Q: We are having difficultly cleaning carbomer gel residue from our equipment. What do you recommend?
A: Carbomer or polyacrylic acid is a thickening agent, used to stabilize and provide the base for many ointments, cremes and lotions. As one might guess, it is a difficult residue. In the presence of water it can thicken and become a gelatinous, sticky gel. A goo. When feasible, removing excess carbomer with water flushes/spray downs has been shown to be very successful. Remaining residue can be cleaned either with high foaming detergents like our powerfully emulsifying Detonox® Ultimate Precision Cleaner or high pressure spraying or other applications where a low foaming detergent is required with Solujet® Low-Foaming Phosphate-Free Liquid. Both would be recommended with warm to hot solutions at 1-2%. Thorough rinsing would then follow.
Optimization of temperature, duration and concentration can be done based on your individual application.
We have some customers which have found success with a 1:1 blend of Detonox and Solujet to combine an emulsifying mechanism along with alkaline hydrolysis.
We are happy to discuss your specific application any time.
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For further assistance please fill out the form at Ask Alconox or email us at cleaning@alconox.com.