The idea in one sentence
Alkalis attack the organic: grease, oil, protein, soot. Acids attack the mineral: limescale, rust, scale, efflorescence. Neutrals attack neither with any force, which is why they are the only ones you can use almost anywhere.
That is where the rule we use on site comes from: the further a product is from 7, the more effective it is against its type of soiling and the more surfaces it is banned from.
The scale, in colour
Across the whole catalogue we use the same colour code so you can see at a glance how aggressive each product is:
What each range dissolves
There are no weakly acidic or weakly alkaline products in the catalogue. We keep them on the scale anyway because the colour code has to be read as a whole: if a product ever enters that range, the criterion is already in place.
| Range | Attacks | Typical in damage restoration | Banned on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (0–3) | Limescale, rust, scale, mineral deposits | Hazing after a flood, corrosion on steel | Marble, limestone, terrazzo, aluminium, galvanised steel |
| Neutral (7) | General soiling, dust, light residue | Mixed surfaces and unknown materials | Practically nothing; it is the safest |
| Strongly alkaline (11–14) | Grease, oil, hydrocarbons, greasy soot | Acid smoke, unit floors, machinery | Aluminium, painted and lacquered finishes, soft metals |
The pH on the container is not the working pH
Technical data sheets give the pH of the concentrate. As soon as you dilute it, that value moves towards 7. A pH 13 alkali at 1:10 is still alkaline, but it does not behave like the neat product, and that is the margin that lets you use it on surfaces that would not take the concentrate.
That is why the dilution on the technical data sheet is not a cost-saving suggestion: it is part of the compatibility. Applying neat a product that the data sheet dilutes 1:20 does not clean twenty times better, but it can strip the surface.
How to choose in thirty seconds
- Do you know what the material is and that it will take it? Choose by the type of soiling: grease, alkaline; limescale or rust, acidic.
- Not sure, or is it delicate? Start with the neutral one. In our range, the PDR-PC7 Multi Cleaner.
- Is it marble, terrazzo or limestone? Never acidic.
- Is it aluminium, painted or lacquered? Never strongly alkaline.
- Is it an electrical panel? Only the two specific electrical products, and de-energised.
- In every case: a prior test in an inconspicuous area, and do not let the product dry.