There are several things we implement to keep our household clean. For this purpose, we have to make use of cleaning products which is an essential part of cleaning our house.
If not for these cleaning products, keeping our home environment clean will not be as effective as it should be. By reading ahead you can learn and make yourself aware of the different types of products used for cleaning purposes as well as what each product is specifically used for.
1. Abrasives
These are chemicals that are used on surfaces with hard stains. So, once they are applied to the surface, you have to scrub well to get rid of the dirt.
Abrasives are generally used in the kitchen for floor cleaning and to scrub away the hard stains on pots and pans. Hence, they can be found in scrubbing powders and sponges. Even the steel wool is a type of abrasive.
Although they are useful for effective cleaning, they have to be used with care as they can cause damage to surfaces when not used with caution.
2. Detergents
These are yet another cleaning product that is most commonly used in households, especially in the kitchen.
Detergents are used mostly on surfaces to loosen up the sand and dirt that would refuse to wash away only with water.
Hence, with the use of detergents plus water, these kinds of surfaces can be cleaned with much ease. They come in various types such as powder, liquid, and gel forms.
3. Degreasers
This cleaning product is used for greasy surfaces like the oven tops and kitchen gas countertops where grease is often accumulated.
They are also known as solvent cleaners, and in the past white spirits were used as degreasers for cleaning purposes. In contrast, environmentally friendly cleaning products should be used by businesses. Especially those involved in preparing food, to ensure to use non-toxic and non-fuming degreasers so that nothing is contaminated in the process.
4. Acids
These are other effective cleaning products that also have to be used cautiously. Acids are commonly diluted before using it for cleaning. This process needs to be done accurately because if the dilution is not done right cleaners that are acid-based will turn out to be corrosive and poisonous at the same time.
They are used to get rid of hard-water deposits as well as the rust stain caused by aluminium, iron, and brass.
5. Alkalis
Unlike the cleaning products used on surfaces to remove harsh dirt, alkalis are used to remove dirt from oily surfaces effortlessly with less rubbing.
They can also be used to remove paint that is oil-based which is done by using it on surfaces with such paint and waiting till they dry and come off from the surface. Alkalis can be found in 3 types namely mild, moderate, and very strong which serve different purposes.
The typical mild alkali that is used is baking soda/sodium bicarbonate. In addition to that ammonia and borax as well as washing soda/ sodium bicarbonate are alkalis that are categorized under moderate and very strong alkalis respectively.
