You have a stain on your carpet. You go to the store, confident that finding the right cleaner will be a cakewalk — when suddenly you're met with aisle upon aisle of cleaning products. If picking out the right cleaner for your own home is difficult, picking out the correct cleaner for your business can only be harder. How can you determine which is the correct cleaner for your business’s needs? While many businesses rely on chlorinated cleaners, they are often too corrosive and harmful. Alkaline cleaners, on the other hand, are blended with a variety of other chemicals to clean, remove, neutralize, saponify, and/or sequester dirt and grime. The benefits of Orlando ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s alkaline cleaners are their cost, ease of disposal, and overall efficiency in cleaning a variety of products and surfaces.

Surfactants
Removing contaminants from metal surfaces keeps equipment running smoothly and efficiently. Alkaline cleaners quickly wash away any grime and grit from machine parts, especially when heat acts as a catalyst. Working double-duty, surfactant molecules have one hydrophilic end and one hydrophobic end. This chemical design creates an emulsion of water and oil. As the two separate, the oil is effortlessly washed away.

Alkaline Salts
Working as alkaline building blocks, many cleaners blend carbonates, caustic soda or caustic potash, phosphates, or silicates into their formulas to raise the pH level of the cleaner. Because each of these alkaline salts affects pH differently, their uses vary.

• Caustic alkaline salts: Caustic alkaline salts saponify fats and disperse oils as they neutralize acidic contaminants. With an average pH of 13, they are highly alkaline. Corrosion protectants, rust inhibitors, and waxes benefit from the addition of caustic alkaline salts to work rapidly.

• Silicates: Silicates offer medium alkalinity (pH 11-12.5) as they react much like a detergent, and are effective on soft metals.

• Phosphates: Phosphates range from 9.5 to 11.5 on the pH scale. Their lower pH creates a better acting detergent as they sequester water ions that normally interfere with cleaning.

• Carbonates: These are considered mild alkaline cleaners with a small pH range of 9 to 9.5. Carbonates are most often used as buffers or neutralizers for acidic contaminants. Water-soluble coolants are easily removed with carbonates. 

Bell Chem, Orlando’s ingredient supplier, is based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including a wide array of alkaline cleaners. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355).