Kinds of Soil and Appropriate Cleaners
Many different kinds of soils get deposited on many
different kinds of surfaces in the average house. Dust
and mud, spilled foods or beverages, or personal care
products that are spilled or wiped off human bodies onto
surfaces are common soils. Usually water will dissolve
many of these soils but often a surfactant such as
detergent needs to be added to dissolve the special soil.
The water and/or the added cleaning ingredients may
damage many surfaces from which the soil needs to be
removed.
Greasy soils on surfaces come from food, cosmetics,
cooking fumes, burning of certain fuels for heat, and
other sources. They're hard to dissolve unless the water
is hot, and/or more detergent is used, and/or alkali is
added (as baking soda, ammonia, TSP). Petroleum solvents
also help dissolve grease, but they are very flammable
and the fumes are dangerous to breathe, so directions
must be followed exactly.
Stains may be caused by natural(i.e.-blueberries) or
artificial (i.e.-soft-drink) food coloring; by inks; by
dyes in paints, crayons, candles, cosmetics, and many
other products. Sometimes stains can be removed by
immediate action to remove the staining material
(blotting, washing or spotting) (see Stains). Stains that
"set" often do permanently dye the surface, and then the
surface itself needs to be refinished, replaced, or the
stain covered up as by furniture placement.
Surface soil that "sets" a long time, builds up,
and/or is hardened as by heat, may need long soaking (if
surface can be soaked) and scraping with some type of
scraper or abrasive that will not damage the surface.
Sometimes all the deposit of hardened soil cannot be
removed without also partially removing or otherwise
damaging the surface.
It's usually much easier to remove soil from hard,
smooth surfaces where it stays on the surface, (vinyl
floor, appliance, sink) than from soft absorbent surfaces
where it penetrates into the material (upholstery,
carpets).
Sudsy cleaners will have to rinsed off. Rinsing off
any water-based cleaner, without getting any wetter than
necessary, helps to remove extra soil.
Use the mildest method recommended for the surface
first. Use only as much cleaning product as actually
needed to prevent damage to the surfaces, and pollution
of the water supply and environment. Clean with chemical
products only when necessary, not because of habit and
routine.
Using more chemicals than actually needed wastes
money, and increases pollution of our water supply