TechNotes

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, modified food 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.

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Q: We are cleaning heavy scale compounds of Ca, Mg, carbonates, phosphates and organic matter from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Can you tell us some cleaning best practices and recommend a detergent?

A. If the organic matter is significant, a two-step process, cleaning by re-circulation or soaking (re-circulation may be more effective) could be needed. If the organic matter is biologic in nature, we would recommend Tergazyme® Enzyme-Active Powdered Detergent which is both a powerful emulsifier along with protein enzymes. If the organic residue is more of an oily nature…

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We are cleaning a V Mixer made of NSF Stainless steel and we are using it to mix different protein powders, amino acids, and herbs for dietary supplements. It is small enough to be cleaned by hand but not small enough for any type of sink. I was advised to buy your Citranox product. Is that the best detergent for this job?  

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Q. We have heard that Alconox is recommended for glass mold cleaning. Other than release agent, can the product also remove oxidation from the mold surface? And finally, why is the concentration on the Alconox detergent only 1-3% when we typically use concentrations of 20-30% when cleaning molds with sodium or potassium hydroxide based chemicals?

A. Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner is what we tradtionally recommend for mold release cleaning applications, but many also find Detonox® Ultimate Precision Cleaner to be particularly effective.

When it comes to removing oxidation…

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Find answers to questions such as: What is ultrasonic tank cleaning? Which industries employ? What Alconox brands are ideal for ultrasonic tank cleaning?

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Q. We are cleaning copper pipe with Alconox powder and then using a citric acid wash after a rinse. Could we use a different detergent from Alconox, Inc. that would accomplish both these procedures at once?
A. Citranox® Liquid Acid Cleaner and Detergent is both a detergent and serves as an acidic rinse (removing oxidation, inorganic residue, etc.). So, if you’d like to switch to one product, Citranox cleaner is a great option. 

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Q. I work at a museum and my current project is to remove both oxidation of copper and what I assume are residues from calcareous water from a valuable, antique sink. From the XRF-analysis, I have identified the sink as having a copper base with a zinc-nickel plating. My primary concern is that I need to preserve the “used” and dull appearance on the sink and not achieve a shiny, “like new” result.

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Q:I was wondering if you have a product that I can use in an ultrasonic cleaner to clean tungsten carbide that would not leach out cobalt? That also can be disposed of down a drain?

A: Tungsten carbide (WC) cleaning comes with some inherent issues, and the cleaning cycle that accompanies it will depend entirely on the feed stock (components to be cleaned) that the process comes from. This is where Alconox, Inc., as the critical cleaning experts, excel from our experience and vast pool of applications to draw upon.

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Surface contamination interferes with formation of protective oxide coating on stainless steel thereby leaving it open to corrosion. The stainless steel needs passivation.

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Q. I am seeing a white powder around solder joints on PCBs.  Is this solder flux? We use Detergent 8 for cleaning. Do you know why this is happening and how to stop or remove it?
A. There are several ways of approaching this common issue of solder flux and its removal. For example, One way to fix this problem is to lower the temperature when soldering. In another scenario, a leading aerospace manufacturer studied putting potassium silicate (10 mL in 10 L) into the Detergent 8 bath to act as an inhibitor to stop the formation of these white salts.

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