The Chemistry Of Aqueous Cleaning

By Michael Moussourakis, Jeff Phillips, Stacy Silverstein, and Malcolm McLaughlin

Aqueous cleaners are typically composed of three elements:

• Surfactants for emulsifying, wetting, and penetrating

• Builders for neutralizing water hardness, chelating inorganic, and saponifying natural oils

• Additives for corrosion inhibition, anti-redeposition, and rinsing.

In this chapter of The Aqueous Cleaning Handbook, we explore the key definitions of aqueous cleaner ingredients, the types of aqueous cleaners, and the application of isoelectric points to cleaning.