What is sodium hydroxide as a cleaning agent and its use?

What is sodium hydroxide as a cleaning agent? Sodium hydroxide is a very strong alkali that can used for soap making and as a cleaning agent. It's often called caustic soda or lye water in this context, but I would like to use the term sodium hydroxide for the purposes of this article.

How do you use sodium hydroxide as a cleaning agent?

There are many ways to use sodium hydroxide, one way is to make soap. Soap is made by combining fats with lye water. The mixture will then be heated (rendering it liquid) until saponification takes place, which is when the molecules of the acid react with fat molecules at boiling point and turn into soap molecules.

1. Soap making

Soap can be made in two ways, the first is to make a cold process soap by mixing fat with lye water. The next is to make a hot process soap that uses melted fats instead of solid fats. Cold process soap uses fats with long chain triglycerides, while hot process soap uses liquid oils that are heated to melt them into the lye water. Lye water will kill bacteria or other organisms and purity will be achieved. While pure soap is usually green because of impurities, it can be white or amber depending on when and how it's processed. Soaps are made for a variety of reasons such as their cleaning properties, softness and oil absorption capabilities.

2. Stain removal

Sodium hydroxide is an alkali cleaner that works with fats and oils. It can be applied to stains on clothes as a pre-soak in warm water or a soak in hot water, by mixing it with water to make a paste. After the apply of sodium hydroxide onto the stain, it will be washed out and then soaked again for a short time in the solution. It is best used with white clothing as it may strip off colouring or dye from other coloured fabrics. The same process can be used on furniture, floors and walls where oil has been spilled or seeped through. It is important to wear gloves when using it, to avoid getting irritated by the chemical while working with it. While it can be used on tiles, it should not be used on marble or stone as the stone may become toxic.

3. Cleaning grease

Sodium hydroxide can also clean grease from surfaces if it is mixed with water in a bucket and applied to the greasy surface. The process uses hot soap and the application of pressure to force out any insides left in the bucket from previous applications, which are most likely fats or oils. The hot soap mixture is then removed with a hose or a simple broom. This will result in any grease left behind being well cleaned, but will not remove any stains that may have been on the surface in the first place.

4. Floor cleaning

Sodium hydroxide as a cleaning agent can be used to clean wood floors, however it is best to use it with caution as a cautionary note states that sodium hydroxide can etch stone floors. The usage of sodium hydroxide for floor cleaning should generally only be used in smaller quantities, as it may be dangerous if too much sodium hydroxide is used at one time. One to two buckets of sodium hydroxide should be placed on a cloth, and the floor can then be swept or wiped clean with the same result of removing any stains. Using too much sodium hydroxide may cause severe damage to wooden floors, porcelain tile, ceramic or stone.

5. Cleaning windows and mirrors

Sodium hydroxide can be used to clean windows as well as mirrors by taking one bucket of sodium hydroxide and placing it in a bucket of water. The window can then be washed with soap and warm water onto the sodium hydropxide mixture. It is important when cleaning these surfaces not to scrub too hard into the surface or it may damage it.

Conclusion

What is sodium hydroxide as a cleaning agent? Sodium hydroxide can be used as a cleaning agent and soap making agent. It is often known as caustic soda or lye water, however I'd like to use sodium hydroxide for the purposes of this article. There are many ways to use sodium hydroxide and in the links provided there is more information on how sodium hydroxide can be used for cleaning purposes.