Greased ceramic tray surface with remains of olive oil after roasting food

Degreasers are one of the most effective cleaning solutions that custodial workers can have in their cleaning arsenal. While most cleaning solutions are designed to help loosen soils, so they can be wiped away, degreasers are engineered to breakdown and dissolve grease, oil, wax, and other water-insoluble soils so that they can be removed from surfaces. 

Degreasers are used most frequently when cleaning commercial kitchens. It would likely prove very difficult to clean a commercial kitchen today without a high-quality degreaser.

However, to take advantage of these powerful cleaning solutions means learning how to use them properly. 

To get you off to a good start, here are eight tips for using degreasers, according to Avmor:

1.Know when to use a degreaser; in many cases, an all-purpose cleaner will do the job. Degreasers are used for removing heavily soiled areas and water-insoluble soils

2. Never mix degreasers with any other cleaning solutions

3. While some degreasers are fast-acting, it's best to allow them to “dwell” on a surface for a few minutes to help dissolve soils

4. Wear protective clothing; gloves are a must. If cleaning tile and grout manually, goggles should be worn

5. Select degreasers that are green-certified and look for the Greenguard Gold Certification label. Greenguard certification puts much greater emphasis on protecting indoor air quality

6. Some degreasers come in multiple sizes for different needs. Ready-to-use (RTU) degreasers have a special advantage. Water may be "hard" water or contain minerals, which can impact performance. RTU products ensure the water from the factory is matched optimally to the degreaser being produced, for ultimate performance.

7. Some degreasers are used with auto scrubbers to clean floors; in winter months, a blue pad may prove more effective than a red pad

8. If mopping floors, use a dual-bucket cleaning system to help separate rinse water from the cleaning solution; this will keep the cleaning solution cleaner.

"One thing more cleaning professionals should know is to use cold water when diluting degreasers," says Mike Watt, head of training and new product Development at Avmor. "This will help prevent foaming and ensure the degreaser is diluted properly.