Actichem Surface Clean HD 5 ltr

Product Overview

Actichem Surface Clean HD is a highly concentrated alkaline degreaser for hard flooring and hard surfaces. It is fast and effective on grease and oil, and its concentration is what makes it economical — it runs from 1:50 down to 1:150.

This page has been substantially corrected. It previously described the product as “non-hazardous”, “gentle on floor surfaces” and “totally eco-safe”, and stated a pH of 10.5. The product is a classified corrosive at pH 12.5–12.9. Please read the safety section before your next job.

Benefits

• Removes oil and grease fast — this is a genuine heavy-duty degreaser, and the alkalinity is exactly why it works.
• Highly concentrated — one dilution range covers degreasing through to spray-and-wipe, so it replaces several products on a trolley.
• Anti-resoiling technology — surfaces resist dirt after cleaning.
• No phosphates. Septic safe.
• Suitable for use in all types of cleaning equipment — but see the metals warning below before choosing where to use it.

A note on what we do and do not claim

This listing previously said Surface Clean HD leaves surfaces “sanitised” and has “powerful germ-killing action”. We have removed that wording. Sanitiser and germ-kill claims are regulated in Australia and we can find no ARTG or APVMA listing for this product. We have asked Actichem; if a listing exists we will publish the number.

We have also removed “gentle on floor surfaces” and “totally eco-safe”. The product is genuinely phosphate-free and septic safe, and those claims stand. But a corrosive product at pH 12.9 that must be kept away from aluminium is not accurately described as gentle, and we would rather be precise than enthusiastic.

Application areas and surface suitability

All hard flooring surfaces.

⚠ Important — keep it off aluminium and copper

Actichem’s safety data sheet specifically warns against contact with copper, aluminium and their alloys, and classifies the product H290 — may be corrosive to metals.

On a commercial floor that is not an abstract warning. The things commonly made of aluminium, and commonly at floor level, include:

• Door thresholds and tracks
• Skirting trims and expansion joint covers
• Lift door sills
• Kick plates and trolley guards
• Drain grates and channel covers

Alkaline attack on aluminium is fast and visible — it dulls, pits and blooms, and it does not come back. Solution left to dry against a threshold overnight is how it happens. Rinse thoroughly, and do not let the solution pool against metal trim.

Always pre-test for substrate sensitivity and dye stability. At pH 12.9 this product is not appropriate for natural stone, polished marble, or acrylic floor finishes — for those, use a neutral cleaner such as ProNeutro.

How to Use

Read the safety data sheet before use. Always pre-test in an inconspicuous location.

Dilution

Start at the weakest dilution that does the work. The three-fold range between autoscrubber and mop-and-bucket dilution is not arbitrary — an autoscrubber applies and recovers solution continuously, so it needs less. Over-dosing an autoscrubber leaves alkaline residue on the floor, which attracts soil and, on a coated floor, damages the finish.

Application

1. Apply with a clean cloth, mop, or through an autoscrubber.
2. Rinse well with water when using strong dilutions. At pH 12.9 this is not optional — unrinsed residue keeps working on the floor and on anything metal it is touching.
3. Keep the container closed for maximum performance.

Safety

This listing previously recorded “Safety profile: Non-hazardous” and a pH of 10.5. Both were wrong, and the pH understatement matters as much as the classification — a technician judging risk by the stated pH would have treated this as an ordinary alkaline cleaner.

Actichem’s safety data sheet for RG705, version 1.1 issued 11 August 2021, classifies Surface Clean HD as a hazardous chemical with the signal word DANGER and Poisons Schedule 5.

• H314 — causes severe skin burns and eye damage
• H290 — may be corrosive to metals
• Poisons Schedule 5 | pH 12.5 – 12.9
• Not regulated for transport in 5 litre packs

⚠ H314 — severe skin burns and eye damage

H314 is a corrosive classification. This product will burn skin, not merely irritate it.

Two things about alkaline burns that catch people out:

• They do not hurt straight away. Acid burns announce themselves; alkali burns are often painless at first, so the natural reaction is to finish the job and wash it off later. By then the damage is done.
• They keep going. Alkalis saponify skin and continue penetrating until physically removed. A quick rinse is not enough — flush for a sustained period.

Chemical goggles and protective clothing whenever the concentrate is handled, and whenever solution is sprayed or pressure-washed. An eyewash unit should be available where it is decanted. Working solution at 1:100 is a very different proposition from the concentrate, but decanting and dosing is where people are injured.

⚠ Poisons Schedule 5

Schedule 5 brings labelling and storage obligations. Keep it in its original labelled container, store it securely away from food, and do not decant it into an unlabelled bottle.

What it reacts with

Avoid strong acids, acid chlorides, acid anhydrides and chloroformates. Avoid contact with copper, aluminium and their alloys.

In practice: never mix Surface Clean HD with an acidic cleaner — and note that many washroom and tile cleaners are acidic. Use them as separate steps with a thorough rinse between.

First aid

Eyes. Hold the eyelids apart and flush continuously with running water. Seek medical attention without delay.

Skin. Immediately remove contaminated clothing and flush with large amounts of water. Seek medical attention.

Swallowed. Do not induce vomiting. Give water and seek medical attention without delay.

Specifications

Choosing the right hard surface cleaner

Reach for the mildest product that will do the job. Surface Clean HD is the heavy artillery and should be used where the soil genuinely warrants it, not as a default floor cleaner.

Safety Data Sheet

Actichem Surface Clean HD safety data sheet (RG705, version 1.1, 11 August 2021)

SKU: RG705.05

Setting up a cleaning regime for a commercial site and not sure which product suits which floor? Talk to us. Matching the cleaner to the substrate is the single most effective way to make a floor last, and the most common cause of expensive damage is a strong product used where a neutral one belonged.