1. Chemicals & Cleaning Methods
The “How” Of It All

2. Products Review Of Product Types Natural Soaps Synthetic Detergents
Acid Cleaners
Abrasive Cleaners
Cleaning Abrasives
Solvent Cleaners
Disinfectants & Disinfecting

3. Disinfectant / Cleaners
Never mix with acid cleaners
Allow 10 minutes dwell time (wet) for 100% rated germ kill
Apply; let stand; wipe clean; dry
Clean while applying with cloth; re-wipe to apply; allow to air dry

4. Read The MSDS
You’ll learn some useful, general product use principles, like:
Sodium Metasilicate based products may etch glass and may damage aluminum at temperatures over 120º
Butyl based spray & wipe cleaners may damage a white board’s surface
Don’t mix disinfectant cleaners and acid cleaners
Use aerosol graffiti removers with adequate ventilation

5. Soil Removal
How Do We Get Rid of It?

6. Soil Types Loose, dry soils Oily, sticky soils
Sand, dust and other dry particles – work dry soils with dry processes
Mineral deposits
pH - alkaline
Oily, sticky soils
Greases & oils
Food & drink
Rubber streaks
pH - acidic

7. Detergency Processes
The chemical processes by which cleaning agents remove soil from surfaces
Involves a combination of chemical actions, including wetting action, emulsifying action, dispersing action and adsorption action
Knowing how products react with soils and surfaces allows you to select a product that fits the situation and perform your tasks efficiently without damaging the buildings in your care

8. Wetting Action
Wetting action “makes water wetter” by reducing its surface tension

9. Emulsifying Action
Emulsification keeps oil and dirt separate; and the oil in suspension

10. Dispersing Action
Dispersion keeps dirt particles from re-clumping and re-depositing

11. Adsorption Action
Adsorption causes dirt to cling to cleaning agents until it can be wiped away

12. Basic Methods of Cleaning
Direct Mechanical Action
Cleanser and a green pad, scraper, etc.
90% of a Maintenance & Operations budget is labor
Direct Mechanical Action is 100% labor – scraping off soils
“Elbow Grease” (Direct Mechanical Action) is your most expensive “cleaning product”

13. Basic Methods of Cleaning
Chemical Action
Soils are electro-chemically bonded to the surface. We must break that bond to remove the soils
Cleaning “happens” at Neutral (pH = 7)

14. Cleaning with Chemistry
pH and the pH scale
“pH” refers to the ratio of positively and negatively charged hydrogen ions in a substance

15. Increasing Alkalinity
Extraction Cleaner
Hand Soap 2
10 million times
stronger than water 7 14 6
10x 5 4 3 1 8 9 10 11 12 13
Oily, Sticky – Organic Soils
Dry, Loose – Mineral Soils
Increasing Acidity
Neutral Cleaner
Window Cleaner
Spray & Wipe Cleaners
Degreasers
Floor Strippers
Caustic Soda (Lye)
Hydrochloric Acid
Descaler
Rust Remover
Vinegar
Boric Acid
Neutral
Pure
Water
CSP
Creme Clean
Disinfectant Cleaners
Nutra-Rinse
Increasing Alkalinity
pH Scale

16. Cleaning With Chemistry
Identify the relative pH of the soil
Apply a product with the opposite pH
This brings the pH of the soil closer to Neutral
Ever hear of the word “Neutralize”? This is where it comes from
When the pH of the soil gets close to Neutral, you can wipe it off
Allow the product some time for the chemistry to work

17. T.A.C.T. Principle In order for products to work, they need:
Time to work; dwell time, time to penetrate and loosen soils
Agitation to mix the soil and solution, put it in solution so it may be removed
Concentration; it must be at the correct dilution; too much wastes product, leaves streaks and residues which attract soil so the surface gets dirty faster and you have to clean more frequently; too little will require more effort (labor / time)
Temperature – most products are formulated for use in cold water – using hot water may cause streaking or cause the product to rise into the air with the steam rather than be applied to the surface where it is needed.

18. Cleaning With Chemistry
Use Acidic Products on Alkaline Soils; Use Alkaline Products on Acidic Soils
Remember: Relatively Acidic or Relatively Alkaline
So: Acid on mineral deposits & Alkaline Cleaners (Spray & Wipe Cleaners) on food spills

19. pH Balance
Using cleaners with the same relative pH as the soil is not the most efficient way to clean – it relies on direct mechanical action.

20. How “Strong” Is That Product?
Remember, each step away from 7 on the pH scale is 10 times stronger than the one before.
The “Strength” of a product refers to how far away it’s pH is from Neutral – the farther away from Neutral, the Stronger the product

21. Cleaning With Chemistry
Disinfectant Cleaners are generally Neutral Cleaners that also kill germs
What are Neutral Cleaners good for?
Either type of soil
Neutral cleaners won’t damage floor finishes

22. Cleaning With Chemistry
So:
Identify the pH of the soil
Select a product with the opposite pH
Now, consider the surface

23. Finest First Rule Do No Harm to building surfaces
Begin cleaning an unknown soil by using the least aggressive product with the least aggressive tool
If it doesn’t work, don’t jump straight to a powdered cleanser and a green pad, move up gradually

24. Cleaning Smartly Cleaning Begins With Dirt!
Identify the Soil Type
Which Suggests The Product Type
Then Consider The Surface Type
Which Suggests The Tool To Use
Which Suggests The Method To Use
We’ve Looked At Products and Soils…

25. Surfaces Surfaces may be damaged chemically or mechanically
Floor finishes
Wood
Painted surfaces
Fabrics
Even hard surfaces can be scratched

26. Hand Tools By Level of Aggressiveness – Low to High Lamb’s Wool Duster
Soft Brooms & Brushes
Cleaning Cloths & Wipers
Fiber, Nylon Brushes
Hand & Floor Pads – The Lighter The Color, The Softer The Pad (More or Less)
Grit Brushes
Wire Brushes
Scrapers

27. Hand Tools Applicators Trigger Sprayers Pump-Up Sprayers Foam Guns
Utility Pails
Mop Buckets
Finish Applicators

28. Cleaning Methods “Dry” cleaning Vacuum Sweep Dust with duster
Remove dry soils with dry processes
Vacuum
Sweep
Dust with duster
Dust with cloth (treated or untreated)
Dust mop (treated or untreated)
Scrape

29. Cleaning Methods Wet cleaning Wiping& washing Spray & wipe cleaning
Spray product, wipe clean with cloth
Pail & cloth cleaning
Wring cloth, wipe surface
Mop bucket
Damp mopping – wrung almost dry, no dripping
Wet mopping – wrung half-way, drips
Flood mopping – no wringing, “slosh” it on the floor

30. Cleaning Methods Wet Cleaning (cont.) Scrubbing
Wet Surface, Use Hand Pad Or Brush To Loosen Soil, Wipe Clean and Dry With Cloth
Stripping
Using A Solvent To Chemically Loosen Soils/Finishes Before Scrubbing
Scraping
Wet Surface, Scrape Soil, Wipe With Cloth/Mop

31. Cleaning Process Descriptions
Process descriptions begin with soil & the surface, add the product & application method, introduce the tool and state the cleaning method…
“To clean a dried soda spill from a laminated table top, apply a liberal amount of general purpose cleaner with a trigger sprayer, allow to stand 5 minutes. Using a white hand pad, scrub the spot until soil is loosened. Wipe clean with an absorbent cloth. Re-spray area lightly and wipe dry with a clean soft cloth.”

32. Cleaning Task Descriptions
Task descriptions are briefer, and assume a level of understanding
“Spot-clean tables with spray & wipe cleaner.” – Describes removing the same soda spill from the same tabletop

33. So, How Do I Clean That? Mineral Deposits on chrome faucets?
Cleanser and a green pad, right?
Consider the surface…
Heavy-Duty Spray & Wipe Cleaner? Its strong.
Wrong pH; Mineral deposits are an alkaline soil.
Hydrochloric Acid based Bowl Cleaner?
Wrong acid type – will still damage the surface.
O.K., Phosphoric based Acid Cleaner!
Right. Correct pH, correct ingredient base. Which Tool?
Green Pad?
Will scratch the surface
White Pad or Cloth!

34. So, How Do I Clean That?
A leaking drinking fountain in a carpeted hallway left mineral deposits on the carpet…
Mineral Deposits; I’ll use an Acid Cleaner!
Bowl Cleaner + Carpet = Hole
Are there any acidic cleaners that are mild enough to use on carpeting?
Nutra-Rinse from Hillyard

35. So, How Do I Clean That?
When encountering an unknown, make reasonable assumptions based upon sound cleaning principles.
“It feels sticky (its pH is probably acidic – so I’ll use an alkaline or neutral cleaner). Its on a finished vinyl floor (I’ll definitely use a neutral cleaner, with a soft tool so I won’t damage the finish), so I’ll leave some extra solution on it to soak and soften the soil while I mop the rest of the floor, and then come back and pick it up.”

36. Sound Principles Never Mix Products. T.A.C.T.
When in doubt about the pH of a soil, use a neutral cleaner - Finest-first – Do No Harm to the surface
Work Dry Soils With Dry Processes

37. Quiz The Two Types of Soils Discussed were and .
Product Selection is determined by the of the soil; and the
(T/F) The pH scale measures how much active ingredient is in the product.
(T/F) Abrasive Cleaners clean primarily by Mechanical Action.

38. Quiz Wetting Action uses water softeners to make water “ ”.
Adsorption attracts the to the until it can be wiped away.
(T/F) Deciding how to clean something is often a process of elimination.
Remove Dry Soils with

39. Quiz
After identifying a soil type and selecting a product, consider the , which helps select the , which indicates the cleaning to use.
The pH of a product should be relatively a) opposite; b) the same as the pH of the soil you’re trying to remove

40. Answers
The Two Types of Soils Discussed were Dry Loose Soils and Oily Sticky Soils .
Product Selection is determined by the pH of the soil; and the Surface .
(F) The pH scale measures how much active ingredient is in the product.
(T) Abrasive Cleaners clean primarily by Mechanical Action.

41. Answers Wetting Action uses water softeners to make water “wetter”.
Absorption attracts the dirt to the Cleaning Agent (Product) until it can be wiped away.
(T) Deciding how to clean something is often a process of elimination.

42. Answers
After identifying a soil type and selecting a product, consider the surface , which helps select the tool , which indicates the cleaning method to use.
The pH of a product should be relatively a) opposite as the pH of the soil you’re trying to remove

43. Thank You For Your Participation
Cleaning Methods
Thank You For Your Participation