When your business uses solvents to keep your workplace clean, you can use many different ones, and each has its pros and cons. You will need to ensure you do some research to select the best solvent suitable for what you are using it for and make sure it cleans what you need to clean. There are various types of solvents you can consider using that are all excellent at cleaning, and below are some of the different options available to help you select the best one for your business.
Common Solvents Used For Cleaning
Various solvents are used for cleaning and may be suitable for what you need to clean in your workplace. Some of the most common solvent cleaner options include:
Toluene: Toluene is an aggressive solvent that will most likely damage plastics and paints and is primarily used to clean tools and equipment.
Mineral Spirits: Mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner, are not ideal for cleaning surfaces because they can leave an oily residue behind. However, it is excellent for cleaning tools and equipment.
Alcohol: Alcohol is commonly found in places that need to be sterilised, but it is not often used for cleaning tools and equipment.
Xylene: Xylene is similar to Toluene and is an aggressive solvent that can damage paints and plastics.
MEK: MEK is one of the most aggressive solvents used for cleaning, and it will damage plastics and paint when used. It is commonly used for cleaning tools and equipment, which it is excellent at doing.
Acetone: Acetone is an excellent cleaner of substrates, but it can be mildly aggressive and damage some surfaces. It is also an excellent cleaner for tools and equipment for which it is commonly used.
How To Choose The Best Solvent For Your Needs?
You will need to do some research to help you select the best solvent cleaner for your needs, and a lot of it will depend on what you are looking to clean. If you are cleaning tools and equipment, you will want to look for recommendations from the manufacturers of what you should use to clean their products. You can also contact your local industrial cleaning supplies company and explain your needs, and they can often suggest some products which may be suitable for you to clean your tools and equipment. You can then decide which is the best one for you to try and get some in to test it and see whether it is suitable.
What To Do When You Are Unsure?
If you are unsure of the best solvent-based cleaner for you, it is best to start with a milder cleaner and test it before using it fully. You will want to try it on a small area of what you want to clean with the solvent and see how it goes. You will need to do a test patch on each type of material you want to clean, ensure no adverse reactions, and be careful when cleaning plastics. Through a trial-and-error approach, you can select the best cleaner for the job and start using it in your cleaning and maintenance routine.
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