What is Sodium Hydroxide and What is it Commonly Used For?

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) comes from carbon sodium and is a common ingredient in cleaners, detergents, and soaps. It is often found in oven cleaners and drain cleaners since it can help unclog pipes and toilets.

As well as being used in cleaning and disinfectant products, sodium hydroxide is used in:

• Pharmaceuticals and medicine
• Fuel cell production and elsewhere in the energy sector
• Municipal water treatment facilities
• Food production
• Aluminum ore processing
• Metal cleaning and processing
• Oxide coating
• Electroplating
• Electrolytic extracting
• A variety of manufacturing processes such as wood, paper, and cotton

Sodium hydroxide is also used as a pH regulator in cosmetics since it changes the pH of products to make them more skin-friendly.

How to Use Sodium Hydroxide to Remove Grease Around the Home

Sodium hydroxide is a highly versatile substance used to make everyday products but is highly effective at dissolving fat and grease, so it’s used in cleaning products and detergents and in various manufacturing processes. By looking at what exactly sodium hydroxide is, we can understand a bit more about what makes it so good at cleaning, address what precautions you need to take, and answer some commonly asked questions.

Is Sodium Hydroxide a Degreaser or Cleaner?

Sodium hydroxide is both a degreaser and a cleaner. It dissolves fat, grease, oil, and protein-based deposits, producing a water-soluble solution that you can wash away. This process is called saponification. Use it to clean greasy surfaces, stainless steel, glass bakeware, cookers, and household appliances. Sodium hydroxide is great for cleaning. It’s easy to use…simply spray it on and wipe it off to reveal a sparkling clean surface.

Is Sodium Hydroxide the Same as Bleach?

Some household bleaches include sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), which is a liquid chlorine, and a small amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), to keep the sodium hypochlorite from decomposing. Chlorine bleach is made by combining chlorine and sodium hydroxide. Therefore, sodium hydroxide is not the same as bleach, but it is used in many household cleaning products, along with other chemicals.

How to Clean with Sodium Hydroxide

Using sodium hydroxide is an excellent way to clean away grease and oil, and products that include it will be useful around the home. It is extremely versatile and can be used on a variety of surfaces including plastic, wood, porcelain, glass, stone counters and even upholstery and carpets. That’s why PathoSans developed Pathopure, an effective, convenient, and easy to use cleaning solution with no harsh chemicals or odors. Pathopure’s sodium hydroxide’s content is the perfect balance making it extremely effective yet safe to use in kitchens, bathrooms and even kids rooms.