| The
pH scale determines the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The
scale ranges from 0 to 14. At the 0 end of the scale is where
solutions are very acidic. Moving up around 2 on the scale is
the rating for lemon juice, around 3 is vinegar, beer and cola.
Pure water has a pH of 7, which is neutral.
As
you move up the scale from 7, solutions become more alkaline
(some chemicals in this range are commonly referred to as bases).
Milk of magnesia has a pH of 10, household ammonia has a pH of
11, and household bleach of pH of 12. Oven cleaners fall between
13 and 14. Solutions at either end of the scale are extremely
corrosive.
It
is important to know about the pH scale as improperly using cleaners
with too low or too high of a pH can ruin surfaces. In
addition, mixing low pH solutions with high pH solutions is dangerous,
and can even be deadly. Employees need to be aware that mixing
chemicals together to make their own “super” cleaning
solution is never a good idea.
High
pH detergents may be required when floors are heavily embedded
with wax or badly soiled with grease. However, it is
not recommended to use harsh chemicals for daily floor cleaning.
Instead, use a high quality cleaner with a neutral pH that will
not harm the surface.
Strong
acids (low pH) may be required to clean toilet bowls.
Be aware that strong acids are very corrosive and they can eat
through metal.
Your
employees should always have the proper protective gear when
working with chemical solutions. Cloth or cotton type gloves will
not protect an employee’s skin from these chemicals. Make
sure you have the proper gloves available (usually a latex or
nitrile glove) for your employees to use when handling chemicals.
Download
a pH Scale Reference Chart here
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(TM)
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