Industrial Cleaners & Degreasers

It depends on the deposit, not the equipment. Water-based cleaners suit light soils and water-soluble deposits, and keep flammability and odour low. Solvent degreasers dissolve heavy oil, grease and hydrocarbon deposits that water-based products cannot lift. Hybrids combine solvent power with water rinsability for mixed deposits such as oil sands, where sand and clay come along with the hydrocarbon.

Flash point is the temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapour to ignite. A higher flash point means a lower fire risk in a wash bay or shop. TerraSol ULV has a flash point above 95°C (TCC) and is not classified as a flammable liquid; Breakaway VF is a VOC-free hybrid with a flash point of 80°C (TCC), which classes it as a combustible liquid.

Yes. Guardian reformulated its cleaning line for Canada’s VOC concentration limits. TerraSol ULV is an ultra-low VOC solvent degreaser, and Breakaway VF is VOC-free. In a published Fort McMurray wash bay trial, switching to TerraSol ULV cut VOC levels 95% while still removing oil sands and coke deposits in one application.

It can. Strong alkaline cleaners etch and dull aluminum, which shows up quickly on trailers, tanks and wheels. SafeGuard AL is formulated to clean aluminum and chrome without that damage. For acid cleaning, our guide to acid washing aluminum shows which acids clean it without etching. Tell us the substrate along with the soil and we will match the chemistry to both.

Yes. Our lab identifies what the deposit is made of, and we recommend against the actual soil rather than a product category. For process equipment, that analysis is the first step of our BrightShield cleaning program.

Yes. Guardian formulates and blends its own chemistry, so when a stock product does not fit the deposit, the surface or the equipment, our lab can build one that does.

Pails, drums, totes (IBC) and bulk. Operations running a wash bay or parts washer daily usually move to drums or totes, which lowers handling and cost per litre.

Stocked items ship within three working days of order acceptance, and items we blend to order need a minimum of six working days. Call the order desk at (800) 661-6544 and we will confirm a date before committing.

Yes. Request them through the SDS request page or ask your Guardian representative, and we will send the current versions for every product you run.

Look at four things together: how clean the surface actually is, how long the job takes, how much product you used, and how many applications it needed. A cheaper product that needs two passes is not cheaper.

Degreasers, solvents, detergents and emulsifiers, each formulated for particular soils such as oil, grease, dirt and carbon. The category matters less than the match to your deposit and surface.