Big Word Alert

It is impossible to talk about cleaning chemicals in any real detail without first explaining some commonly used terms around their ingredients and actions.

Knowing how and why your cleaning chemicals are supposed to work is essential to making sure you use the right chemical for the right task.

So if you see a word on our website or on one of our chemicals, and you’re not quite sure what it means, consult this list and hopefully a little more clarity can be yours…or feel free to give us a call!

Glossary of Terms

Acidic – An acid is a compound capable of donating a hydrogen molecule in nature. An acid will react with a basic compound, ie to form a salt and water. Acidic cleaning agents are mainly used for removal of inorganic deposits, like scaling. Hydrochloric acid is a common mineral acid typically used for concrete. Vinegar can also be used to clean hard surfaces and remove calcium deposits. Sulphuric acid is used in acidic drain cleaners to unblock clogged pipes by dissolving greases, proteins, and even carbohydrate-containing substances such as toilet tissue.

Alkaline – Alkaline cleaning agents contain strong bases like sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Bleach (pH 12) and ammonia (pH 11) are common alkaline cleaning agents. Often, dispersants (to prevent re-deposition of dissolved dirt) and chelants (to attack rust) are added to the alkaline agent. Alkaline cleaners can dissolve fats (including grease), oils, and protein-based substances.
Ammonia – Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH₃. A solution of NH₃ in water is used as a general purpose cleaner for many surfaces. Because ammonia results in a relatively streak-free shine, one of its most common uses is to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel. It is also frequently used for cleaning ovens and soaking items to loosen baked-on grime.

Antiseptic – Antiseptic(s) are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction.
Basic – A Base is a compound that accepts protons from any donor. Bases have a pH >7.
Caustic – The shortened name for sodium hydroxide. It is a highly basic substance that dissolves proteins at ambient temperatures. This means that caustic can dissolve grease, fats, oils and protein based deposits. This also means that it can be quite hazardous.
Chlorine – The most common ingredient in most bleaches. Chlorine based bleaches serve to remove stains and kill bacteria. The concentration of chlorine-based bleaches is often expressed as percent active chlorine, where one gram of a 100% active chlorine bleach has the same bleaching power as one gram of chlorine. These bleaches can react with other common household chemicals like vinegar or ammonia to produce toxic gases. Labels on sodium hypochlorite bleach warn about these interactions.
Corrosive – Corrosion is a natural process which converts a refined metal to a more chemically-stable form, such as its oxide, hydroxide, or sulfide. It is the gradual destruction of materials (usually metals) by chemical and/or electrochemical reaction with their environment. If a chemical is corrosive, then it means it has the ability to damage and destroy metal pots, pans, equipment and bench tops.
Degreaser – Cleaning agents specially made for removal of grease are called degreasers. These may be solvent-based or solvent-containing and metamorphic.
Descaler – A descaler is a chemical substance used to remove limescale from metal surfaces in contact with hot water, such as in boilers, water heaters, and kettles. Descaling agents are typically acidic compounds, such as hydrochloric acid, that react with the alkaline carbonate compounds present in the scale, producing carbon dioxide gas and a soluble salt.
Detergent – A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with cleaning properties in dilute solutions.
Disinfectant – Disinfectants are antimicrobial agents that are applied to the surface of non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living on the objects.
Emulsifier – An emulsifier is a substance that stabilises an emulsion (a mixture of two substances that do not usually mix) by increasing its kinetic energy.
Enzymes – Enzymes are macromolecular biological catalysts. Enzymes accelerate chemical reactions. They mean that a chemical reaction will result in a greater yield in the same given time.
Neutral – A solution with a pH of 7. Pure water has a pH of 7.
Oxygen bleach – Actually refers to a chemical called sodium percarbonate. As an oxidizing agent, sodium percarbonate is an ingredient in a number of home and laundry cleaning products, Dissolved in water, it yields a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (which eventually decomposes to water and oxygen) and sodium carbonate (“soda ash”). Generally, oxygen bleaches are considered gentler than chlorine bleaches
pH – In chemistry, pH (potential of hydrogen) is a numeric scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. It is the negative of the logarithm to base 10 of the activity of the hydrogen ion. Solutions with a pH < 7 are acidic and solutions with a pH > 7 are basic. Pure water is neutral, at pH 7, being neither an acid nor a base.
Quats – Short for quaternary ammonium cations. Quats are used as antimicrobials. They are good against fungi, amoebae, and enveloped viruses. Quaternary ammonium compounds are cationic detergents, as well as disinfectants, and as such can be used to remove organic material.

Solvent – A solvent is a substance that dissolves a solute resulting in a solution. This is, if you put a teaspoon of sugar into a glass of water, the water is the solvent and the sugar is the solute. The sugary drink is the solution.
Surfactant – Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids, or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants that work with water generally have two ends, a hydrophobic end (water hating) and a hydrophyllic end (water loving). This allows one end to bind to the oil molecule, and the other end to join to a water molecule. This facilitates the removal of grease from whatever surface it is on (plates, cookware, benchtops, floors).

If you are really into lists, or would like further clarification around something on a chemical bottle, please contact your rep or call us on (02) 9052 9111.