Traditional cleaners use bleaches and solvents that are effective in removing grease, dirt, and grime; they are also toxic in nature.
This means that they can damage the material that is being cleaned.
As these toxic materials can leak into the air and build up over time, they present an environmental and health threat for those living or working inside.
This is where Simple Green comes in.
But before we jump into our main question, “How can you use simple green in an ultrasonic cleaner?” let us know some basics and know why you should be actually using it as a cleaner solution.
If you are already much familiar with this cleaning solution, you can skip this section and read the section below to get the answer.
Why Use Simple Green?
*At no extra cost to you, Ultrasonic-Cleaners.org may earn compensation, if you make a purchase through links on this page.Simple Green is a product that is designed to be environmentally friendly while still offering the same type of cleaning solution.
It has been approved by the EPA as part of its Safer Choice Program, a program designed to inform people about safer alternatives to traditional cleaning products with toxic compounds.
Being non-toxic and non-abrasive to fight corrosion, it is well-suited to tackle a number of different surfaces for cleaning.
A few other reasons why we recommend using Simple Green are:
- It can be heated when cleaning
- It’s safe on the skin and does not cause any irritation
What is Simple Green Made Of?
Simple Green is made mostly of natural products, although there are a few artificial chemicals present.
These artificial ingredients are used to bolster the cleaning power of the product while still being a minimal threat to the environment. The ingredients to make Simple Green cleaning solution are as follows;
- Water, Sodium Carbonate, and Citric Acid
- Isothiazolinone Mix, Colorant, and Fragrance
- Ethoxylated Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, and Tetrasodium N, N-bis-L-glutamate
Much of the cleaning power from Simple Green comes from citric acid, which cuts through a considerable amount of dirt, grease, and grime.
The remaining ingredients help to foster the cleaning process with the fragrance leaving behind a pleasing scent.
What Can Be Simple Green Used For?
Simple Green is an all-purpose cleaner, which means that it can be used in multiple applications to clean away dirt, grime, and grease from a wide variety of surfaces.
Its primary purpose is to provide a non-toxic alternative to the traditional cleaners on the market today and for a competitive price.
Whatever the traditional cleaner was used to clean, so too can Simple Green be used. It has proven to be effective in the following;
- Dirt, Grime, and Grease
- Food Residue, Stains, and Other Materials
You can use Simple Green on sinks, countertops, carpet, tile, wooden flooring, upholstery, canvas, cabinets, counters, stovetops, refrigerators, showers, and more.
The substance comes in a concentrate that must be diluted in water for maximum effectiveness.
This Simple Green cleaning solution can then be used for the following:
- Dip Tanks, Floor Scrubbers, and Carpet Extractors
- Parts Washers, Pressure Washers, Steam Extractors, and Foamers
While Simple Green is commonly used in the household to clean floors, countertops, sink, and more, it also can be used to clean equipment, machines, and even engines.
For this reason, you’ll also find Simple Green used in many different industries which include automotive, food processing, mining, engineering, and transportation.
Remember: Although Simple Green products are safe for aircraft, automotive, industrial, and other consumer aluminum items, they can easily corrode aluminum if used with water inappropriately.
Also, as it is an alkaline aqueous-based cleaner, it’s not a great way to remove rust. If you ever want to remove rust from the metal tools or equipment do not use this as a cleaner.
Using Simple Green In Ultrasonic Cleaner: Is It Safe?
Yes, Simple Green is pretty safe to use in an ultrasonic cleaner machine, provided you know how to use it properly and safely.
Simple Green Cleaner fluid can be viscous to use as such. Therefore, you need to mix the concentrated liquid in water to prepare the right solution that can be used in your ultrasonic cleaning machine.
Although some users claimed that they had used a standard regular Simple Green cleaner safely in their machine without the need for water, I recommend getting it mixed and diluted.
Care that your regular Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner fluid is safe for metals like steel but can be tough for items made up of aluminum.
If you want to clean aluminum or carbon fiber, there is a Simple Green Extreme Aircraft and Precision Cleaner solution that is pretty safe.
Simple Green HD Pro is also a great professional-grade product that can also be used for cleaning a variety of products with or without an ultrasonic cleaner.
I love mixing and using my Simple Green Extreme Aircraft and Precision Cleaner with water (in a 50:50 ratio) to prepare the stuff for cleaning my bike chain, dirty carbs, gun parts, BCG, and a few other items in a digital ultrasonic cleaner machine.
When using SG in an ultrasonic bath tank, do not put the items that carry paint or coatings like chrome.
While the cleaning solution is safe for these coatings, the high-frequency sound waves produced in the machine can risk them.
If you want to clean polished steel, painted surfaces, chrome, plastics, laundry, car interiors, etc., it is good to wash them off without using an ultrasonic cleaning machine.
What to use as an alternative to simple green?
Purple power is a type of cleaner degreaser that is effective on a wide range of surfaces. If diluted correctly (in a 1:10 ratio with water), you can even use it in an ultrasonic cleaner as a substitute for a simple green cleaner.
Purple power is a concentrated formula that contains active ingredients like surfactants and solvents.
These ingredients help to break down grease, grime, and oil on surfaces. Therefore, it can be used in auto, farm, marine, home, and industrial applications.
This product is known for quickly removing grease, grime, and oil from surfaces. Since it is also biodegradable, it’s pretty safe to use around children and pets.
Other than purple power, you can also use cleaning solutions such as Pine-Sol or Dawn. Add an ounce or two with water in a sonic tank bath, and you are good to go.
In the end, whatever you use traditional products to clean, Simple Green is an effective substitute.
Leave all the worries behind and use it with or without a heated ultrasonic cleaning machine.
You can clean many types of surfaces with this product with less risk of toxic pollution of the air.
Plus, it helps to protect the materials that it cleans.
For those who are looking for a safe alternative that protects both surfaces and the air from toxic compounds, Simple Green offers a safe, affordable solution that works.