Sodium Hydroxide

Hey guys,

How safe is Sodium Hydroxide really to work with? Just reading the label scares me from using it.

It seems like you have to wear a hazmat suit and respirator just to be around it.

Is there some other product you recommend for cleaning hoods?

I just purchased Zep's smokehouse foaming cleaner, and the label doesn't even recommend using it for galvanized or aluminum. The man said it was USDA approved.

any help would be appreciated!!


Hayden

The product that you are asking about is the key item in the chemical mix of all products that work. Anything less would be a waist of money.

Why do you ask? What is your location?

David

ZEP is the kind of company that really trys to cover its ass with its MSDS sheets. They have stringent warnigs on a window cleaner! As David said, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide are the key ingredients. Yes, they can burn you, they are products whose mist you do not want to breath, or get in your eyes but if you want to clean I know of no other product that works. That Orange stuff is far too mild. Yes, protect your skin, eyes, and lungs from the product. Zep has better products that the one you mentioned. I used to buy 7 gallon pails of a product they had that was numbers and letters. Didnt have a name. Lots of sodium hydroxide. Zep is far too expensive.
ED

Sorry, forgot this. Sodium hydroxide and Potassium hydroxide discolor galvanized and aluminum. Actually eats up aluminum. So you must be careful. Soaking aluminum or galvanized filters in a strong solution for too long a period of time may give you black filters that are falling apart. The right strength of chemical, dwell time and rinse will give you good results. ( MOST OF THE TIME)
ED

alum help

we use a chemical called sodium metaslicate. when you ad this to the sodium hydroxide
it wont attack the alum. itself however it cleans the carbon off great. we have been using
this for about 6 months and it hasnt failed us yet.