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ACID – A water substance with pH less than 7 that reacts with and neutralizes an alkali.

ACRYLIC – Type of polymer popular for floor finishes. Also, a manmade synthetic fiber used in spun yarn to resemble wool in carpet.

AEROSOL – An extremely fine mist or fog consisting of solid or liquid particles suspended in air. Also, term used for products that mechanically produce such
a mist.

ALKALI – A chemical substance with pH greater than 7 that reacts with and neutralizes an acid. Also called alkaline or base.

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER – A powder or liquid detergent suitable for both general house cleaning duties and laundry. These products may not be as effective for specific cleaning jobs as products specially formulated for the task.

ANTIBACTERIAL – Counteracting bacteria.

ANTIMICROBIAL – Agent that inhibits or destroys bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses that are pathogenic.

ANTISEPTIC – A chemical agent that prevents or inhibits the growth of microorganism microbes, particularly on the skin.

BACTERIA – Single cell microorganisms not containing chlorophyll. Germs.

BACTERICIDE – A chemical agent that destroys bacteria.

BACTERIOSTAT – A chemical agent that prevents bacteria from multiplying and growing (doesn’t kill).

BIODEGRADABLE – Capability of organic matter to be decomposed by biological processes.

BLEACH – A product that cleans, whitens, removes stains and brightens fabrics.
It also removes stains on some hard surfaces.

BRIGHTENERS – Optical or fluorescent enhancers found in carpet cleaning products and fabric cleaners.

BROAD SPECTRUM – Killing a wide variety of Gram — (Negative) and Gram + (Positive) organisms.

CAUSTIC – Strong base (alkaline) substance which irritates the skin. Corrosive. When the term is used alone it usually refers to caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is used in manufacturing hard soap. It also refers to caustic potash (potassium hydroxide), which is used in manufacturing soft soap.

CHLORINE – Powerful oxidizing agent sometimes used as a germicide.

CHLORINE BLEACH – A group of strong oxidizing agents commonly sold in an approximately 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite. As a laundry additive, liquid chlorine removes stains, aids in soil removal, whitens, disinfects, and deodorizes. Dry forms of chlorine bleach are frequently used in cleansers and automatic dishwasher detergents. Bleach should not be used with silk, woolens, dyes sensitive to hypochlorite, and on certain stains such as rust (which it can set). Chlorine bleach deactivates enzymes in laundry cleaners.

CIDAL OR “CIDE” – Generally refers to agents with the ability to kill micro-organisms.

CONCENTRATE – The undiluted form of a dilutable cleaning product.

CONTAMINATION – Entry of undesirable organisms into some material or object.

CORROSION – Process of gradual eating away by chemical action.

CROSS-CONTAMINATION – The process of transferring bacteria from one person or an object to another person or object. Similar term to cross-infection.