“No Residue” Consumer Detergents Vs. Alconox Detergents

Q: We are a production shop that cleans a lot of small parts in an ultrasonic in our lab.  A lot of stores sell no residue aqueous cleaners that are cheaper than Alconox, LLC.  What would be a reason to buy Alconox detergents over these B2C brands?

A: Great question which ultimately comes down to how critical is your critical cleaning?  What regulations are you adhering to?

Alconox, LLC critical cleaning detergents are registered as Class I Medical Devices with FDA, registered with Health Canada, NSF, EU and other regulatory bodies around the globe.   They are lot controlled, with Certificates of Analysis available, Certificates of Conformance, as well as Change Notification requirements for our end users.  Simply put, no “new and improved formula!” without proper communication. That can of course happen in the B2C world.

From a functionality standpoint, some of these B2C products will contain preservatives and anti-microbials.  This can cause compatibility issues on some substrates, particularly if phenoxyethanol is used. And despite marketing claims, may ultimately leave some residue. Are they truly free rinsing?

Many of these “free and clear” or “crystal” B2C products demonstrably contain a lower % solids. Which is to say they are less concentrated. Whereas most Alconox, LLC detergents are used at 1-2% with occasional needs up to 3-5% for very tough residues, if you need to use many times the amount of a B2C product, the savings calculation certainly gets altered.

Again, it ultimately it comes down to the needs and requirements of the level of cleanliness being targeted. And we’d be happy to discuss your particular application any time. Sometimes, you might just need water!

Do you have a critical cleaning question for the experts at Alconox, LLC?  Search TechNotes to see if it’s been answered before or Ask Alconox.

To request any Alconox, LLC detergents for free, please complete the questionnaire at Get Sample. For more information about any one of our Alconox, LLC detergents, consult the technical bulletin for each product. Or click here to access each of our detergent’s Safety Data Sheets