- What Does "Alkaline" Actually Mean in a Degreaser?
- How Does an Alkaline Degreaser Break Down Grease?
- Does a Higher pH Always Mean a Stronger Degreaser?
- Alkaline, Acidic, or Neutral — Which Degreaser Do You Need?
- Is an Alkaline Degreaser Safe for Skin and Surfaces?
- How Do You Safely Apply an Alkaline Degreaser?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Most industrial degreasers on the market — the ones cutting grease off manufacturing floors, kitchen hoods, and shop equipment — are alkaline. That's not a marketing claim, it's basic chemistry: grease and oil break down fastest in a high-pH solution, which is why the SDS for nearly every heavy-duty degreaser lists a pH somewhere between 8 and 13.
This guide covers what "alkaline" actually means for a degreaser, how that chemistry cuts grease, why a higher pH isn't automatically a better degreaser, and how to apply one safely.
- An alkaline degreaser has a pH above 7 — most run 8 to 13 — and works by converting fats and oils into water-soluble soap (saponification), the same reaction that makes lye-based soap.
- JANITORI No.71 tests at pH 8.5–10.5 on its Safety Data Sheet — mildly alkaline, well below the pH 12–13 range common in caustic industrial degreasers.
- WHMIS 2015 classifies a solution as corrosive (not just irritating) once pH climbs above roughly 11.5 — the dividing line between a degreaser you can handle with standard gloves and one that needs full chemical-splash PPE.
- No.72 MAX concentrate dilutes 20 mL per 4 L water (1:200) — one 4 L jug makes 800 L of working solution at $0.06/L; the 20 L jug drops that to roughly $0.03/L.
What Does "Alkaline" Actually Mean in a Degreaser?
Alkaline means the solution sits above 7 on the 0–14 pH scale — the same scale that runs from battery acid (pH 0–1) to drain cleaner (pH 13–14), with plain water sitting at neutral (pH 7). Most industrial degreasers fall between pH 8 and pH 13, which is why "alkaline degreaser" and "industrial degreaser" are functionally the same product category on most Canadian supplier catalogues.
The pH number isn't marketing copy — it's printed on the product's Safety Data Sheet under Section 9 (Physical and Chemical Properties), and under Canada's WHMIS 2015 hazard classification system it's the number regulators use to decide how a product must be labelled and handled.
How Does an Alkaline Degreaser Break Down Grease?
An alkaline degreaser breaks down grease through saponification — the same chemical reaction that turns fat and lye into soap. The hydroxide ions in the alkaline solution split the ester bonds holding a fat or oil molecule together, converting the grease into a water-soluble soap that rinses away instead of smearing.
Surfactants do the second half of the job. Once the alkalinity has started breaking the grease apart, surfactant molecules surround the loosened oil droplets (emulsification) and lift them off the surface so they suspend in the rinse water instead of redepositing. A degreaser with alkalinity but no surfactant package cleans slowly and streaks; the combination is what makes a fast, rinse-clean degreaser.
Does a Higher pH Always Mean a Stronger Degreaser?
No — a higher pH cuts grease faster, but it also raises the corrosion and skin-irritation risk, and past a certain point the surfactant package matters more than raw alkalinity. Many industrial "high-alkaline" cleaners on the Canadian market run pH 12.5–13.5 — genuinely caustic, requiring chemical-resistant gloves, goggles, and careful handling around aluminum and other soft metals, which alkaline chemistry can etch or discolor at that strength.
JANITORI No.71 is formulated at the milder end of that range — pH 8.5–10.5, confirmed on its Safety Data Sheet — and relies on a plant-derived surfactant package to do more of the cleaning work instead of raw causticity. Health Canada's WHMIS hazard-assessment methodology presumes a material corrosive to skin once its pH reaches 11.5 or higher (or 2 or lower on the acidic side) — No.71 sits comfortably below that line. In practice that means a degreaser rated as an eye/skin irritant rather than a corrosive, safer on stainless, aluminum, and painted surfaces, and still effective on everyday-to-moderate grease. For carbonized, weeks-old buildup that a mild formula can't touch, No.72 MAX steps up as a concentrate rather than a higher-pH formula — the strength comes from a 1:200 dilution ratio, not from pushing the pH into corrosive territory.
Alkaline, Acidic, or Neutral — Which Degreaser Do You Need?
Grease, oil, and protein soils respond best to alkaline chemistry; mineral scale, rust, and hard-water deposits need an acidic cleaner instead — and mixing the two on the same surface without rinsing between them is a genuine safety hazard.
| Type | Typical pH | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkaline | 8–13 | Grease, oil, carbon buildup, protein soils | Corrosion on aluminum/soft metals at the high end (pH 12+) |
| Neutral | 6–8 | Daily general cleaning, sensitive or polished surfaces | Limited cutting power on heavy or carbonized grease |
| Acidic | 1–6 | Mineral scale, rust, hard-water deposits | Never mix with alkaline or chlorine-based products — reacts |
A facility running both a degreaser and a bathroom or descaling cleaner should rinse the surface between products. For a lighter-duty, everyday multi-surface option outside the grease-specific case, see our All-Purpose No.03 cleaner.
Is an Alkaline Degreaser Safe for Skin and Surfaces?
Used as directed with the PPE listed on the label, yes — but "alkaline" always means some degree of skin and eye irritation risk, which is why every degreaser SDS lists first-aid measures regardless of strength. No.71's SDS classifies it as causing skin irritation (Category 2) and serious eye irritation (Category 2A) — real hazards to respect, but a meaningfully lower classification than a pH 12+ corrosive formula, which can cause irreversible eye damage and skin burns on contact.
Standard precautions apply at any alkaline strength: chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, and adequate ventilation. On surfaces, alkaline degreasers are generally safe for sealed metal, stone, concrete, ceramic, and plastic — avoid unsealed wood or natural marble, which any alkaline or acidic liquid can etch or stain over time, and always test an inconspicuous area first on a new surface.
How Do You Safely Apply an Alkaline Degreaser?
Applying an alkaline degreaser correctly takes four steps: dilute to the task, apply, let it dwell, then rinse or wipe. Skipping the dwell time is the most common reason a degreaser underperforms — the saponification reaction needs a few seconds to work before you wipe.
- Match the strength to the soil. Direct-spray or lightly dilute for daily grease (countertops, stovetops, light shop residue); for carbonized or heavy industrial buildup, use a concentrate at a heavier ratio — No.72 MAX dilutes at 20 mL per 4 L water for exactly this case.
- Apply and let it dwell. Spray the surface and let the product sit 30–60 seconds on moderate grease (longer on heavy, carbonized buildup) so the alkaline chemistry has time to saponify the fat before you wipe.
- Agitate if needed. A cloth, pad, or brush speeds up heavy or baked-on residue; routine daily grease usually wipes off on its own.
- Rinse thoroughly. Rinse with hot or cold water to remove the loosened soil and any residual alkalinity, especially on food-contact surfaces before they're used again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an alkaline degreaser?
An alkaline degreaser is a cleaning product with a pH above 7 — typically 8 to 13 — formulated to break down grease, oil, and carbon buildup through saponification. It's the most common chemistry behind industrial and commercial degreasers sold in Canada.
Is degreaser alkaline or acidic?
Most degreasers are alkaline. Grease and oil respond best to high-pH chemistry, which converts fats into water-soluble soap. Acidic cleaners are formulated for a different job — mineral scale, rust, and hard-water deposits — not grease.
Is a higher-pH degreaser always more effective?
It cuts grease faster, but past roughly pH 11.5 (the WHMIS 2015 corrosive threshold) it also becomes corrosive to aluminum and soft metals and harsher on skin. A well-formulated moderate-pH degreaser with a strong surfactant package, like JANITORI No.71 at pH 8.5–10.5, can match a higher-pH product's grease-cutting on everyday soils without the corrosion risk.
What's the difference between JANITORI No.71 and No.72 MAX?
No.71 is a ready-to-use or lightly dilutable degreaser (pH 8.5–10.5) for everyday to moderate grease. No.72 MAX is a high-concentrate formula (1:200 dilution) built for heavy industrial degreasing — manufacturing floors, engine bays, exhaust hoods with weeks of carbonized buildup — where the strength comes from concentration, not a higher pH.
What PPE do I need to handle an alkaline degreaser?
At minimum: chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection. No.71's SDS also recommends adequate ventilation and an organic-vapour respirator if ventilation is inadequate. Higher-pH corrosive degreasers require additional PPE — check the specific product's SDS Section 8 before use.
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