The Art of Cleaning & Surface Preparation

Did you ever notice when you walk by an area and it just feels -- well, not dirty, but not clean

either? There may be a smudge on the glass partition, a very light coat of dust on a surface. It

may be nothing you can easily see, but you know something isn’t right. The cleaners did their

jobs last night, but….

In most cases, it’s not the cleaner’s fault. It’s the tools and chemicals they use. Their company

doesn’t understand the science of cleaning. At its core, the responsibility of janitorial services is

to remove unwanted matter and put it in its proper place. An effective cleaning company is one

that understands the science behind removing the unwanted matter. For the purposes of this

article, let’s refer to all types of ‘unwanted matter’ as ‘dirt.’

When dirt falls to the floor, shelf, or desktop, surface tension is created between the particle of

dirt and the surface. Surface tension is caused by the attraction of molecules to like molecules.

This is called cohesion. The molecules on the surface are not surrounded by like molecules on all

sides. They are more attracted to their neighboring dirt molecules. It is important to understand

that dirt is negatively charged or anionic.

Normally, a cleaning service will go through a building or facility, performing the ordinary

cleaning activities to remove the dirt. A common practice is to use surfactants (cleaning agents).

Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a

liquid and a solid. Soap is an example of a surfactant. Its foaming action gets under dirt and

helps carry the dirt away. Soap decreases surface tension because it separates the water

molecules. The soap molecules squeeze between the water molecules and keep them apart. The

forces of the surface tension then become smaller and therefore the dirt becomes easier to

remove.

Typical chemicals have a positive charge, which makes them ionic. So, as the cloth or mop

glides across the hard surface, the positively charged ionic chemical solution (surfactant)

attracts and removes the negatively charged anionic dirt. Because opposites attract, when a

positive charged cleaning agent is brought into contact with the negatively charged dirt, the

cleaning agent attracts the dirt (like a magnet) and holds on to it, helping in the removal

process.

But there is more to the story, because typical surfactants cause dirt to reappear faster than

necessary. How? When the positively charged ionic cleaning chemical solution is used, it

leaves a tiny film of the surfactant on the solid surface. Remember, this film is positively

charged because it is made of the ionic surfactant. As a result, the surface that was just cleaned

is now poised to attract the negatively charged anionic dirt – again. Throughout the day, week,

or weekend, more and more dirt accumulates because of this attraction. The cleaner returns and performs the same process, and the cycle repeats itself.

The way to counter this problem is to use cleaning solutions that have had the positive charge

removed during the manufacturing process. With no electric charge, these specialized cleaners

are now nonionic, neither ionic nor anionic. Even though this scientifically prepared cleaning

product has no positive charge so that no ionic film is left behind, dirt is removed through the

use of positively charged cleaning tools. Through the combination of nonionic cleaning agents

and positively charged cleaning tools, such as microfiber wipes and mops, the surfaces are

cleaned thoroughly and do not attract dirt unnecessarily. Therefore, through the science of

cleaning, all surfaces are cleaned and stay clean longer. The end result is a cleaner, healthier

building.

Surfactant: (pronounced Surf-Fact-Ent:

Surf as in Surf’s up baby! Fact as in “Just

the facts, Ma’am,” and Ent as in those

giant trees walking around in Lord of the

Rings)

It means “surface active agent” and is the

scientific word for soap at its most basic.

Surfactant = Soap

Surfactants change the surface tension of the

water. What this means is that water can

more easily penetrate the fibers which

loosens the dirt and then holds it in

suspension in the water. I’ll explain that in more detail below.

There’s a bunch of different types of surfactants, but we’ll

focus on two for now which are the most common when doing

laundry.

Surfactants are shaped like tadpoles. The head loves water,

and the tail not only hates water, but it’s attracted to dirt.

This is also called Hydrophilic (Greek word meaning

Water-Loving ) and Hydrophobic (Greek word meaning

runs away from water ).

Most types of soaps and detergents are

anionic surfactants which mean they

have a positive and negative charge on

either end of the molecule. The head is

negatively charged and the tail is positively

charged.

To understand charges a bit better, think

back to when you played with magnets as a

kid. One side of the magnet would attract

another magnet, and if you flipped one of

those magnets around they would repel each

other. That’s because one side of the magnet

has a positive charge and one has a

negative. Opposites attract.

http://www.howmagnetswork.com/

Back to the surfactant “tadpoles” – the

molecules will surround a dirt particle,

break it up, and force it away from the

fabric surface, holding it in suspension in the water until it’s rinsed away.

The reason why anionic soaps don’t work

well in hard water is because the minerals

(calcium and magnesium ions) in hard water

are positively charged, attracting the heads

of the surfactants. The hard water ions

deactivate the surfactant by binding to it

instead of the dirt. Each hard water mineral

molecule has 2 ions – so each hard water

molecule can take 2 soap molecules (which

have 1 ion). When the ions attract, the soap

becomes insoluble and can’t bind to the dirt.

This is why you may need up to four times

the recommended detergent in hard water.

This reaction also causes soap scum.

That’s why it is recommended that if you

have hard water, you use a softener – not

just for your laundry but also to help keep

buildup of soap scum from happening in

your machine and to clean out your pipes.

Otherwise the machine will break down

eventually and the area in your pipes for

water to run will get smaller and smaller.

Eco Nuts Soap Nuts and Soap Nuts Liquid is

a non-ionic surfactant. The difference is that

there’s still a tadpole with a head that loves

water and a tail that doesn’t, but there’s no

charge. This means it is not affected by hard

water ions. There are other factors in hard

water which make it harder for the nuts to

work in some (not all) cases and why we

recommend the liquid for hard water or a

water softener.

Surfactants work 3 ways:

From Scienceinthebox.com

Roll-Up mechanism

Picture a pincusion being surrounded on all

sides with tin pins. The tiny pins are the

surfactant and are essentially “rolling up” a

ball of dirt until it’s completely surrounded.

Emulsification

The surfactant breaks up oil particles so that

they are dispersed in the wash water and

can be rinsed away. Picture two salad

dressings – oil and water (not emulsified),

vs. vinaigrette (emulsified).

Solublization

The surfactant and the water causes the dirt

to dissolve into a liquid

The way the surfactant will work on the dirt

depends on not only the type of soil it is, but

the type of fabric.

Okay, the dirt is now off your clothes

swishing in the washing machine.

A great video to watch that demonstrates how surfactants work is this Candy Corn in

Space video. It shows some experiments

carried out by astronauts in zero gravity

with candy corn and water and they found

that they behaved similarly to how

surfactants behave in the presence of soil.

What keeps the dirt from winding up

elsewhere on your clothes?

Remember an Anionic surfactant has a

charge to it? Once the little tails are all

stuck to the dirt that leaves the heads poking

out which have a negative charge to them.

The fabric gains a negative charge in the

presence of the surfactants so both sides

repel each other.

This negative charge builds up on the

fabrics as they rub against each other and

continues in the dryer – which causes static

cling!

When your water is hard, this repulsion

doesn’t happen. Yet another reason to use a

water softener and why your clothes come

out dingy-looking.

With a non-ionic surfactant (like Eco Nuts)

it works in a similar way to keep dirt from

being re-deposited on fabric – the term in

chemistry called a steric hindrance . In

plain English it means that once the

surfactant molecules attach the dirt, the

particle is too big and bulky to cling to

anything because its size was increased by

too

Credits: Laundry Science 101: Surfactants

December 14th, 2011 12:18 AM

Is this ball gonna stick to anything? NOPE!

many things sticking out of it. The non-ionic

surfactants have a very long water-loving

head which sticks out and is attracted to the

water, not the fabric. This keeps the dirt

from combining with other dirt molecules or

going back to the fabric at all. Think of a

nubby ball – each little nub is a surfactant

tadpole head which wants to be next to

water, not fabric.

Remember the stick-um game? You toss a

ball and catch it in a Velcro mitt. Another

way to picture steric hindrance would be

if you tried to play stick-um with two

different balls – a tennis ball and a nubby

ball. The tennis ball sticks to the Velcro, but

the ball with nubbies won’t. The nubbies

aren’t a Velcro surface that the Velcro can

attach to like the tennis ball, so the nubby

ball will simply bounce off.

So then if the soap doesn’t stick once it

removed the dirt, what causes

residue/buildup?

Residue – not such a huge deal for most

people unless you cloth diaper or have skin

sensitivities, however for cloth diapering

and skin-sensitive folks, residue is a nightmare!

Residue/buildup is caused by the following

things – ingredients that are not soap in the

detergent (including optical brighteners and

stain guards or stain lifters), incomplete

rinsing caused by an overload of the

machine, misuse of liquid fabric softener (or

fabric softener in general – that includes

dryer sheets used after washing), powdered

detergent that did not dissolve properly, and

hard water.

To remove detergent residue, wash in the

hottest water setting recommended by the

clothing manufacturer.

Surfactants also create suds! Artificial

surfactants create more bubbles/suds! Suds

have nothing to do with cleaning power, and

are just a side effect of the soap in the water.

What makes a bubble? Read on!

Remember our tadpoles again and how

much the head loves water and the tail hates

it?

A cross section of a soap bubble from

Exploratorium.edu

When a surfactant molecule finds its way to the surface of the water the hydrophobic

tails poke out of the water because they are

trying to get away from it. Also keep in mind

from earlier that surfactants break the

surface tension of the water. This is because

the distance between water molecules

increases because the soap molecules are

forcing their way in between and the surface

tension can be bent/broken. In other words,

you agitate water a little bit introducing

some air and the surfactant molecules line

up trapping a thin layer of water molecules

in a soap sandwich. This is a bubble! The

soap film protects the water from

evaporating. As you can see, the bubbles

have everything to do with the presence of

soap but nothing to do with cleaning.

Different types of soap

molecules/surfactants create different sized

and colored bubbles.

Some surfactants are good at cleaning but

don’t make many bubbles (Like Eco Nuts

Soap Nuts and Liquid Detergent). Some

artificial surfactants are bad at cleaning but

make great bubbles. Some surfactants make

great bubbles and clean well (usually those

are more specialized for grease) some big

brand detergents and cleaners put those

artificial foaming surfactants in them just to

make bubbles so you think they’re cleaning

extra-hard. But now you know better! If you

talk to your local water treatment plant

they’ll tell you all about have they have to

add de-foaming agents to the water when

they treat it because there are so many

surfactants in our waste water (the majority

are the artificial foaming type that we don’t

need

Antislip Treatment

Antislip Solution is applied to the tiled surface the following chemical reaction occurs. The

surface of the tile is micro etched, which provides an anti slip, slip resistant effect to the surface

when wet. Quite simply put, we create a tread pattern within the surface. Once treated with

antislip, the surface has been altered permanently (depending on the integrity/quality of the tile)

to provide a slip-resistant finish that becomes part of the surface. With this treatment a slight

loss of glaze or colour may occur in some tiles – a sample treatment is always offered to gauge

this variation. We suggest you inspect the treated tile when wet and dry to ensure you are happy

with the finished product.

Sealing

After treating the tiles, we seal them with our Micro Inviso Shield, water & oil repelling,

microscopic, invisible shield. It is not a surface or barrier coating; rather it deeply penetrates

and chemically bonds with the substrate without altering its appearance and allows the substrate

to breathe. Surfaces are then up to 90% easier to maintain clean.

Micro Inviso Shield improves slip resistance as aquaplaning is minimised. Micro Inviso Shield

does not UV degrade and does not wear off in high traffic areas.

Micro Inviso Shield can be applied to masonry substrates such as sandstone, pavers, exposed

aggregate, brick, concrete and other natural stones to protect against water penetration,

staining, chewing gum adhesion, efflorescence, corrosion of steel reinforcement, spalling and

de-icing attack.

The surface treated will be warranted to remain slip-resistant when wet to meet AS/NZS

4586:2004 & Duty of Care Legislation, for a period of up to 5 years or the effective life of the

tile subject to the integrity of the tile and correct cleaning methods being followed. Antislip has

created a tread pattern in the top of the tile, as the tile wears down, so does the effect of Antislip.

CLEANING A TREATED SURFACE

It is important that a surface treated with Antislip is not allowed to become dirtier than normal

or contaminated with food, oils and fats as these will negate the system. Spills can be cleaned up

immediately as there is no need to fear water on an Antislip treated floor. To ensure long life of

the treatment, it is important that a non-residual cleaning product be utilised (we use and

recommend Power Kleen, Ubeaut or 3 in 1, UBC). A guide to cleaning and maintenance is

available on request.

Maintenance cleaning instructions for Antislip Treated Surfaces.

Now that your tiles/pavers/pebbles have been treated with Antislip Tile Treatment, and sealed with our M.I.S penetrating sealer, it is important that they are cleaned properly to maintain the

non slip effect that we have installed. Poor cleaning practices will negate the system by allowing

residues to fill up the microscopic pores that we have created in the surface of the tile.

General cleaning & oil/grease removal we recommend a pH neutral detergent or Tile &

Concrete Cleaner Concentrate.

MONTHLY MAJOR - DEGREASE

1. Used with warm water if available.

2. Power Kleen, (pool areas, bathrooms, Aquatic surrounds)

3. Ubeaut (All tiled surfaces)

4. Mix to desired affect with water & spread to surface

5. Apply solution with a soft broom and lightly scrub

6. Leave on for a few minutes and either rinse off with water or

7. Pick up solution with a Commercial Micro Fiber mop, wet dry vac

8. Clean water, change the water regularly so that the surface is left clean and free from

detergent and grime.

9. Rinse the Mop to dry often; do not leave the water to air dry.

DAILY CLEANING

1. Used with warm water if available.

2. Ubeaut (All tiled surfaces)

3. Mix to desired affect with water & spread to surface

4. Apply solution with a soft broom and lightly scrub

5. Leave on for a few minutes and either rinse off with water or

6. Pick up solution with a Commercial Micro Fiber mop, wet dry vac

7. Clean water, change the water regularly so that the surface is left clean and free from

detergent and grime.

8. Rinse the Mop to dry often; do not leave the water to air dry.

Caution: Power auto scrubbers or polishers may be used with SOFT brushes in the Lay Scrub

method, hard concrete brushes do not clean out microscopic pores and will hone away the

surface of the tile or stone. The area still requires rinsing if using these methods.

“Lay Scrub System” by feeding a PH balanced solution (preferably) with warm water, through

scrubber whilst brushes are turning until solution tank is empty, fill solution tank with fresh

clean water, add defoamer & re scrub floor whilst rinsing & vacuuming up waste.

Do Not Use; Highly alkaline cleaning agents, powdered or crème cleansers and disinfectants

other than (Quaternary Ammonia) these cleaning products are highly residual & if used must be

rinsed off thoroughly.

Common Cleaning Mistakes

Using the wrong cleaning products – too harsh a chemical or too abrasive a cleaner. Using too much product – dilute as per instructions, more is NOT better.

Applying too much water to the surface / flooding the area.

Not changing the water or cleaning solution often enough.

Not finishing with a rinse to remove any cleaner / chemical residue.

Leaving residual moisture on the floors – make sure to dry mop, wet vac or dry with an

old towel or rag so that there is no residual moisture left on the floors (especially in the

grout joints).

Enzymes

Many companies offer "environmentally friendly" enzyme solutions that break down the FOG

in grease traps and supposedly expel water with digested grease. While some of these enzyme

products may be useful for cleaning tile or floors, they are not proven grease removal

systems; they can contain questionable ingredients and are not recommended for use with

grease traps. Many of these enzymes do not 'eat' the FOG, but just temporarily separate the

grease from the water, which then flows into the wastewater system and attaches to pipes

downstream of the grease trap. In addition, many states and government bodies prohibit

enzyme use for cleaning grease traps. In general, it is better to clean the grease traps on a

regular basis.

Cyndan degrease & cleaning products are specifically formulated to address the following:

1. Whatever method is chosen, remember the three golden rules of cleaning:

Rule A: Try a small inconspicuous area first

Rule B: Rinse off well with clean water afterwards

Rule C: Avoid high concentration of cleaners for prolonged periods of time.

2. The sooner the cleaning is carried out, the easier the stain can be removed.

3. Protect the floor if decorating, construction or overhead work is taking place.

4. Locations which are permanently wet (e.g. swimming pools, showers etc.) may attract a

buildup of body fat, oils, soap residue, hard water deposits and in humid conditions organic

growth (algae). To remove this, a more acidic cleaning agent used regularly is preferable

because alkaline cleaners can react with body fats to make surfaces slippery.

5. Powder cleansers should not be used as undissolved particles may remain and develop a haze

distracting from the naturalness and beauty of the tiles.

6. Steel wool pads should not be used as they leave steel particles, which may later rust leaving

brown stains.

7. One source of problems with unglazed tiles is regular cleaning with alkaline detergent of

greater than pH 9 with high concentrate of sodium or potassium hydroxide. These should not be

used unless the residue can be neutralised and thoroughly rinsed away with clean water,

otherwise reaction can cause a glossy and potentially slippery surface.

8. The pH of the material is the measure of acidity or alkalinity. It is a logarithmic scale and pH 7

is the neutral point. Below pH 7, the material is progressively more acidic and above pH 7, more

alkaline (i.e. pH 8 is 10 x more alkaline that pH 7).

9. The regular use of detergents and other cleaning agents with are excessively acidic or alkaline

with excess sodium or potassium hydroxide can cause irreversible damage to the tile surface.

Acidity being less damaging that alkalinity. All products used must be recommended by the

chemical manufacturer.

10. Many degreasing agents which contain wax, sodium, silicate or other additives which leave a

sticky deposit on the floor and thus retain dirt on the surface must also be avoided. Like any

material tiles tend to become slippery when wet. We recommend that care be taken to keep the

surface dry.

12. Please always refer to the chemical manufacturer’s instructions when using any cleaning

agent.

13. Detergents build up with prolonged use and if not properly rinsed. This build up of detergents

will hold in dirt, make the tile look dirty and make it slippery.

Cleaning Facts:

1 Phosphoric acid cleaner

This is a phosphoric based acid cleaner containing detergent properties for the removal of excess

grouting and cement smears, usually used diluted with water in a ration of 1 part acid to 10 parts

water for final clean up of excess grout from tiles.

NOTE: Acid cleaner must be handled with care and protective clothing and goggles must be

worn. Read safety instructions before opening and applying.

2 Sodium bicarbonate

A 5-10% solution may be used to neutralise the acids used in grout removal. After reacting, the

materials should be washed off with copious amount of water.

3 Cleaning detergents

These vary dependent upon the application as follows:

3.1 Post phosphoric acid cleaner

To clean up after phosphoric acid, the most suitable is a neutral to slightly alkaline cleanser pH 7

to 9 designed to neutralise the phosphoric acid and maintain tiles in a clean condition.

3.2 Daily cleaning

For daily cleaning, a detergent with a pH in the range of 7-9 should be used.

3.3 Heavy cleaning

For heavy cleaning, an organic acid cleaner with a pH of 2, but no mineral acid content or an

alkaline cleaner with a pH of up to 11 may be used provided its sodium or potassium hydroxide

content is no more than 0.01% in the liquid used.

3.4 Heavy duty scrubbing

For heavy duty scrubbing of small areas higher alkaline cleaners up to pH 13.5 may be used

provided the sodium or potassium hydroxide content is less than 2% in the concentrate and is

diluted to at least 100:1 with water, but they should be removed from the surface with copious

quantities of water. They should not be used in a routine daily maintenance as residual cleaner

will attack the tile surface and cause the grout to blacken.

4 Water

Clean water is the big secret in cleaning; it should be used to flush all detergents and acids used

in cleaning.

4.1 Manual cleaning

Mop and bucket. Micro Fiber or natural bristle scrubber.

4.2 Mechanical cleaning

Large areas of plain or textured surface tiles are most readily cleaned with rotary cylindrical or

reversing mechanical scrubbing machines. The scrubbing machine speed ideally should be 150 to

250 rpm. Brushes used should be selected so that they effectively clean the tiles but does not

damage the tile surface in any way. Scrubbing machines should be provided with a suction drying

facility.

4.3 High velocity water jets

High velocity water jets are sometimes available for general use and/or for removal of stubborn

dirt. These will not damage the tiles, but may erode the grout in the joints if used regularly.

Check with the equipment manufacturer before using. If oil or grease is present, use the jet with

warm or hot water and with neutral detergent. Glazed tiles

When cleaning glazed tiles, a damp cloth is usually all it takes to bring back the gloss of the tiles.

A routine clean with window cleaner may remove moderate stains and a stronger solution in

necessary for heavily soiled surfaces. A milk solution of hot water and all purpose liquid cleaner

or soap less detergent is excellent for cleaning walls, floors and counter tops.

When cleaning it is important to remember:

Do not use powder based cleaners that may scratch the surface.

Do not use soap to clean as it leaves a film which can dull the gloss of glazed tiles and also

encourages the growth of bacteria and mould in damp areas.

All cleaning solution must the thoroughly removed for the tiles by rinsing with clean water.

To clean grouting, a plastic bristle brush is recommended. Steel wool pads should not be used as

they leave steel particles, which may later rust leaving brown stains.

Due to the constant use of shower areas, tiles surfaces need a different cleaning procedure to

remove the hard water deposits, soap scum and body oils that build up.

To avoid extra heavy cleaning, weekly cleaning is advised to maintain the level of hygiene and to

remove dirt before it builds up into hard deposits. Routine build up can be removed with most all

purpose cleaners while hard water deposits can be eliminated by a solution of white vinegar and

water. A plastic scouring pad is most useful for this kind of cleaning.

With the damp nature of shower recesses, bacteria and mould can develop where there is little

ventilation. This can be removed by spraying or wiping with chlorine bleach such as Cyndan

Bleach. This should be allowed to stand for 5 minutes and later rinsed with clear water. Caution

should be taken when using bleach and it should never be mixed with ammonia.

Maintenance of public areas

Small areas

Small public areas such a lobbies and corridors can be easily cleaned by a daily mopping with

warm water and all-purpose eco friendly UBEAUT cleaner.

Large areas

Large public areas such as shopping centers, malls and auditoriums may be cleaned with self

propelled scrubbing machines using detergents as follows:

1. For daily cleaning, Ubeaut with a pH in the range of 7-9 should be used.

2. For heavy cleaning, an organic acid cleaner with a pH about 2, but containing no mineral

acids, or an alkaline cleaner with a pH of up to 11 may be used provided its sodium or potassium

hydroxide content is less than 0.01% when diluted. Both should be diluted with water as

recommended by the chemical manufacturer. The cleaner should be liberally applied and quickly

removed from the floor by squeegee and suction as recommended by the chemical manufacturer.

3. For heavy duty scrubbing of small areas higher alkaline cleaners up to pH 13.5 may be used

provided the sodium or potassium hydroxide content is less than 2% in the concentrate and is

diluted to at least 100:1 with water, but they should be removed from the surface with copious

quantities of water. They should not be used in a routine daily maintenance as residual cleaner

will attack the tile surface and cause the grout to blacken.

Before using these products (1, 2 & 3) get professional written advice from the chemical

manufacturer as to the suitability, application and frequency of use of their product on fully

vitrified porcelain tiles.

Natural stone

Natural Stone Products should not be cleaned with acid or acid based industrial cleaners. It is

recommended that you seek professional written advice from the chemical manufacturer as to the

suitability, application and frequency of use of their product on Natural Stone.

It is recommended that Natural Stone products are sealed.

Polished tiles

When cleaning polished tiles it is recommended to sweep or vacuum the floor of all loose dirt,

sand and other foreign materials prior to cleaning.

Mop the floor with a mild cleaning solution and water, Use 50% less detergent concentrate than

one would use on an unpolished floor.

Use a damp mop with clean, clear water to clean off any cleaning solution, finally dry the floor

thoroughly with a soft cloth or buffing pad to increase the shine and prevent water spots.

Unpolished, matt and honed tiles

When cleaning unpolished, matt or honed tiles it is recommended to sweep or vacuum the floor of

all loose dirt, sand and other foreign materials prior to cleaning. If there are contaminants on the

surface of the tile that are difficult to remove, it is important to firstly identify the specific spill or

contaminant and different surface contaminants required different cleaning methods and

chemicals. However, the general recommendations are:

Saturate the floor with a mild cleaning solution and water, and allow it to stand for 5 – 10

minutes. Do not allow the cleaning solution to dry, add more water if necessary. It may be best to

complete small areas at a time.

Remove the dirty cleaning solution and rinse the surface with clean, clear water and buff with a

dry mop or towel.

For the contaminants that are difficult to remove, scrub the cleaning solution with a floor

machine equipped with a nylon pad or bristle brush. For residential applications and small areas

a hand brush or nylon pad can be used. Remove the dirty cleaning solution and rinse the surface

with clean, clear water.

Powder cleaners should not be used as undissolved particles might remain and develop a haze

distracting from the naturalness and beauty of unglazed or terracotta tiles.

Please consult your local representive for a tailored solution addressing your specific

requirements.