofthecleaningsolution.
Buffers:TheyhelpstabilizethepHofadetergentwhendilutingfromconcentrate
EnzymesAreusedtobreakupproteinoroilybasedsoil.Theyneedtimetoworkoptimally.
Foam Modifiers: They tailor the foaming character of the cleaning solution to the cleaning
methodbeingutilized
Perfumes:Conveys"mustbecleanifitsmellsclean"
Optical Brighteners: Used to make light colours appear brighter. May cause yellowing of
somecarpetfibres.

SOLVENTS

Solventsareanothercategoryofchemicals,whicharecapableofdissolvinganothersubstance.

Theseincludewatersolubleandnonwatersoluble.

Both are used for their grease cutting ability. Watersoluble solvents can be added to cleaning
formulations whereas nonwatersoluble solventscannot.Theconcernsofthesetwo solventtypes
are:

Toxicity: Is expressed as the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) and is a standard set for human
exposureinpartspermillionoveran8hourperiod.ThisvalueisdeterminedbytheEPAand
OHSA.

10


Flammability:Thetemperatureatwhichthevapourofasubstancewillignite.Thisisknown
asthe"flashpoint"andismeasuredindegreesFahrenheit.

Wherecancleaningproductinformationbefound?

Often product ingredients and other pertinent information is only vaguely listed on the product
package.

The necessary cleaning product information is listed on a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). The
MSDScontainsthepertinentinformationneededtoevaluatetheproduct.

The information contained in the MSDS is primarily for the occupational user, not the occasional
user.TheMSDScanalerttheusertocleaningproductsthatmaycausecancer.

MSDS should be consulted before using a product. If the desired information is not listed as with
manyoverthecounterproducts,checkwiththeproductmanufacturerforeachproduct'sMSDS.

FundamentalsofSoilSuspension

Temperature,Agitation,ChemicalAction&Time(T.A.C.T.)

The most significant principle in cleaning is soil suspension. This involves separating soil from
whateverneedstobecleanedsothatitcanberemoved.

Fourfundamentals,whichdeterminecleaningefficiencyare:
1. temperature
2. agitation
3. chemicalaction
4. time

TohelprememberthesefundamentalsusetheacronymT.A.C.T

ThefundamentalsofsoilsuspensionareillustratedasapiewitheachT.A.C.T.fundamentalbeingof
equalsize.

11


The size of the overall pie is directly related to cleaning efficiency. In our pie chart, all 4 slices
contributeequallyformaximumcleaningefficiency.

However,intherealworld:
Thesizeofeachpieslicevariesfromcleaningmethodtocleaningmethod.
If you decrease one of the fundamentals you must compensate and increase another
fundamentaltokeeptheoverallpie(cleaningefficiency)aslargeaspossible.

Forinstance:Ifyoudecreasethetemperaturefundamental,youmustcompensatethisimbalanceby
increasing any ofthe other threefundamentals(the amountof agitation,the amountofchemical
action,orthelengthoftime).

Thereversealsoholdstrue.Ifanyoneofthefourfundamentalsisincreased,adecreaseofanother
fundamentalisneededtocompensatefortheimbalance.

HowdotheT.A.C.T.fundamentalsapplytocleaningproducts?

Temperature:
cleaningefficiencyincreasesasthetemperatureincreases
heatmakesmoleculesmovefaster,andthereforecleanmorequickly
generally, hotter is better, however, temperature should be adjusted according to the
cleaningsituation
Agitation:
commonlyknownasscrubbing
achieved through a brush and physical action, water pressure or mechanically assisted
brushes
helpsdistributecleaningagentsformaximumsoilsuspensionandremoval

ChemicalAction:
theprocesswherebythecleaningsolutiondissolves,emulsifiesorloosensthesoilparticles
broadlyclassifiedasnaturalorsynthetic
relatedtothelevelofalkalinityoracidity(pHfactor)ofawaterbasedcleaningsolution

Time:
ameasureofseconds,minutesorhoursfortheotherthreeT.A.C.Tfundamentalstointeract
foroptimumefficiency
can be minimized with the proper use and understanding of the other three T.A.C.T.
fundamentals

All cleaning systems utilizing a "wet" cleaning process have some combination of the T.A.C.T.
fundamentalsofsoilsuspension.

Touseacoldcleaningsolutionwouldrequireanincreaseinagitation,chemicalactionandortime,
(thetemperaturepieslicehasbeendecreased).

To use a cleaning solution without any agitation would require an increase in cleaning solution
temperature, a stronger cleaning chemical and or more time, (the agitation pie slice has been
decreased).

To use a water only cleaning solution would require an increase in cleaning solution temperature,
moreagitationandormoretimetoremovesoil,(thechemicalactionpieslicehasbeendecreased).

12


To minimize time to perform a cleaning task would require an increase in cleaning solution
temperature, more agitation, and or a stronger cleaning product, (the time pie slice has been
decreased).

To maximize the suspension of soil, each T.A.C.T. fundamental needs to be increased as much as
possiblewithoutincurringadversereactionsorsideeffects.

Detergentsandsoapsareusedforcleaningbecausepurewatercan'tremoveoily,organicsoiling.

Soapcleansbyactingasanemulsifier.Basically,soapallowsoilandwatertomixsothatoilygrime
canberemovedduringrinsing.

Detergents were developed in response to the shortage of the animal and vegetable fats used to
makesoapduringWorldWarIandWorldWarII.

Detergentsareprimarilysurfactants,whichcouldbeproducedeasilyfrompetrochemicals.
Surfactantslowerthesurfacetensionofwater,essentiallymakingit'wetter'sothatitislesslikelyto
sticktoitselfandmorelikelytointeractwithoilandgrease.

Moderndetergentscontainmorethansurfactants.Cleaningproductsmayalsocontainenzymesto
degrade proteinbased stains, bleaches to decolour stains and add power to cleaning agents, and
bluedyestocounteryellowing.Likesoaps,detergentshavehydrophobicorwaterhatingmolecular
chainsandhydrophilicorwaterlovingcomponents.

Thehydrophobichydrocarbonsarerepelledbywater,butareattractedtooilandgrease.

Thehydrophilicendofthesamemoleculemeansthatoneendofthemoleculewillbeattractedto
water,whiletheothersideisbindingtooil.Neitherdetergentsnorsoapaccomplishanythingexcept
bindingtothesoiluntilsomemechanicalenergyoragitationisaddedintotheequation.

Swishingthesoapywateraroundallowsthesoapordetergenttopullthegrimeawayfromclothesor
dishesandintothelargerpoolofrinsewater.Rinsingwashesthedetergentandsoilaway.

Warmorhotwatermeltsfatsandoilssothatitiseasierforthesoapordetergenttodissolvethesoil
andpullitawayintotherinsewater.

Detergents are similar to soap, but they are less likely to form films (soap scum) and are not as
affectedbythepresenceofmineralsinwater(hardwater).

Moderndetergentsmaybemadefrompetrochemicalsorfromoleochemicalsderivedfromplants
andanimals.Alkalisandoxidizingagentsarealsochemicalsfoundindetergents.Here'salookatthe
functionsthesemoleculesserve:

Petrochemicals/Oleochemicals
Thesefatsandoilsarehydrocarbonchains,whichareattractedtotheoilyandgreasygrime.
Oxidizers
Sulfurtrioxide,ethyleneoxide, and sulfuric acidareamongthemoleculesusedtoproduce
thehydrophilic componentof surfactants.Oxidizersprovidean energy source forchemical
reactions.Thesehighlyreactivecompoundsalsoactasbleaches.

13


Alkalis
Sodium and potassium hydroxide are used in detergents even as they are used in
soapmaking.Theyprovidepositivelychargedionstopromotechemicalreactions.

SoilTypes

Soilcanbebrokendownintothreebroadcategories:organic,inorganicandcombination.

Organicsoilsencompassabroadrangeandincludefoodsoilssuchasfat,grease,protein,and
carbohydrate,livingmattersuchasmould,yeastandbacteriaandpetroleumsoilssuchasmotoroil,
axlegreaseandcuttingoils.Mostofthetimeorganicsoilsarebestremovedusingalkalinecleaners
Orsolvents.

Inorganicsoilsincluderust,scale,hardwaterdepositsandmineralssuchassand,siltandclay.
Oftentimesacidsareusedtoremoveinorganicdepositssuchasrustandscale.Mineralsareoften
cleanedwithgeneralpurposecleaners.

Combinationsoilsoftenpresentthetoughestchallengeforacleanersincethesoilcontainsboth
organicandinorganiccomponents.Properidentificationiscritical.Mostcombinationsoilsare
removedwithaveryconcentrated,highlybuiltcleanerthatalsocontainssolvent

Detergents,consistofsurfactants,chelatingagentsandbuilders.Surfactantsaredesignedtoremove
dirtfromasoiledsurface.Chelatingagentsandbuildersareaddedtotheformulatokeepwater
hardnessfrominterferingwiththecleaningprocess.

Watermakesupalargepercentageofmostliquidcleanerformulas.Itisnotuncommonforwater
baseddetergentstocontain50%waterormore.Somereadytouseformulationsmaycontainas
muchas90%to95%water!Withthismuchwaterpresentinacleaner,whydotheyworksowell?

Watercanbeconsideredanactiveingredientthatactuallyaddstothedetergencyofcleaners.It
performsseveralveryimportantfunctionsinliquidcleaners.Mostimportantly,itaddstothe
"detergency"ofacleaner.Wateractsasasolventthatbreaksupsoilparticlesafterthesurfactants
reducethesurfacetensionandallowthewatertopenetratesoil(wateriscommonlyreferredtoas
theuniversalsolvent).

Onecanvisualizehowthisworksifyouthinkofyourownclotheswashingmachine.Thinkabout
whatwouldhappenifyouweretoaddacupofdetergenttoyourwasherandwashaloadofclothes
withnootherwateradded.Yourclothescertainlywouldnotcomeoutclean!Waterisnecessaryfor
thelaundrydetergenttoworkproperly.

Wateralsoaidsinthesuspensionandantiredepositingofsoils.Oncethesoilhasbeendissolvedand
emulsifiedawayfromthesurface,wewanttopreventitfrombeingredeposited.

Water keeps the soil suspended away from the clean surface so that it can be carried away easily
during the rinsing process. Without this water, cleaning formulas would be much less effective.

In addition to water, other chemical solvents are often added to cleaners to boost performance.
Compoundssuchas2Butoxyethanol(butyl),isopropylalcohol(rubbingalcohol)anddLimoneneare
allconsideredsolvents.Theirmainfunctionistoliquefygreaseandoilsordissolvesolidsoilintovery
smallparticlessosurfactantscanmorereadilyperformtheirfunction.

14


ACIDITYANDALKALINITYTHEpHScale

Themeasurementofacidityoralkalinityofawaterbasedsolution.

The pH scale in scientific terms is an inverse logarithmic representation of hydrogen proton (H+)
concentration. pH (potential of hydrogen) is a scale measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a water
basedsolution.

The pH of a solution measures the hydrogen ion concentration in that solution. A low pH
correspondstohighhydrogenionconcentrationandahighpH correspondstoalowhydrogenion
concentration.

Ifasubstancewhenaddedtowaterincreasestheconcentrationofhydrogenions(lowersthepH)its
called an acid. If a substance reduces the concentration of hydrogen ions (raises the pH) its called
alkalineorbasic.

Use

chart
1toputthepHscaleintoperspective.Chart1

ForeaseofunderstandingwecanviewthepHscaleasarangeof0to14.
apHof7isneutral
apHlessthan7isacidic
apHgreaterthan7isalkalineorbasic

15


EachwholepHvaluebelow7istentimesmoreacidicthanthenexthighervalue.Forexample,apH
of4istentimesmoreacidicthanapHof5and100times(10times10)moreacidicthanapHof6.

TheclosertopH0yougo,themorestronglyacidicasolutionis.

ThesameholdstrueforpHvaluesabove7,eachofwhichistentimesmorealkalinethanthenext
lowerwholevalue.Forexample,apHof10istentimesmorealkalinethanapHof9.

Whenchemicalsaremixedwithwater,themixturecanbecomeeitheracidicoralkaline.Acidicand
alkaline are two extremes that describe chemicals. Mixing acids and alkalines can even out their
extremeeffects.

Similarly,hotandcoldaretwoextremesthatdescribetemperature.Mixinghotandcoldwatercan
evenoutthewatertemperature.

Chart2showscommonsubstancesinrelationtothepHrange.

Chart2

16


Asubstancethatisneitheracidicnoralkaline(basic)isneutral.Purewaterisneutral,withapHof
7.0.

Vinegarandlemonjuiceareacidicsubstances,whilelaundrydetergentsandammoniaarebasic.

HowdoesthepHscaleapplytocleaningproducts?

ThepHofacleaningproductdoesnotsignifycleaningperformanceorstrength.Itsimplyindicates
theconcentrationofhydrogenorhydroxideions.

The pH reading measures "intensity" not capacity. pH indicates the concentration of acidity or
alkalinityinthesamewaytemperaturetellshowhotorcoldsomethingis,nothowmuchheatthe
substancecancarry.

Forinstance,theperformanceofacleaningproductcannotbedeterminedsimplybyknowingthepH
oftheproduct.AcommonmisconceptionaboutcleaningproductssuggeststhatahigherpHmeans
superiorcleaning.

Whatreallyhappensincleaningisthatoneisattemptingto"neutralize"theimpactoftheacidicor
thealkalineions.

Whenasurfacerequirescleaning,theselectionanduseofthepropercleaningproductresultsinthe
surfacebeingcleanedorneutralized.

Mostsoilsareacidicinnaturethereforeitisdesirabletoformulatecleaningagentsonthealkaline
sideofthepHscale.

Alkalinedetergentsneutralizeacidsoil,allowingthecleanertoproducemoreefficientandeffective
results.

Understanding the importance of pH is critical in the proper selection of cleaning products for a
particularjob.

Forinstance,peturine,whenexcreted,hasapHontheacidicsideofthescale.Asitbeginstodry,
thepHchangestoanalkaline.Tocleanwithanalkalinebaseddetergentwouldhavelittleeffecton
neutralizingtheurine.

AcleaningproductontheacidicsideofthepHscalewouldbeutilizedtoneutralizetheurine.

HowcanthepHofasubstancebeknown?

ForaccuratepHvaluereadings,wecantestaspotinquestionwithHydrionpaperorpHstrips.The
spottobetestedismoistenedwithdistilledwater(neutral,whichispH7)andblottedwiththetest
papertogiveareading.

Once the pH has been determined, a cleaning product can be chosen which is best suited to
neutralizetheoffendingspot.

ProductDilutionforSpecificEndUses

17


ItisimportanttoreadtheproductlabelsandMSDSasthesecontainimportantinformationthatis
specifictotheproductinuse.Thesematerialsarealsoagoodgeneralguidetotheratiobetween
theamountsofchemicalsolutionusedinproportiontotheamountofwaterused.

Manycleaningproductscanbeusedforavarietyofpurposesdependingupontheconcentrationof
the chemical when mixed with water. Generally the usage labels on the back of the product will
provideaguide.Pleaseseethelabelsbelow:

18


Thelabelshowsthesuggesteddilutionratesforthisproduct(KitchenCleaner&Degreaser).

Theratesinthisinstanceare:
Lightsoil1:80withcoldwater(thatis,onepartcleaningsolutionwith80partswater)
LightSoil1:40withwarmwater(onepartcleaningsolutionto40partswarmwater)
Heavysoil1:20withwarmtohotwater(onepartcleaningsolutionwith20partswater)

TomoveheavysoilinthisinstancerequiresahigherconcentrationofChemicals(cleaningsolution)
andwarmtohotwater,buttime&agitationarealsoimportantTemperature,Agitation,Chemical
&Time.

19