Chemicals and Solvents

Precision cleaners are essential when cleaning in critical environments where the main focus is to minimize and eliminate the possibility of contamination. Two common cleaners that fall into this category are Alconox and Liquinox. We’ll cover the two types of detergent, what each one is used for, and the differences between the two in hopes that it will give you a better idea of which cleaner to use.

What type of detergent is Liquinox?

Liquinox is a concentrated anionic liquid cleaner that is formulated for either ultrasonic or manual use. It consists of a blend of ethoxylated alcohol, alkanolamide, sodium xylene sulfonate, and sodium linear alkyl aryl sulfonate.  It’s free rinsing, which means that it doesn’t leave any residue, so it provides reliable results. Liquinox is very mild and is a good replacement for hazardous solvents and corrosive acids. It’s soluble in soft and hard water, biodegradable, and phosphate-free. It also prevents bacterial growth, but is not a disinfectant. Liquinox can be used to pass cleaning validation tests for plant inspection approval and for lab accreditation.

What is Liquinox used for?

Liquinox is used to clean various instruments and equipment. Liquinox started out mainly being used in medical labs, but has since branched out to many other fields and is designed for a wide range of applications. These include lab equipment, healthcare instruments, personal protective equipment, tissue culture ware, reactors, tanks, pipes, industrial parts, forgings and stampings, metal castings, cosmetic manufacturing equipment, pharmaceutical apparatus, electronic components, optical parts, medical devices, clean rooms, wine glasses, tubing, catheters, and vacuum equipment.

Liquinox is used to remove grit, grime, soil, grease, blood, oil, slime, chemicals, solvents, tissue, deposits, and particulates on surfaces such as glass, stainless steel, porcelain, metal, plastic, cement, fiberglass, and ceramic. If rinsed immediately, it can be used on soft metals such as aluminum, copper, zinc, and magnesium. It also can be used for art restoration.

Be sure to check out the safety data sheet before using.

What type of detergent is Alconox?

Alconox is an anionic detergent that is used for either manual or ultrasonic cleaning. It consists of a mix of alcohol sulfate, sodium linear alkyl aryl sulfonate, carbonates, and phosphates. It’s concentrated, biodegradable, free rinsing, has a penetrating wetting power, and is a good replacement for solvents that are hazardous and acids that are corrosive. Alconox can be used to pass cleaning validation tests for plant inspection approval and lab accreditation.

What is Alconox used for?

Alconox is used to clean instruments, equipment, and components. It cleans reactors, tanks, stampings, industrial parts, forgings, metal castings, cosmetic manufacturing equipment, pharmaceutical equipment, electronic components, optical parts, radioactive contaminated items, pipes, tubing, catheters, sampling equipment, personal protective equipment, tissue culture ware, vacuum equipment, lab ware, and healthcare instruments.

Alconox is used to remove silicone oils, mold, radioactive contamination, solvents, radioisotopes, chemicals, particulates, deposits, salts, tissue, blood, oil, grease, slime, buffing compound, grime, grit, and soil from fiberglass, rubber, plastic, porcelain, ceramic, stainless steel, metal, and glass. If rinsed promptly, it can also clean soft metals such as magnesium, aluminum, zinc, and copper.

As with Liquinox, always check out the Alconox safety data sheet before using.

Is Alconox the same as Liquinox?

Liquid Liquinox was designed as a replacement for powdered Alconox, therefore their function is the same, but they come in different forms. While they are not chemically identical, they share two identical ingredients, one being sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate. Liquinox liquid is phosphate free while Alconox contains phosphates. The surface tension and the capacity of both of these detergents are basically the same.

Where to purchase Alconox and Liquinox

Lab Pro offers a large variety of Liquinox and Alconox. For over 40 years, Lab Pro Inc. has been committed to delivering the highest quality precision cleaners, hand tools, chemicals, lab equipment, distance learning kits, lab supplies, and cleanroom PPE apparel to medical device companies and laboratories worldwide. To learn more, visit the biggest Lab Supply showroom in California, or contact us online or at 888-452-2776.