Alconox

Q. Do I determine detergent dilution by weight or by volume or both?

A. In a laboratory setting, the most common method is to either make a weight/weight dilution (10-20 g Alconox detergent in 990 g of water), or a weight/volume dilution (10-20 g Alconox in 990 mL of water) for 1-2% solutions.  In manufacturing situations, often directions are written volume/volume or volume/weight.

Q: We are working with cannabis resin in our lab and the residue is very tough to remove.  We are currently using isopropyl alcohol and it is just not good enough.  Any advice?

A: It is no secret that waxy, sticky cannabis and other botanical resins are some of the most difficult residues to clean.  But of course, keeping your labware, glassware and other laboratory equipment clean is vital. 

Q. I’m looking for a cleaning solution to use in our industrial ultrasonic cleaner that is similar to the old style competitor detergent. We use it occasionally for general cleaning, removal of machining oils, cleaning for high vacuum use, and to lightly etch the oxides off of copper.   Would you recommend Alconox or Liquinox detergent?  How long would a pre-mix of the formulations last before degrading?  Could we also use this for washing microfiber towels and foam sponges that have various waxes, polymer sealants and oils on them?

Q: We are looking for detergent and process recommendations for manual cleaning of a 100 gallon mixer. We make one product in the mixer which contains water, starch, acidic buffers, sucralose and preservative. Currently when cleaning, we boil for 1 hour at 90°C, then cool, drain and soak in cool water while using the mixing blades.  Scrub brushes and a spray hosing follows that. The mixer is made from stainless steel.

We currently use Alconox detergent to clean our cold-form extruders. While it’s great for grease, it doesn’t seem to help cut the stickiness we see from cane molasses and corn syrup. Do you have a recommendation for another cleaning agent?