Cleaning agent

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Cleaning agents are substances, usually liquids, powders, sprays, or granules,that are used to remove dirt, including dust, stains, bad smells, and clutter onsurfaces. Purposes of cleaning agents include health, beauty, absence ofoffensive odor, avoidance of shame, and avoiding the spreading of dirt andcontaminants to oneself and others. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria andclean at the same time.

Contents [hide] 1 Types

1.1 Acidic1.2 Alkaline1.3 Neutral1.4 Degreaser

2 Common cleaning agents3 See also4 References

Types [edit]Cleaning agents normally water solutions that might be acidic, alkaline, orneutral, depending on the use. Cleaning agents may also be solvent-based orsolvent-containing and are then called degreasers.[1][2]

Acidic [edit]Acidic washing agents are mainly used for removal of inorganic deposits likescaling. The active ingredients are normally strong mineral acids and chelants.Often, there are added surfactants and corrosion inhibitors. One commonmineral acid is Hydrochloric Acid, (also called Muriatic Acid), is typically used forcleaning swimming pools and concrete. Vinegar can also be used to clean hardsurfaces, and aid in the removal of calcium deposit buildup. Sulfuric acid isadded into domestic acidic drain cleaners to unblock clogged pipes bydissolving greases, proteins and even carbohydrate-containing substances (liketissue paper).

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Alkaline [edit]Alkaline washing agents contain strong bases like sodium hydroxide and/orpotassium hydroxide. The alkali also dissolves grease, oils, fats, and protein-based deposits. Often there are added dispersing agents to preventredeposition of dissolved dirt and/or chelants to attack rust on metal parts.Bleach (pH 12) and Ammonia (pH 11) are also common Alkaline cleaningagents. While many people believe that mixing cleaning agents together willcreate a compound that is more powerful, this is false. Mixing cleaning agentssuch as bleach and ammonia together can be dangerous or fatal .

Neutral [edit]Neutral washing agents are pH-neutral and based on non-ionic surfactants thatdisperse different types of dirt.

Degreaser [edit]Cleaning agents specially made for removal of grease are called degreasers.These may be solvent-based or solvent-containing and may also havesurfactants as active ingredients. The solvents have a dissolving action ongrease and similar dirt. The solvent-containing degreaser may have an alkalinewashing agent added to a solvent to promote further degreasing. Degreasingagents may also be made solvent-free based on alkaline chemicals and/orsurfactants.

Common cleaning agents [edit]1. Water, the most common cleaning agent, which is a very powerful polar

solvent2. Carbon tetrachloride (former)3. Ammonia4. Borax5. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)6. Carbon dioxide7. Calcium hypochlorite8. Cyanuric acid (former)9. Chromic acid

10. Ethanol or methanol (only in solutions)11. Various forms of alcohol12. Various chlorine compounds13. Acetic acid (vinegar)14. Trisodium phosphate15. Sodium percarbonate16. Sodium perborate17. Coke[disambiguation needed]

See also [edit]

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This page was last modified on 3 April 2015, at 13:31.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia is a registered trademarkof the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

DetergentParts cleaningWashingParts washerPanel edge stainingGreen cleaning

References [edit]1. ^ Wisniewski, Karen (2007). "All-Purpose Cleaners and their Formulation". In

Tsoler, Uri. Handbook of detergents, Part 2. Surfactant science series. CRCPress. ISBN 978-1-57444-757-6.

2. ^ "Cleaning agent" . Access Maids. Retrieved 28 November 2014.

Categories: Cleaning products

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Types[edit]LanguagesAcidic[edit]Alkaline[edit]Neutral[edit]Degreaser[edit]

Common cleaning agents[edit]See also[edit]References[edit]