Oxygen Based Cleaners Are Not All The Same

It's no doubt you have heard about oxygen based cleaners. But are they right for your cleaning company? Oxygen based cleaners are less toxic than many of the traditional cleaning products on the market today. They also provide professional strength cleaning power while being safer to the user and to the environment.

Oxygen cleaners are an effective alternative to the more toxic cleaners and sanitizers. The way oxygen cleaners work is a basic chemistry. Two reactants are brought together --in this case, the first is the oxygen cleaner and the second is the organic material you are trying to clean -- perhaps soil or food stains. When the cleaner meets the organic material, the reaction that occurs oxidizes the organic material and removes it. If you are using a powdered product formulated with sodium percarbonate, it may leave a white powdery residue. You want to avoid using this type of a product on shiny surfaces that can streak.

Liquid hydrogen peroxide cleaners work a little differently than the powder oxygen cleaners. The chemistry between the cleaner and the stain is different and no sodium carbonate residue is left behind.

As with all cleaners, it is important to read the label and mix the chemical according to the manufacturer's directions. After mixing, some sodium percarbonate cleaners are only good for a short period of time and must be used within the employee's shift. However many of the hydrogen based cleaners have a shelf life of several years.

Oxygen based cleaners do have their limits and may not be suitable for cleaning mineral deposits and inorganic soils. In addition, most of the products are not for sanitizing surfaces. If that is a requirement, look for a product that is registered by the EPA as a sanitizer (one that kills 99.99% of common bacteria and 99.9% of common viruses).

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