What is an industrial degreaser?

These chemicals are used in industrial settings such as factories, plants, and warehouses, to remove oil contaminants and grease from surfaces such as various types of flooring and heavy machinery. Degreasers remove any oily substances and of course grease, from the surface. What you should know though, is that there are a few different types of degreaser out there, and it’s up to you to figure out which is the best one for the job. There’s also the question of why you should use a degreaser compared to other cleaning products and this guide will give you the lowdown on everything you need to know about industrial degreasers, and how to choose which one is  best for you.

Why do I need a degreaser?

If you let too much grease build up on your machinery or flooring, it can over time cause corrosion, slipping hazards, overheating and increase electrical resistance in certain contact areas. Those, among a plethora of other issues, means there’s a lot at stake if you’re not using a degreaser.

What should I consider when choosing a degreaser?

There are a lot of factors that you should consider when it comes to picking a degreaser, as some will be more suited to certain environments and certain things you’ll be cleaning than others. For instance, some degreasers are often very flammable due to some alcohols and hydrocarbon solvents that are contained within them. The dielectric strength is also important. If you plan to clean powered equipment or machines, or you need to switch it on before the solvent has flashed off, this is a factor that should be considered. Does your equipment have plastic or rubber components? Check degreasers for how compatible they are with these surfaces too. Of course, remember how toxic degreasers can be. Check them for N-Propyl Bromide (nPB), Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Perchloroethylene (Perc) which are all very highly toxic chemicals, all commonly used in degreasers. Take care when using them and don’t forget, this information will also help you decide on the correct PPE to wear while using them!

Finally, always remember that degreasers are best at removing any organic matter from surfaces, so that’s things like fats, oils, and proteins. As a result, degreasers usually have a higher PH or in other words they are more alkaline than other types of cleaners. Our Fleetclean Ultrascrub is a great example of an alkaline degreaser that delivers a more effective cleaning solution of these specific types of stain. This product is also great for cleaning surfaces without the risk of causing fading or etching, which can happen with some degreasers which you may find in stores or online, so it’s always worth double checking if this is the case or not when picking which degreaser to use.

What is the best way to use a degreaser?

Degreasers generally work well when they are used manually. Using aerosols and trigger spray bottles are undoubtedly the most common and straightforward way to apply degreased for manual use. You could use soaking as a method for applying your degreaser as well, this is a method where you would leave small components in a container full of degreaser for some time, remove them, and then use wipes and brushes to get rid of any dirt with ease.

You could also use a Batch washer with a degreaser. This is where you would put stationary components in a rack or run on a conveyor, and the degreasing agent is sprayed over the parts. It all depends on what industry you work in and what you need degreaser for as to which method is best for you.

It may be that you don’t need to degrease a machine at all, but you need to degrease a floor instead. In that case, we’d recommend our Fleetclean power scrub, which is a degreaser based on natural citrus oils and blended with low foam detergents. It is designed for use in our range of floor scrubbing machines and it is the perfect choice for safely and effectively cleaning marble, terrazzo, concrete, and tiled floors.

We sell the toughest industrial degreasers and other specialist cleaning equipment on our website and if you have any questions regarding industrial degreasers or any other related topics, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our cleaning experts today..

Traffic Film Removers (TFR) are a chemical that is formulated to break down dirt easily and swiftly, that a regular car shampoo would usually struggle to shift. A traffic film remover is designed to remove road grime without damaging the paintwork or mechanical parts of a vehicle. As you’re driving, a vehicle is likely to pick up a thin layer of grit, dirt and oil which can be quite difficult to scrub off with anything else. A good TFR will easily break down this grime and remove it, often without much effort on your part.

How to use a TFR

So how do you use TFRs? Well first and foremost, you’re going to want to pick the right one for you. Entry point wise, we’d recommend a non-caustic traffic film remover that will not corrode or burn the surface it is used on. Non-caustic traffic film removers like ours can be used through a power washer, applied with a snow foaming bottle, or applied directly to a surface if diluted down. It’s strong cleaning capabilities mean that you won’t have to put in much physical effort at all to remove the dirt and grime and it does not leave a residue if removed quickly.

Key points to remember

A TFR will loosen any grease and dirt, but it is recommended you use a brush and water as soon as possible to get rid of any leftover residue. It is also recommended not to use and clean with TFRs in hot weather or direct sunlight. If you must do this however, make sure you wash off as quickly as you can.

You shouldn’t use a TRF too regularly either. It is recommended to be used every few months or so. If you use traffic film removers too much,  they can fade vehicle paintwork. If the vehicle has been waxed recently, some removers can remove the wax too, so make sure you space out your cleans depending on your vehicle upkeep routine. It’s worth noting that a traffic film remover can’t clean everything. Lots of mud, dead flies for example, are a lot more resistant to TFRs, so be warned of this before you make a purchase – they won’t work!

Safety

Safety wise, traffic film removers are relatively safe, but it is important to acknowledge that this is a chemical, so expect a mixture of metasilicates and caustic within them. The higher the level of concentrate the greater risk of irritation to you. If you’re a home user, a pre-diluted mix would be recommended. If you’re a professional however, any strength should be safe, but remember to  follow appropriate precautions when handling chemicals, in accordance with COSHH regulations.

What do we supply?

Along with our non-caustic TFR as mentioned, we also have our Fleetclean 3000 and Fleetclean 4000 TFRs that work just as well to clean dirt from your vehicle, You can get them in bulk from our website, with a special buy one get one free offer if you buy four cans. Of course, we have a whole range of different cleaning chemicals to browse, so visit our chemicals store page to find out more.

It’s sad news in the world of industrial and commercial cleaning at the moment as one of the key businesses in the local area, Ankef has made the decision to close its doors. Here at Fleetclean, we’ve known Ankef for a long time. They’re based not too far from us, in Normantan, West Yorkshire and since their incorporation in 2005, they’ve been providing cleaning equipment, servicing and support to their customers, in much the same way as we do.

Like us, Ankef have seen their business change over the years. Our customers, typically commercial and industrial businesses, have seen their operating costs increase and this has meant a greater focus on keeping their overheads down wherever possible. As a result, many more customers have transitioned to longer term, more cost-effective lease agreements for their cleaning equipment and it’s easy to see why.

Leasing cleaning equipment for the long term means you have all the benefits of essentially “owning” that machine: it’s on site 24/7 ready to use, but without the expensive, up-front costs of purchasing it. Instead, the costs are spread out over your hire term, making it much more manageable and you don’t have to worry about costly repairs either. Most hire agreements like ours here at Fleetclean offer repairs and servicing as part of the deal, so can rest assured your equipment is in tip top condition, without costing you an arm and a leg.

This transition towards more long term lease agreements hasn’t been without it’s challenges for us though. It’s meant that as a business, we’ve needed to increase our stock of cleaning equipment to support those longer-term lease agreements. We’ve had to grow our equipment maintenance, servicing and training teams so we can support a more invested customer base and we’ve had to diversify our range of cleaning equipment too. What was the cleaning machine of choice 15 years ago, is not the cleaning machine of choice today, especially with the rising popularity of greener and more environmentally friendly cleaning solutions – something we’re very invested in here at Fleetclean as you’ll know if you’ve read about our recent work with bio sludge!

All in all, this has mean business like us and Ankef have had to adapt over the years, grow our teams and invest in more equipment and more space and the sad thing is, that’s not easy! Throw in almost two years with the country in lock down and greater hesitancy among business in general to spend their hard-earned cash and it’s easy to see why previously successful business are starting to struggle. Luckily for us, we recognised the changes many years ago and find ourselves in a position to help more and more businesses with their cleaning equipment needs. We’re specialising in more and more bespoke cleaning solutions and of course, those more environmentally friendly options. If you’re interested in cleaning equipment hire for your business, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

When it comes to cleaning, it’s important to know which is the right cleaning solution for the job. To do that, you first need to know what the four main types of cleaning solutions are, and that’s exactly what we’re discussing in this latest blog post. While there are many different cleaning products on the market, from a wealth of different brands, all cleaning solutions essentially fall into one of four main groups: detergents, degreasers, acids, and abrasives.

Detergents: what are they are where can you use them?

Detergents are man made cleaning solutions and they require liquid, most commonly water, in order to work. They are surfactants that lower the surface tension of the water, basically making the water “wetter” so that it’s more likely to interact with oil and grease. They do require either mechanical energy or agitation to pull the grime away once the detergent has bound with the oil or grease. For commercial or industrial cleaning projects, our range of floor cleaning equipment is designed with different brush and cleaning heads to provide this agitation when used with our detergents.

Detergents are great for emulsifying oils (allowing water and oils to mix), holding dirt in suspension, and given the liquid element, using as wetting agents. They are very versatile cleaning products than come in either gel, liquid, powder, or occasionally crystal form but be warned, there are some areas where a detergent might not be the best cleaning solution for the job. They should not be used on surfaces like hardwood flooring, mirrored surfaces or natural surfaces like silk and leather. At Fleetclean we offer a tried and tested range of detergents ideal for removing traffic film through our high pressure cleaners, including our Fleetclean 3000 and 4000 TFR Detergent.

Degreasers: what are they and where can you use them?

Degreasers are the perfect choice for removing organic matter like fats, oils, and proteins. That’s why many kitchen cleaning products are often sold as degreasers. Typically, degreasers have a higher PH or in other words they are more alkaline, like our Fleetclean Ultrascrub, allowing them to effectively cut through these types of stain. They are also great for cleaning surfaces without the risk of causing fading or etching.

Our Fleetclean power scrub is a degreaser based on natural citrus oils and blended with low foam detergents. It is designed for use in our range of floor scrubbing machines and it is the perfect choice for safely and effectively cleaning marble, terrazzo, concrete and tiled floors.

Acids: what are they and where can you use them?

An acid is a cleaning solution that has a PH of six or lower and they can range from relatively mild, to very strong. Acids are great for breaking down things like rust, mineral deposits, and certain types of mould. While mild acids can be used in a wide range of cleaning environments, stronger acidic cleaners should be used with caution and of course the right protective clothing and equipment. Acids can also cause damage to the surface being cleaned if they’re not used correctly, so it is vital to read the instructions before using any type of acidic cleaner to avoid mistakes.

Abrasives: what are they and where can you use them?

Whilst we are all familiar with abrasive cleaning agents like cream cleaners in our home environments, when it comes to commercial and industrial applications the abrasive element will usually be introduced to the job in a physical way via the machinery being used. For example, our range of scrubbing machines can be fitted with various different types of brushes or abrasive pads. These can also be fitted to high-speed burnishers to remove the top of, say, marble flooring, prior to repolishing.

Another accepted method of wet abrasive cleaning is the introduction of silica sand to the high-pressure water stream from a pressure washer using a sandblasting attachment. More specialised equipment can see the introduction of ice being used as the abrasive element where a more standard approach cannot be employed.

Please remember, it is very important to handle any cleaning agents carefully and safely. Exposure to some cleaning chemicals can lead to things like skin irritations so always ensure you follow any instructions on the label, wear the right protective clothing and if in doubt, speak to cleaning experts like us here at Fleetclean.

Here at Fleetclean we are very familiar with customers presenting us with unique cleaning problems, quite often with stains, product and detergents having to be taken into account, along with reducing manual inputs and efficiencies. This week’s problem solving opportunity took us to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire where our customer required a modern cleaning solution in their brand new site, cleaning IBCs used in the production of their popular food supplement.

Emissions and water usage were the forefront of this project. As the site isn’t connected to mains drainage, all waste must be transported off site at a cost so water usage was paramount – without compromising wash performance.

The solution?

Our electrically heated high pressure cleaner ensures that 80⁰c 200 bar hot water is readily available, whilst maintaining a green, low carbon footprint and zero emissions. With the soaring costs of fossil fuels, our electrically heated solution is not only economically effective, it also negates the need for fuel storage on site along with any COSHH red tape that comes with it.

Paired with our FC30 tank cleaning head, chosen specifically for its quick cleaning time, full 360⁰ internal tank coverage in just 3 minutes means minimal water use with maximum wash performance. In addition the custom built timer remote control unit ensures that the cleaning head can be started by the operator and then left to complete a wash cycle unattended without fear of being forgotten about, wasting water and energy whilst a key controlled override can allow for uninterrupted cleaning.

Built in our workshop and installed within the day at the prepared site allowed for our engineers to commission and carry out the operator training that the customer required to make sure the equipment is put straight to use.

Go GREEN with Fleetclean, ask about our range of electrically heated equipment and put us to the test to create a solution to your cleaning challenges!