Industrial Degreasers: Everything You Need To Know

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..