Hydrotropes

Hydrotropes are crucial components of cleaning products, enhancing their effectiveness and efficiency.

They improve the solubility and stability of active ingredients, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the solution. By disrupting hydrogen bonding in water, hydrotropes enhance the solubility of hydrophobic compounds, allowing for thorough cleaning. Additionally, they prevent phase separation and maintain formulation stability, ensuring consistent performance over time. Hydrotropes also improve wetting and penetration of surfaces, promoting thorough soil removal. Their inclusion enables the formulation of concentrated solutions, reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Hydrotropes are essential for achieving optimal cleaning outcomes while minimizing environmental impact.

AS™Amphoteric coupling agent / hydrotrope for solubilizing nonionic surfactants into highly alkaline / caustic systems
  • Acid cleaners
  • Heavy duty degreasers
  • Metalworking cleaners
  • Transportation presoaks
BSH™An excellent hypochlorite stable hydrotrope
  • Bathroom and bowl cleaners
  • Hard surface cleaners (acid or alkaline emulsions)
  • Industrial cleaners
  • Low foam parts washing (companion for LFQ™)
HFCSuperior hydrotrope where high foam is needed
  • Hard surface cleaners (acid or alkaline emulsions)
  • Industrial cleaners (emulsions or as-is)
  • Transportation cleaning
JK50Outstanding coupling/hydrotroping surfactant for use in high alkaline/caustic systems
  • Floor Scrubbers
  • Food and Dairy Cleaners
  • Frictionless/Touchless Presoaks
  • Parts Washers
  • Truck Wash
KDC3A high foaming hydrotrope that results in a very mild feel to skin
  • Hand dish detergents
  • Hand soaps
  • Transportation presoaks (alkaline and acidic)
OGAMPA high foaming hydrotroping surfactant with corrosion inhibition properties in certain acidic formulae
  • Automotive drying agents
  • Aluminum brighteners
  • Metal cleaning and descaling
  • Wheel cleaning

More Information

Hydrotropes are vital components of cleaning products, serving a crucial role in enhancing their effectiveness and efficiency. These specialized additives are designed to improve the solubility and stability of other ingredients in cleaning formulations, ensuring that the active components can effectively disperse and interact with soils and contaminants. The importance of incorporating hydrotropes into cleaning products cannot be overstated, as they significantly contribute to the overall performance and efficacy of the formulation.

One of the primary functions of hydrotropes is to enhance the solubility of hydrophobic (water-repellent) substances in aqueous (water-based) solutions. Many cleaning agents, such as surfactants, enzymes, and fragrances, are inherently hydrophobic and may have limited solubility in water. Hydrotropes work by disrupting the hydrogen bonding between water molecules, thereby increasing the solubility of hydrophobic compounds and ensuring their uniform distribution throughout the cleaning solution. This allows for more efficient and thorough cleaning by ensuring that all active ingredients are effectively dispersed and available to interact with soils and contaminants.

Furthermore, hydrotropes help stabilize cleaning formulations by preventing phase separation and precipitation of insoluble components. Without hydrotropes, cleaning products may exhibit poor stability and shelf life, leading to inconsistent performance and potential product wastage. By maintaining the stability of the formulation, hydrotropes ensure that cleaning products remain effective and reliable over time, reducing the need for frequent reformulation or replacement.

In addition to enhancing solubility and stability, hydrotropes also contribute to the efficiency of cleaning processes by improving the wetting and penetration of surfaces. By reducing the surface tension of water, hydrotropes help cleaning solutions spread more evenly and penetrate into cracks, crevices, and pores, where soils and contaminants may be lodged. This promotes more thorough soil removal and ensures that cleaning products can effectively reach and clean all areas of the surface, enhancing overall cleaning performance and efficiency.

Moreover, the inclusion of hydrotropes in cleaning products enhances versatility by allowing for the formulation of concentrated solutions that can be diluted as needed for specific cleaning tasks. Concentrated cleaning products offer several benefits, including reduced packaging waste, lower transportation costs, and increased storage efficiency. By providing flexibility in dilution ratios, hydrotropes enable users to customize cleaning solutions according to the level of soiling and the requirements of the cleaning task, optimizing resource utilization and minimizing environmental impact.

The inclusion of hydrotropes in cleaning products is essential for enhancing solubility, stability, and efficiency. These specialized additives ensure that active ingredients are effectively dispersed and available for interaction with soils and contaminants, improving overall cleaning performance. By enhancing versatility and promoting resource efficiency, hydrotropes play a crucial role in achieving optimal cleaning outcomes while minimizing environmental impact.