By Chris Jensen, (retired)
We’re back talking about cleaning again. We continue to get calls from shops wondering why their cleaning solution isn’t working as advertised.
The first question we’ll ask is, “What’s your mix ratio?” Virtually every cleaning solution will have an optimum mix ratio of chemical to water. Our recommendation is that you start on the weak side and see how that cleans for you.
Let’s say you’re using our D-AL50 Detergent for non-ferrous metals. The mix ratio is 1/4 pound per 1 gallon of water. Start out just a little under that and work your way up.
This is NOT an instance where a little more will make it better. An overly strong cleaning solution won’t work any better than one that’s too weak. Remember too, that if the solution is a little weak, you can add to it, but if it’s too strong, you’re going to have to start from scratch (and you’ve just wasted your time and chemicals and, ultimately, your money).
We recommend using pH test strips (HT-PH) to check the concentration. Your target for most cleaning solutions is a pH of 11.5 to 12.5.