Cleaning Chemicals
Almost every chemical problem is a dosage problem. Start with the label and the ratio.
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Cleaning chemicals · choosing, diluting and buying
Almost every chemical problem is a dosage problem. Over-strength chemistry costs more per litre of solution and leaves the residue that makes floors look dull and surfaces feel tacky; under-strength chemistry fails the task. This page covers the decision, the arithmetic and the buying, in that order.
- 19 guides
- 296 chemicals in the range
- 5 brand ranges covered
Dilution: getting the dose right
Read the ratio convention before doing the arithmetic — 1:100 in finished solution and 1 part to 100 parts water are different amounts.
This is the single most common error in commercial cleaning, and it is arithmetic rather than chemistry. Once the convention is clear, the rest is measuring accurately and not carrying a rate over from a different product, because the rate belongs to the product rather than the category.
Choosing the right chemical for the task
Identify the soil and the surface before the product: protein, fat, mineral scale and dye each need different chemistry.
A general-purpose detergent is not a substitute for a specialist, and a specialist used on the wrong surface is how finishes get destroyed. The kitchen and food-service guides below are the ones where the choice carries compliance weight as well as cleaning performance.
Kitchen
Best Cleaning Chemicals for Commercial Kitchens
The chemistry a commercial kitchen actually needs.
Kitchen
Restaurant and Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Chemicals
How to stock a kitchen chemical cupboard.
Disinfection
Best Disinfectant Spray for Industries, Home, and Office: Customer Favorites
What makes a disinfectant fit for purpose.
Solvents
Metho and Solvent Cleaners: Which One for Which Job
Which solvent for which job.
Laundry
Surf, OMO and Drive: Choosing Commercial Laundry Chemicals
Choosing laundry chemistry for commercial volumes.
Brands and ranges
A range is a system: the value comes from the labelling, the dilution discipline and the availability of the same product next year.
Buying across four brands usually means four sets of dosing instructions and four sets of safety data sheets to keep current. The range guides below cover what each brand actually covers, so you can consolidate where it makes sense.
Range
Clean Plus Chemicals: What the Range Covers and How to Buy
What the Clean Plus range covers.
Range
Agar Cleaning Chemicals: Range Guide for Australian Facilities
Agar, mapped to Australian facility needs.
Range
AGAR Cleaning Chemicals – Professional & Industrial Solutions
Agar's industrial and professional end.
Range
Actichem Cleaning Chemicals – Professional Tips for Better Cleaning Results
Actichem, with application notes.
Own brand
Freshway Cleaning Chemicals – Australia’s Trusted Professional Cleaning Solutions
The Freshway range and where it fits.
Mould and contamination
Mould is a moisture problem with a cleaning symptom; treat the source or it returns within the season.
Remediation is a different discipline from cleaning. Containment, personal protective equipment and the difference between removing staining and removing growth all matter, particularly in buildings with occupants.
Buying in bulk and staying compliant
Bulk pricing only wins if the product keeps, the safety data sheets stay current and the storage is legal.
Cost per litre of ready-to-use solution is the only comparison that means anything, and it depends on the dilution rate as much as the drum price. Behind that sit the obligations that come with storing hazardous chemicals on a commercial site.
Buying
Buying Bulk Cleaning Chemicals: What to Check First
What to check before committing to a drum.
Procurement
The Ultimate Australian Commercial Chemical Procurement Guide: Maximising Cost-Efficiency While Meeting Safe Work Australia Standards
Cost efficiency against Safe Work Australia obligations.
More in this cluster
Everything else filed under this topic.
Shorter and older pieces that fill in the corners of the topic above.
Shop cleaning chemicals
Concentrates, disinfectants, degreasers, floor care and specialist chemistry, with the safety data sheets to go with them.
Browse cleaning chemicalsSafety data sheetsFrequently asked questions
What does a 1:40 dilution mean?
One part concentrate topped up to 40 parts of finished solution. In a 5 litre bucket that is 125 ml of concentrate made up to 5 litres, not 125 ml added to 5 litres of water.
Does a stronger mix clean better?
No. Over-strength chemistry leaves residue that attracts new soil, costs more per litre of solution, and increases exposure. The rate on the label is the rate the product was tested at.
Can I mix two cleaning chemicals to save time?
No. Only mix products where the instructions for that task say so. Each product's safety data sheet lists what it is incompatible with, and some combinations produce hazardous gases.
How should diluted chemical be stored?
In a correctly labelled container, for the period the product instructions allow, and never in an unlabelled bottle. Many diluted solutions lose strength or grow contamination if kept.