Critical Cleaning - Alconox, Inc.

Alconox, Inc. The Leader in Critical-Cleaning Detergents

Search:

Site Applications

Technical Information & Certificates:

Select Cleaner/Cat. #

Select Document

General Cleaner Info: Pharmaceutical Cleaning Validation CAP Residue Detection Methods
Catalog	Users Manual

Thursday, July 02, 2009
Agitation and cleaning

Question:
What important parameters need to be considered when selecting a cleaning method and detergent?

Answer:
Time constraints and volume of parts being cleaned affect choice of cleaning method and with it detergent. When a large number of parts must be cleaned quickly, then a fast, high-agitation method, such as spray washing, with an aggressive cleaner is preferable. Likewise, when cleaning fewer parts or batch-continuous quantities of smaller batches rather than the large quantities from continuous manufacturing of parts, ultrasonic soak cleaning with a milder cleaner is more appropriate for the wetting and emulsifying mechanisms.

Alconox, Inc has both high emulsifying and low foaming cleaners for your selected cleaning method. We also offer alkaline to acidic cleaners to target a range of residues. Sizes of liquid and powder detergents range from single unit (gal or 4 lbs box) to large bulk sizes (55 gal or 300 lbs drums).

Visit Alconox.com to find an appropriate cleaner.

(Agitation and cleaning)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Agitation and cleaner selection

Question:
Does agitation in a given cleaning method impact the cleaner or detergent used?

Answer:
Yes, agitation used in a particular method does impact the cleaner or detergent used! In fact, agitation is a factor in detergent choice. High emulsifying, high foaming cleaners are more effective for cleaning processes with low levels of agitation and longer cleaning time. These include the manual, soak and ultrasonic processes. Likewise, low foaming, high dispersing cleaners are suitable for high-agitation cleaning with short contact time as found in spray washing, parts washing and when using spray CIP systems, etc.

Alconox, Inc has both high emulsifying cleaners as well as low foaming cleaners. Visit Alconox.com to find an appropriate cleaner for your application.

(Agitation and cleaner selection)

Friday, June 26, 2009
Cleaning Insecticide Components

Question:
What Alconox brand cleaner is best to clean carbamates and synthetic pyrethroid off of stainless steel?

Answer:
Carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids are commonly used in insecticides and can be cleaned off stainless steel using an alkaline cleaner that targets the ester groups. The alkaline cleaner used will be determined by the method of cleaning. Our recommendation for manual cleaning is Liquinox and for machine cleaning is Solujet.

For downloadable Technical bulletins, MSDS and trace analysis on Liquinox or Solujet, visit Alconox.com.

(Cleaning Insecticide Components)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Alconox and unstressed polycarbonate

Question:
Is Alconox Powdered Precision Cleaner compatible with unstressed polycarbonate?

Answer:
Alconox is compatible with unstressed polycarbonate. If there is stress in the polycarbonate, then any low surface tension solution such as Alconox will act as a stress cracking agent, especially with the addition of a little heat. Warm solutions of Alconox will cause stress cracking on stressed polycarbonate. The same warm solutions of Alconox will not attack unstressed polycarbonate.

Stress cracking is a surface attack causing fogging, crazing, or slight surface cracks. This stress cracking does not particularly affect the mechanical properties of the polycarbonate, but it does make the polycarbonate less transparent and it does make the surface of the polycarbonate rougher.

For downloadable Technical Bulletin, MSDS and trace analysis on Alconox, visit Alconox.com

(Alconox and unstressed polycarbonate)

Thursday, June 18, 2009
Temperature and Alcojet

Question:
What is the lowest recommended washing temperature for Alcojet to guarantee full dissolving?

Answer:
There is no minimum temperature to assure dissolving of Alcojet as it is completely water soluble and will dissolve with agitation over the course of any standard labware washer cycle. Note that while the detergent may dissolve, it will not perform optimally at temperatures below 45 deg C. There is an anti-foaming nonionic surfactant that is heat activated at this temperature and above. Failure to clean at above this temperature will result in foam from the surfactant and potentially foam from any foam forming residues. Foam is harder to rinse and can potentially result in residues. Foam can interfere with the mechanical action of spray which can result in less efficient cleaning. Most labware washers are designed to be used with hot water. Alcojet is designed to be used with hot water. As a general rule, every 10 deg C you go up in temperature, you double the cleaning speed. Cleaning mechanisms still work at lower temperatures, they just work more slowly and longer cleaning cycles may be needed. Additionally there is the non-linear foam issue at about 45 dec C. You could get adequate cleaning at lower temperatures below 45 deg C if you incorporate additional rinsing and take special care loading glassware to avoid any solution/foam holding "cups" such as the upturned bottom of a graduated cylinder where foam can congregate. If you are going to clean at temperatures below 45 deg C, the residues need to be cleanable within standard cleaning cycle times, or additional cleaning cycles may be required.

To download technical information on Alcojet, please visit Alconox.com.

(Temperature and Alcojet)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Citranox vs Citrajet

Question:
What is the difference between Citranox and Citrajet?

Answer:
Both Citranox and Citrajet are acid cleaners excellent at removing inorganics, metallic complexes, trace metals and oxides, scale, salts, soil, grit and oils off glass, metal, stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic, plastic rubber and fiberglass. Can be used on soft metals such as copper bronze aluminum zinc magnesium if rinsed promptly.

The acid cleaning part of both formulations is the same but the major differences are the types of surfactants used. Citranox contains two high foaming, high emulsifying surfactants that work best in the environments of immersion and manual cleaning where more time is available to form micelles. Whereas, there are three surfactants in Citrajet that are considered "low" foaming with wetting and dispersing properties that work better in the dynamic cleaning environment of high agitation spray cleaning, where emulsifying is a less dominant cleaning mechanism. Also, Citrajet contains an antifoam agent.

To download technical information on Citranox or Citrajet, please visit Alconox.com.

(Citranox vs Citrajet)

Friday, June 12, 2009
Rexolite

Question:
Can Alconox Powdered Precision Cleaner be used to clean Rexolite®?

Answer:
Rexolite® is a unique cross linked polystyrene microwave plastic made by C-Lec Plastics, Inc. Two different forms are available; Rexolite® 1422 and Rexolite® 2200. (2200 is a fiberglass reinforced version of 1422). From what we understand based on the Rexolite Chemical Resistance information listed on the Rexolite website, Rexolite is not affected by alkalies, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons and mineral acids. Aromatic & chlorinated hydrocarbons cause swelling and should be avoided.

Since Alconox Powdered Precision Cleaner is a mild alkali and contains no aromatic or chlorinated hydrocarbon, no problems are likely to occur. Alconox, Inc does recommend testing Alconox on a piece of Rexolite prior to use.

Alconox technical bulletin and msds are downloadable off our website at Alconox.com.

(Rexolite)