What Are Aqueous Parts Cleaning Solutions?

Aqueous parts cleaning solutions, or detergents, are an efficient way to remove dirt, grease, oil, and other grime from your industrial components. Alkaline, acidic, or neutral cleaners can all remove matter, organic or inorganic, like scale or rust, with a water-based cleanser.

How do Aqueous Parts Cleaning Solutions work? 

BE’s detergents contain surfactants, or surfactant molecules, which are dual-acting. In sum, they break up the surface tension of their solution, allowing the cleaning solution to uniformly reach all nooks and crannies to ensure a thoroughly cleaned component. Equally important, the other half of our dual-acting detergents are their hydrophilic and hydrophobic, or separation, properties. Due to its water-repelling properties, the hydrophobic molecules attach to soils, weighing them down to easily remove grime, dirt, and oils from your washer.  

What Detergent is the Best Choice for Industrial Part Cleaning Machines? 

Affinity should be your primary consideration when determining which aqueous parts cleaning solution is right for you. Your cleaning solutions must be compatible with your part, from metal to plastics. Otherwise, you risk corrosion or damage to the surface of your parts. Industrial cleaners and degreasers are essential to industrial processes and ensure your components are properly maintained. Degreasing and cleaning solutions come in various concentrations and span from neutral to alkaline. 

Acidic Degreasing & Cleaning Solutions (pH 1-6)

A pH of 1-6 characterizes acidic degreasing solutions, which are aggressive, and used for surface treatments. They are ideal for descaling, derusting, and brightening reactive metals. Overall, the pH level of the aqueous parts cleaner, concentration, amount of contamination, and the wetting agents involved all determine the level of cleanliness of your parts.  

Acidic cleaners are great for industrial use, but you should carefully evaluate whether this type of solution is right for you. 

Neutral Cleaning Solutions (pH 7)

Neutral solutions are gentle on products and guarantee softer metals and alloys are free from corrosion after cleaning and free of residue. These cleaners have a pH of 7 and are more commonly used for reactive metals such as aluminum and magnesium and require a wetting agent for practical use. 

Alkaline Degreasing & Cleaning Solutions (pH 8-14) 

Alkaline cleaning solutions, on the other hand, are more common for industrial parts cleaning. These solutions range in pH from 8 to 14 and are highly effective against organic residue since most soils are acidic. Their pH makes alkaline cleaning solutions ideal for difficult-to-remove, heavy contaminants like oils, waxes, dirt, and grease. 

Some alkaline cleaners can etch or harm your metals when used at higher ranges, requiring a thorough rinse to eliminate the opportunity for the dried residue to stain or damage the surface of your product. For this reason, you should also consider free-rinsing cleaners when determining which solution is right for you.  

Why do industrial part cleaning detergents need to be eco-friendly?

• Health and safety: Traditional industrial part cleaning detergents often contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to human health and the environment. Better Engineering’s eco-friendly detergent, on the other hand, are made with non-toxic ingredients that are safe for people and the planet.
• Water quality: Traditional industrial part-washing detergents can pollute waterways and contribute to smog formation. Better Engineering’s eco-friendly detergent are biodegradable and break down quickly in the environment, so they don’t pose a threat to water quality.
• Support sustainable manufacturing: Eco-friendly detergents reduce the environmental impact of industrial cleaning. Traditional industrial machines often contain harmful chemicals that can pollute the air, water, and soil. Better Engineering’s eco-friendly detergents are made with non-toxic ingredients that are biodegradable and less likely to harm the environment.
• Cost savings: Better Engineering’s eco-friendly detergent are more cost-effective than traditional detergents. This is because they don’t require as much water to use, and they don’t need to be replaced as often.

In addition to these environmental and health benefits, eco-friendly industrial part cleaning detergent can also improve the quality of the cleaned parts. This is because they are less likely to leave behind residue or damage the parts.

Here are some additional benefits of using eco-friendly industrial part cleaning detergents:

• They are less likely to cause allergic reactions.
• They are less likely to damage sensitive equipment.

What Sets Better Engineering’s Cleaning Detergent Apart? 

Better Engineering’s proprietary aqueous parts cleaning solution formulas ensure that your parts are free from oils, soils, and greases that will cause errors and finish coating failures. They are formulated specifically for your use and ensure your components meet your cleanliness standards. 

Benefits of BE’s Detergents:  

• Lower pH. Low pHs ensure your products remain intact after use, without damage to the finish or surface of your products.  
• Low foaming. A low foaming detergent is imperative for your washer to avoid bubbles overflowing when operating.  
• Oil separation. Surfactants force oils onto the surface for easy skimming.  
• Rust inhibition. Our rust inhibition is two-fold. It prevents your components from rusting, but when used with our aluminum (non-steel) washers, it helps maintain the finish and delay rusting of your industrial washer.  
• Safe for use. BE’s detergents are safe for human use and offer the most safety. They are biodegradable, contain no VOCs, are non-flammable, and are non-hazardous.  

Need more information? Consult the tech bulletin or Safety Data Sheets for each cleaning solutio