Why are we moving away from acids as cleaners? Cleaning of metal and various non metal surfaces is done with acids. Acids are known for cleaning rust, scales, metal oxides, burn marks, and limescale at very low cost and very quickly. Acids like HCL, sulphuric acid, sulfuric, oxalic, phosphoric, nitric are easily available. Although, in India there is a growing stigma of the use of acids and its availability at departmental stores. There are also restrictions for its use in industries primarily because it is hard to dispose of, not biodegradable and also its bioaccumulative potential. It is no news that acids are extremely corrosive toxic and can burn skin fabrics and cause fuming. They also pose restrictions with storing and are not to be stored in closed rooms and hot areas.
A new generation of cleaning solutions have evolved that have an extremely low pH. These products are also biodegradable, non-fuming, non hazardous, non toxic and derived out of renewable resources. The new generation replacement for acids are made from natural extracts or they are acids derived from naturally occurring sources like lime. Hence these products biodegrade quickly and to make them effective as a cleaner, and the lack of certain ingredients like no ionic betting agents or buffering agents that have a carbon backbone. These acids work to be similar to what are called mineral acids of the toxic acids available in the market
The next generation acid replacements are very safe on all surfaces- They don’t destroy fabric, burn or make them lose strength. They are safe on all kinds of rubbers. These products are non corrosive on surfaces made out of acrylics, plastics, glass, woodwork and importantly all kinds of metals like stainless steel, mild steel, soft metals like aluminium, magnesium, copper etc.
Some examples where these products are used are to replace corrosive acids in heat exchangers. Cleaning in the urinal line & its disinfection or cleaning of chilling coils, heat exchangers, condensers and also in cooling towers. They also are extremely effective in removing burn marks on stainless steel. Having such safety factors they open up an era of cleaning solutions which include use of machinery like ultrasonic spray washing soak tanks.
Overall, these bio-based cleaning chemicals have a lot of advantages and are quickly becoming a versatile replacement for harmful acids. With the growing concern for the environment and the measures being put into place by the governments to keep industries in check, bio-based chemical cleaners are the new path to a sustainable industrial cleaning process.
