Here is a comprehensive list of terms used on this website and in general within the cleaning industry.

  1. Abrasive: Gritty additives used to increase scouring ability. May scratch some surfaces when used.

  2. Acid: Acids neutralize alkalis. Turns Litmus test paper: red. Always has a pH less than 7. A pH of 1 would be a strong acid; pH 5 or 6 would be a weak acid.

  3. Acrylic: Basic polymer used in most floor finishes. It is water-soluble and yields a durable, easy-to-apply coating.

  4. Alkali: Any substance, which when dissolved in water, yields a pH above 7 and turns Litmus Test Paper: Blue.

  5. Alkalinity: Alkalinity is useful in removing acidic, fatty, and oily soils. Soap and soap-based products are alkaline and perform well only in an alkaline medium. Detergent products can be formulated at any level of alkalinity determined by the cleaning task to be performed.

  6. Amine: A class of organic compounds containing nitrogen. Amines are often used as floor finish strippers, buffering agents in liquid laundry detergents, and as fabric softeners.

  7. Anionic Surfactant: A surfactant with a negatively charged ion incorporated into the molecule. Tends to be high sudsing. Major anionics are linear alkyl-sulfonates.

  8. Antiseptic: A substance that prevents or arrests the growth or action of bacteria, either by inhibiting their activity or by destroying them.

  9. Bacteria: A single-cell microorganism. Many bacteria are capable of producing infections (pathogenic) and are sometimes referred to as “germs” or “microbes”.

  10. Bactericide: Any substance that kills bacteria, synonymous with germicide. Does not necessarily destroy resistant bacterial spores.

  11. Bacteriostat: A chemical agent that prevents bacteria from multiplying and growing (doesn’t kill).

  12. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): A measurement of the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to metabolize or digest the organic material in wastewater.

  13. Biodegradable: Any substance that has the capability of being decomposed by biological processes, especially by bacteria present in waste-treatment systems, in surface waters, and in the soil.

  14. Bleach: A product that cleans, whitens, removes stains, and brightens fabrics. It also removes stains on some hard surfaces.

  15. Brighteners: Optical or fluorescent enhancers found in carpet and cleaning products.

  16. Buffer: A chemical compound that, when dissolved in water, tends to resist changes in pH when small amounts of acids are added.

  17. Buffing: Polishing through friction, typically with a low RPM floor machine, usually not higher than 200 RPM.

  18. Builder: A material that improves the cleaning efficiency of a surfactant, principally by inactivating water-hardness ions. Can also function as chelating and sequestering agents, as a precipitating agent, or as an ion exchanger. Detergents formulated with builders are termed “built”.

  19. Burnish: Polishing through friction typically with a high RPM floor machine, usually from 1,000 to 1,500 RPM.

  20. Butyl Cellosolve: Water-soluble solvent widely used in cleaning compounds. An excellent water-based degreasing agent. See Glycol Ether.

  21. Calcium Carbonate: A standard reference for expressing units of water hardness, alkalinity, etc.

  22. Carcinogen: A term for substances that cause cancer.

  23. Cationic Surfactant: A surfactant with a positively charged ionic group in the molecule. Quaternary compounds are the most commonly used cationic.

  24. Caustic: When the term is used alone, it usually refers to caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is used in manufacturing hard soap. It also refers to caustic potash (potassium hydroxide), which is used in manufacturing soft soap. Due to the strong alkaline base, the substance irritates the skin and is corrosive.

  25. Chelant: Chemical that sequesters ions (such as calcium, iron, copper in solution). Used in detergents to increase efficacy in hard water.

  26. Chlorine Bleach: A group of strong oxidizing agents commonly sold in an approximately 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite for domestic use and 10% or more for industrial use. As a laundry additive, liquid chlorine removes stains, aids in soil removal, whitens, disinfects, and deodorizes. Dry forms of chlorine bleach are frequently used in cleansers and automatic dishwasher detergents. Bleach should not be used with silk, woolens or dyes sensitive to hypochlorite, and on certain stains such as rust, it helps promote rust on metals. Chlorine bleach deactivates enzymes in laundry cleaners.

  27. Chlorinated Solvent: Degreasing solvents with lower flammability and greater solvent power than normal petroleum solvents such as mineral spirits, naphtha, fuel oil, and kerosene.

  28. Cidal Or “Cide”: Generally refers to agents with the ability to kill microorganisms.

  29. Cleanser: A powdered or liquid cleaning product generally containing abrasives, a surfactant, and frequently bleach.

  30. Concentrate: The undiluted form of a dilutable cleaning product.

  31. Corrosion Inhibitors: An additive, which protects alloys, such as copper-lead, and cadmium nickel and ferrous metals against attacks by acids.

  32. D-Limonene: A natural hydrocarbon solvent extracted from citrus products and usually smells like oranges.

  33. De-Foamer: An additive to suppress or inhibit the production of suds to a low level.

  34. Density: Mass per unit volume of any substance under specified conditions of pressure and temperature. Thickness of consistency. A common density value used is that pure water at 25°C. weights 8.34 lbs. per gallon.

  35. Detergent: A synthetic cleaning agent resembling soap in the ability to emulsify oil and hold dirt, containing surfactants, which do not precipitate in hard water.

  36. Digester: An enzyme action used to break down stains caused by food, soil, grease, blood, etc.

  37. Dilution: The conversion from a concentrated form to R.T.U. (ready to use). For example, 2:128 = 2 ounces of concentrated product in a gallon of water.

  38. Disinfectant: A substance that destroys disease germs and other harmful microorganisms but not necessarily resistant spores.

  39. E.P.A.: Environmental Protection Agency, which approves disinfectants and sanitizers.

  40. Emulsion: One liquid dispersed (not dissolved) in another liquid. To form a stable emulsion of immiscible liquids, it is usually necessary to add an emulsifying agent that coats one liquid in tiny globs (called micelles) and keeps it from separating. Soap is

  41. Enzymes: Any of numerous proteins that are produced in the cells of living organisms and functions as a catalyst in the chemical process of those organisms.

  42. Flash Point: The lowest temperature at which the vapor of a combustible liquid can be made to ignite. Both reported in degrees F or degrees C.

  43. Gallon (U.S.): Volumetric unit of measure equal to 3.785 liters or 128 fluid ounces.

  44. Germ: A common term for pathogenic bacteria or other microorganisms.

  45. Germicide: Any substance that destroys microorganisms but not necessarily resistant spores of bacteria.

  46. Gloss: The brightness reflected from the floor finish on the floor.

  47. Glycol Ethers: A category of solvents such as Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether (Butyl Cellosolve) that contains Hydroxyls and Ethers. Most common are water-soluble solvents used for degreasing and industrial cleaning.

  48. Gram: A metric unit of mass and weight equal to 1/1000 kilogram and nearly equal to the mass (weight) of 1 cc of water at its maximum density. There are 453.6 grams in a pound.

  49. Hypochlorite: A powerful disinfectant containing chlorine.

  50. Inert Ingredient: An ingredient in a product that does not contribute to the product’s function, other than serving as a carrier for the active ingredients.

  51. M.S.D.S.: Material Safety Data Sheet. A standardized form containing all pertinent hazardous information for the use, storing, and handling of chemical compounds.

  52. Metal Interlocked Floor Finish: Uses divalent metallic ions, usually zinc, to tie together or cross-link adjacent molecules of the acrylic polymers used in floor finishes. The cross-linking prevents ordinary alkaline detergents from attacking and dissolving the floor finish film. However, if ammonia is added to the alkaline detergent, the zinc reacts to form water-soluble ammonium complexes and the alkaline detergent dissolves the polymers, thus allowing the floor finish to be removed.

  53. Micron: A measurement used for gauging material thickness; for example, 1 Micron is one of 25,000 of an inch.

  54. Microorganism: Microscopic life forms that require energy, carbon, and small amounts of inorganic elements to grow and multiply.

  55. Muriatic: Commercial name given to hydrochloric acid.

  56. Neutral Solution: A chemical state that is neither acid nor alkali (base); 7 on the pH scale.

  57. Nonionic Surfactants: A product containing neither anionic nor cationic surfactants. Tends to be low-sudsing. Ethoxylated Alcohols are the most widely used nonionic.

  58. Non-Volatile (Solids): The amount of material remaining in a liquid product after drying for one hour at 105°C or until there is no change in weight; usually expressed as a percentage of the total weight or solids.

  59. O.S.H.A.: Occupational Safety and Health Agency, which establishes and enforces laws relating to worker safety.

  60. Organic: General term for compounds containing carbon and hydrogen molecules in their molecular structure. Material that comes from animal or vegetable sources. Bacteria and other small organisms generally can consume organic matter.

  61. Parts per Million (ppm): One part per million equals 1 milligram per liter (mg/L), 1 lb. in 1,000,000 lbs.

  62. pH (Potential Hydrogen): It is the measure of the acid or alkali strength of a solution. In general, the pH of most liquids runs from 1 to 14. From 1 to 6, the numbers are considered on the acidic side and 8 to 14 on the alkaline side. A pH of 7 is neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline.

  63. Phenol: Phenol is the basic constituent of the synthetic phenolic germicides, most of which have antimicrobial properties superior to phenol itself. Phenol is the standard against which synthetic phenolic germicides are compared when the phenol coefficient is calculated.

  64. Phenol Coefficient: The number of times a disinfectant is stronger than pure phenol (carbolic acid) against a specific bacteria. Phenol is used as a standard of strength and is considered to have a coefficient of 1. The recommended dilution is usually one part to twenty parts of water for this test.

  65. Phosphates: Chemical compound used in the production of many cleaning products, including detergents. Most often used in alkaline, inorganic formulas. Primarily used as a chelant for water softening.

  66. Polymers: Styrene Acrylate compounds used as the backbone for many coatings and adhesives, including resilient floor finish.

  67. Presoak: A soaking operation to remove stains that precedes the regular cleaning process.

  68. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A type of chemicals used as disinfectants. It is a germicidal cationic surfactant. Quaternaries (quats) are completely soluble in water, odorless, and react with many malodor compounds to deodorize them.

  69. Rinse Agent: A wetting agent used in the last rinse during dishwashing to improve the drying of dishes and utensils.

  70. Sanitizer: An agent that reduces the number of bacteria to a level safe by public health requirements. Technically, to sanitize means to reduce a bacteria population by 99.999%. “Sanitize” is not the same as “disinfect”.

  71. Saponification: The process of converting a fat into soap by treating it with an alkali. Also the process used by some cleaners to remove grease and oil.

  72. Sequestering Agents: Chemicals that tie up water hardness and prevent the precipitation of hard water salts. This action causes clarity in liquid soap.

  73. Silicone: A chemical compound that is used as a lubricant and as a protective coating. It is odorless and colorless.

  74. Solids %: Percentage of solid materials dissolved in a solution. Generally used to refer to strength or concentration of active ingredients or non-volatiles.

  75. Solvent: A liquid that dissolves a material to form a solution, i.e., water, alcohol, mineral spirits, etc.

  76. Spotter: A stain remover used on various applications such as carpets and laundries.

  77. Spray Buff: An intermediate floor care procedure, which cleans, removes black marks and shines the wear areas of a floor. Requires a sprayed solution, a floor machine, and a synthetic floor pad.

  78. Surfactant (Wetting Agent): Also known as detergent, surfactant, or surface-active agent. A chemical capable of lowering the surface tension of liquids, gases, or solids so that a more intimate contact with water results. Soap is the oldest and best-known wetting agent. It has been considerably replaced in modern formulations with synthetic products. These synthetic wetting agents can be classified as ionic, cationic, or nonionic, depending upon the presence and type of active ion formed in solution (negative, positive, or no charge, respectively).

  79. Titration: A method of determining by volume the concentration of a desired substance or chemical.

  80. U.S.D.A.: United States Department of Agriculture, which approves products associated with the cleaning of food processing areas.

  81. Virus: The causative agent of an infectious disease.

  82. Viscosity: The degree of thinness or resistance to flow by a fluid as measured in degrees centipoise. A low viscosity liquid “thin” or “light”. A high viscosity liquid is “thick” or “heavy”.

  83. Volatile: The components that will evaporate at normal temperatures. Percent volatile usually refers to all components of a solution, except the non-volatile solids and water.

  84. Wetting Agent: A chemical that reduces the surface tension of water. See surfactants.

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