Introduction

When you think about an industrial zone, what are the things that come to your mind? Noise, pollution, gas, dirt, oil, grease, isn’t it? The regular soaps and handwashes may get rid of the dust and dirt your hands collect in daily life. However, the case in the industrial field is completely different from what we experience regularly. The dirt, oil, grease, grime that workers deal with needs much more than soaps and hand washes. That is the reason why industrial hand cleaning products are so necessary for workplaces.

Why Industrial Hand Cleaning Products Are Important

As already mentioned, the regular soaps and handwashes are just not enough to facilitate industry needs. Moreover, not just cleanliness, hygiene is a concerning factor too in the industrial environment.

For a moment, let’s forget how tough oil, dirt and grease are to get rid off. Just think of how many workers share equipment while working in the industry. 

To prevent the transmission of microorganisms that may lead to the spread of infection in the workplace, hand cleaning is very important. Combining that with the tough stains, hand cleaning becomes a necessity.

Moreover, the chemicals used in the industrial field can cause significant damage to human skin, flesh and bone. So, to save workers from such consequences industrial hand cleaners are the only option.

Hand Sanitiser vs Hand Cleaner

Well, hand sanitiser and hand cleaners do serve some common purpose. However, they belong in a very different category.

The main use of hand sanitiser is to kill germs and bacterias. It is a water-free solution that stops microorganism from spreading. Hand sanitiser is less like a cleaning solution, more like an extra sanitation method.

On the contrary, an industrial hand cleaner is designed to work in a certain way to break down the dirt, oil and grease workers collect while working. It not only promotes hygiene but also cleans hands.

In the industrial arena, hand cleaner seems like a safer and preferable option.

Identify A Good Industrial Hand Cleaner

There is an abundance of industrial hand cleaners in the market. But what do you think makes a good hand cleaner? 

To help you answer that question we tried to make a small guide on how a good industrial hand cleaner can be identified.

Powerful Cleaning Formula

The main purpose of using an industrial hand cleaner over regular soap and hand wash is its ability to wash away tough dirt and stains. To achieve that, a combination of powerful cleaning agents is very necessary.

A good industrial hand cleaner should consist of agents that can easily cut through oil, grease, lubricants without leaving much residue. Moreover, the lingering smell of petroleum should wear off after using it.

Removing all the general odours and spreading a scent of freshness should be a plus while choosing an industrial hand cleaner.

Environment Friendly

The society is moving towards a more eco-friendly approach to build a sustainable future. Industries are not any different in this case.

Industries are adopting biodegradable solutions to ensure safety. In the case of hand cleaners too, it is important to check if the ingredients that go into the making of them are bio-friendly or not.

While buying an industrial hand cleaner, you should make sure that it does not contain ammonia, chlorine, phosphates or such harmful agents.

Free of Rough Solvents

As industrial hand cleaners are supposed to effectively get rid of tough and stubborn dirt, many cleaners contain harsh solvents to make this process easier.

However, these rough solvents can create micro-abrasions on hands, making them rough and dry. These dehydrate the skin and can cause dermatitis. So, it is necessary to identify cleaners that are free of such solvents.

As these raise some serious flags concerning health, in some parts of Australia cleaners containing such solvents are not even allowed to be sold.

What To Avoid?

Now that we discussed how to identify a good industrial hand cleaner, you know what to look for. But you will not be able to make an informed choice if you are not aware of what you should avoid.

In the production of industrial hand cleaners, we often see the use of some elements that may deliver us good cleaning results but impacts our health as well as environment negatively.

Here we present you two harmful agents that you might want to avoid while choosing a hand cleaner for industrial use.

Pumice

Pumice is a volcanic rock. It consists of uneven volcanic glass that works as an abrasive agent. It is proven very effective for cleaning purposes.

However, its abrasive nature tends to do a considerable amount of damage to human skin and flesh. It removes upper protective layers from the skin and makes the skin rough and dry.

Repeated use of pumice based hand cleaner is proven to be very dangerous. Along with health flags, it also raises concerns regarding creating a blockage in the drains and pipes. 

Petroleum Distillates

This harmful substance has a very negative effect on our skin. In the short term, it may only cause some irritation. But it comes very deadly if used for a long period and can even cause contact dermatitis.

Despite that, petroleum distillates are one of the most commonly used ingredients in industrial hand cleaners. However, there are alternatives to those and petroleum distillates need to be avoided for good.

Due to the concerning health hazards, the European Union has banned the usage of some petroleum distillates from using them in hygiene and personal care products.

Conclusion

Industrial hand cleaning products are an absolute necessity when it comes to ensuring cleanliness and hygiene in the industrial arena. When regular soaps or hand washes do not cut the mustard, these hand cleaners shine.

So, that’s a wrap for today. We hope our discussion made you a bit more aware of the usage and correlated factors surrounding industrial hand cleaners. Let us know if you want further clarification regarding any point. We, the people at Reliance Chemicals, always appreciate your valuable feedback.