What is the role of foam in aqueous cleaner?
Foam is an important component of an aqueous cleaner, and allows the product to cling to non-vertical surfaces, improving contact times. As the foam collapses, the bursting bubbles provide an important mechanical cleaning action which improves performance.
Is lots of foam in aqueous cleaner a good thing?
Not always, no. All aqueous products will produce foam to some degree. The level of foaming, and its stability, is designed into the product.
However, it’s important to note that foam reduces ease of rinsing, so must be correctly calibrated. Some foams are unstable, giving the best of both worlds; the foam then collapses quickly to improve rinsing performance.
What types of foam are there?
Stable high foam – great for pressure washers on vertical surfaces and graffiti removal.
Unstable high foam – great for aqueous vehicle cleaning using pressure washers.
Normal foam – the go to aqueous cleaning formulation for most applications.
When is foamy aqueous cleaner not our friend?
Excess foam in aqueous cleaner is not a good thing when scrubbing larger outside areas, such as car parks, yards, when time and water are at a premium and fast rinsing is essential. Also, if an aqueous detergent is to be pumped under pressure, excess foam can cause cavitation and damage the pump.
Foam is essentially unhelpful where excess foam may reduce the efficiency of your aqueous cleaning routine.