Volume XX, Issue 2 - March 2023

Cleaning agents don’t have to be a mystery. We can help you sort it out.
"GREAT newsletter from truly knowledgeable and wonderful people!"
Feature Article
Cleaning with Organic Solvents, Part 1: Names and Structure
Ed Kanegsberg and Barb Kanegsberg
Manufacturers are exploring moving to new critical product cleaning processes that use either organic solvents or water blended with a bunch of chemicals, including organic chemicals. We’re going to get to know a little about molecules. Why bother? Perhaps you are reading product literature that asserts superlative cleaning performance of a cleaning agent. Understanding the chemical name (not just the mystery brand name) makes it easier to understand how the cleaning agent works. Chemical structure determines chemical function. You probably wouldn’t buy a new car or a new 3D printer sight-unseen. You’d want to look at it, to understand a bit about construction, quality of workmanship, and functionality. The same is true for cleaning agents. Because cleaning agents are made up of chemicals, getting comfy with molecular structure will help you appreciate the way cleaning agents function. Understanding chemistry will help you manufacture more effectively and economically.
Alcohols, modified alcohols, acetone and isoparaffin hydrocarbons are referred to as organic chemicals or organic solvents or simply solvents. What do we mean by organic chemicals? When we teach cleaning courses, we find that some people think of “organic” in the context of agricultural practices. Organic solvents do not mean chemicals that are cage-free free range, non-GMO. Understanding the system for naming organic chemicals helps remove the mystery associated with cleaning agents.