Buying Commercial Degreasers: Tips For Refining Product Selection

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Degreaser is one of the most widely used categories of commercial solvents. That’s why there are literally thousands of degreaser solutions you could buy. While having a wide range of options is never a bad thing when it comes to solvent selection, all of the choices eventually have to be narrowed down to one. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some helpful criteria that your company or organization can use to narrow the search for commercial degreasers.

Solvent Grade

Degreasers tend be formulated with three types of end users in mind: industrial users, commercial users, and residential users. Because commercial degreasers tend to deliver more cleaning power by volume than residential grade degreasers that are used in the home, make sure that your search only focuses on commercial grade degreasing solutions.

Degreasing Application

If you need a degreaser for a specific type of degreasing operation, such as degreasing energized motors, this can also help you refine your choice. For example, for cleaning an energized motor, you would ideally want a degreaser that is non-flammable (i.e., no flashpoint), has a dielectric formulation, evaporates quickly, and leaves behind no residue.

VOC Content

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be “organic”, but this doesn’t mean that they’re safe to use in large quantities. Commercial degreasers that have high VOC content can cause short-term and chronic health problems due to incidental and prolonged exposure, respectively. Avoiding high VOC content helps workers stay healthy, and thus supports business productivity.

EPA Measures

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to regulate the large-scale use of hazardous chemicals, announcing upcoming regulations well in advance, so companies and organizations have time to phase out dangerous chemicals. If a degreaser contains a chemical that’s slated to be regulated by the EPA, be sure to remove it from your list of solvent options.

Container Options

In what types of containers do you need a commercial degreasers: aerosol, hand wipes, spray bottles, etc.? In addition, what size of container do you need (aerosol bottles or large, aerosol cylinders, for example)? If a supplier doesn’t offer commercial degreasers in the types of containers you need, it provides another way to narrow your options and choose the best.

Custom Formulation

If after days of searching online for readymade commercial degreasers, you simply can’t find a solution that meets all of your requirements, you may be in the market for custom formulated degreasers. Unlike readymade solvents that are formulated to meet a wide variety of solvent needs, custom blended solvents are designed to meet the specific needs of a single customer.

Shopping For Commercial Degreasers?

Whether you need an eco friendly commercial degreaser for general cleaning applications, specific degreasing operations, or both, Ecolink can supply the solution you need, and provide it in a formulation that minimizes negative impact to your workers and the environment. For assistance selecting the right commercial degreaser for your cleaning requirements and safety needs, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website.

 

4 Steps to Choosing Safe Degreasing Agents

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The safety profile of a degreaser can be interpreted in several ways. In this entry, we take a look at four of the most important ways to assess whether a degreaser is “safe” for your degreasing operations, and where the operations take place: how the solvent is applied, its flashpoint, the density of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the solvent, and solvent-associated safety measures that are already in place in the environment where degreasing solvents are applied.

  1. Consider Solvent Application

The first step in choosing safe degreasing agents is identifying degreasers that are formulated to be used for your specific degreasing applications. For example, if you need to degrease energized electrical equipment, such as motors or switchgear, you should use a degreaser that has a strong, dielectric formulation that minimizes the risk of electrical shock. All degreasers are made for degreasing, but not all of them are formulated for the same degreasing applications.

  1. Consider Solvent Flashpoint

Choosing degreasers that have high flashpoints or are inflammable is always a good idea. Even if your degreasing applications don’t involve obvious heat sources that could cause low flashpoint solvents to combust, there is still the issue of fire safety in the solvent storage area. Degreasing agents that have no flashpoint don’t contribute to damage that building fires cause, and they can usually be stored safely alongside combustible materials in the solvent storage area.

  1. Consider HAPs in Solvent

HAPs are considered “hazardous air pollutants” due to their negative impact on the environment and/or human health. HAPs can be volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or synthetic chemicals; what practically all of them have in common, however, is the creation of short-term and long-term health consequences in workers who regularly apply solvents that contain HAPs. Degreasers that have an exceptionally low level of HAPs or no HAPs can be found in our online store.

  1. Consider Existing Safety Measures

If implementing a degreaser that contains no HAPs currently isn’t an option, the degreaser you use may still be relatively safe for workers to apply if the work environment has measures in place to protect against human exposure to HAPs. These measures include: special exhaust hoods at work stations where degreasers are applied, air filtration systems designed to remove airborne contaminants, and high-level personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers who apply the degreaser.

Need Safe Degreasing Agents?

Regardless of why you need to implement safe degreasing agents, Ecolink can provide the solutions you need in the form of readymade solvents or custom solvents that are formulated for your unique degreasing requirements. We offer degreasers that are designed a variety of applications, have a high flashpoint or no flashpoint, and contain no HAPs. We even offer free solvent samples, so you can see the benefits of a degreaser in action before you buy.

For assistance with choosing safer degreasers that offer as much degreasing power as your current solutions, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to supporting your cleaning operations with safe degreasing agents.

The Metal Degreasing Process: Why Use a Parts Washing Machine?

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Metal parts and surfaces are some of the most frequently degreased equipment in industrial work environments. From removing light accumulations of motor oil on engine parts to cleaning away greasy accumulations that accrete on grease trap components, the metal degreasing process is one of the most essential cleaning measures for sustaining business productivity.

Using a Parts Washing Machine

To maximize its effectiveness, metal degreasing must be performed using the best parts washing method and the most efficacious degreasing solvent. When it comes to choosing a parts washing method, the best solution may be to use a parts washing machine. If your company or organization’s metal degreasing process involves any of the following factors, there’s a good chance that you could benefit from using a parts washing machine.

  1. Cleaning Precision Parts

Due to their highly detailed design that often features complex contours, precision parts can be exceptionally difficult to clean by hand. Because a parts washing system applies cleaning solvent uniformly across the entire surface of a part under heat and pressure, these elements of precision parts typically don’t pose an obstacle to the degreasing process. All you have to do is follow the machine’s instruction manual, and let the equipment do its job.

  1. Reducing Workplace Emissions

Emissions from cleaning solvents is a common safety concern in industrial work environments for two reasons: the potential violation of emission caps and the potential health threat to workers. Using a parts washing machine instead of an open air degreasing process can help address these issues. When a parts washing machine maintains an airtight seal, it prevents measurable emission levels that could result from the evaporation of the cleaning agent.

  1. Reducing Solvent Expense

Using a parts washing machine for the metal degreasing process can help you reduce solvent expense in two ways: by preventing solvent from evaporating in open air and recycling solvent by purging it of grease that comes from soiled parts — a process that happens inside the machine and is commonly performed when a vapor degreasing solvent is used. Using a parts washing machine can be an excellent strategy for reducing long-term solvent expense.

  1. Expediting Parts Cleaning

Industrial grade parts washing machines excel at removing heavy accumulations of grease in a short period of time without compromising the integrity of the parts they clean, especially when a machine that features conveyor processing is used. For many companies and organizations, expediting parts cleaning is the primary reason for implementing a parts washing machine.

Need the Best Metal Degreaser?

Using a parts washing machine for the metal degreasing process offers several advantages, but only when a highly efficacious degreasing solvent is used. If you’re looking to implement an eco friendly metal degreaser that’s a perfect match for the parts you clean and the machine you use to clean them, we can provide you with a stock cleaner or a custom cleaner that meets your unique requirements. Call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website.       

The Metal Degreasing Process for Chromium Alloys: Can You Use a Furnace?

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Chromium alloys are metallic alloys that contain at least 10.5% chromium by mass. Chromium is a lustrous, shiny, silver chemical element that is frequently found in rare, aesthetic pieces such as designer jewelry, as well as everyday pieces such as stainless steel equipment housing that is found on the front of many residential appliances.

Depending on where chromium alloys are used (e.g., a commercial kitchen) they can accumulate a significant layer of grease in a relatively short period of time. In order to clean away the accumulation, a professional, stainless steel compliant degreaser is often sprayed on or wiped on the surface. Or, alternatively, the soiled pieces are placed in a parts washing system whose cleaning agent complies with the chemical structure of chromium.

Two Configurations of Parts Washing Systems

Two types of parts washing systems are generally used for the metal degreasing process for chromium alloys: automatic parts washing systems that move workpieces through the cleaning chamber using a belt style operation that resembles a conveyor belt, and single-batch washing systems that thoroughly wash one batch at a time.

The second option is generally preferred for precision, high-performance parts that must be exceptionally clean (e.g. aerospace parts and auto parts), while the first option is an excellent solution for parts that have basic cleaning needs and must be processed quickly. The effectiveness of either process, of course, depends on the thoroughness of the metal degreasing process that is applied, both in terms of duration and degreasing agent.

Can Furnaces Perform the Metal Degreasing Process?

Chromium alloys are typically placed inside furnaces, such as atmosphere-controlled continuous furnaces, vacuum furnaces, and bell annealers, to facilitate a specific type of heat treating, such as: brazing, annealing, hardening, and/or stress relieving. In most cases, the metal workpieces are thoroughly cleaned before they enter the furnace to prevent traces of oxide from forming on the surface of the pieces while heat is applied.

Grease left on the surface of a piece, for example, could form a stable layer of oxide when the heat treating process reaches it peak temperature, and then subsides. Even so, all is not lost if this happens. The resultant oxide can be sandblasted, brushed away, or ground away, using special metal restoration tools and machines. However, with that said, such processes essentially increase turnaround time and are therefore undesirable in most cases, especially when an order is in the midst of being processed for a client.

The Metal Degreasing Process is the Best Option

Whether you need to degrease a chromium alloy to prepare it for heat treatment or simply to keep it looking great for the appearances in your company or organization, Ecolink can supply solutions that are as friendly to the environment as they are to your chromium alloy cleaning processes. To get started on receiving the best, professional grade degreaser for your needs, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use our contact form, to speak with one of our product specialists.

 

 

Safe Degreasers for Cleaning Stainless Steel Surfaces

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Stainless steel is one of the most prized metallic alloys due to its attractive surface quality and excellent corrosion resistance under normal conditions. Degreasing the lustrous alloy, however, does not count as a “normal condition.” On the contrary, the metal is exposed to a cleaning agent that is not normally a part of its daily exposure to stimuli in the environment where it is situated. This is why care must be taken to choose safe degreasers for restoring the metal.

Cleaner Qualities That Harm Stainless Steel
In choosing safe degreasers for stainless steel, it is essential to choose cleaning solutions that do not contain substances that could harm the metal’s surface due to physical action or chemical reaction. There are several substances that could have one of these effects, but the three types of substances listed below are some of the most common offenders. When choosing degreasing products for stainless steel, avoid cleaners that contain any of these substances.

  1. Gritty Particulate Matter

Avoid using degreasers that contain gritty particulate matter for the same reason you would avoid using a metal polishing cream that contains the same thing: The solution could scratch the surface of the alloy, compromising its appearance. Furthermore, if the particles of particulate are large enough, they could cause a phenomenon known as “pitting” that precipitates corrosion.

  1. Corrosive Cleaning Acids

Heavy duty cleaning acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, and muriatic acid are highly useful for many types of industrial cleaning operations, but stainless steel cleaning jobs are not among them. Corrosive acids have the power to strip stainless steel of its silvery shine almost instantaneously. Replacing the shine will be a dull surface that looks worse for the wear.

  1. Chlorinated Formulation

Chlorinated cleaning solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) are hazardous to more than the environment and the health of workers who apply them. The solvents also spell danger for the chromium-infused surface quality of stainless steel. Chlorinated solvents are safe degreasers to use on some material, but chromium alloys such as stainless steel are not among them. This provides another reason to phase out any hazardous chlorinated cleaning solvents you use.

Need Safe Degreasers for Stainless Steel?
If so, Ecolink can provide you with solutions that are formulated to clean the metal safely and effectively. In addition to avoiding cleaners that contain the substances above, it is also important to know what type of stainless steel you need to clean. This information can often be found in the owner’s manual for the equipment you need to clean. If you don’t have an owner’s manual for your stainless steel product, contacting the manufacturer is the best alternative.

Contact Us to Order the Degreaser You Need
Once you know the type of stainless steel you need to clean, contact Ecolink to determine the best degreaser for your needs. Contact us by telephone at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to supplying you with safe degreasers for stainless steel!