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2.5 An example of cleaning practice by the equation and basic knowledge of cleaning

 

 
 

 

2.5 Decide the cleaning method using the equation and basic knowledge of cleaning
Here I take an example to show how you can apply basic knowledge of cleaning to practice. The story starts as follows. Oil spilled during cooking has built up on a kitchen sink top and has formed tough solid dirt over time. How can we deal with this?

1. Where? (knowledge of architectural materials)
Examine ①the type of architectural materials and their location, ②water resistance and detergent resistance, and ③surface configuration and hardness, and water absorbability and hygroscopicity of architectural materials.
2. What kind of dirt? (knowledge of dirt)
Examine ①source, ②type,③condition of attachment, and ④chronological change of dirt.
 

———————-Based on the result of the examination———————-

3. Do I use detergents? (knowledge of detergents) chemical force
①selection of detergents ②effective use of selected detergents
4. Do I use tools? (knowledge of tools) physical force
①selection of tools ②application of selected tools
5. Which cleaning method? (knowledge of technique) application of cleaning forces
①Decision of contents of work according to work categories”  basic procedure of cleaning
6. What about prevention? (knowledge of protectant)

 

 1. Where? (knowledge of architectural materials)
Steps to examine architectural materials
① the type of architectural materials and their location, ②water resistance and detergent resistance, and ③surface configuration and hardness, and water absorbability and hygroscopicity

Dirt is stuck to a stainless steel kitchen sink top. Stainless steel has water-resistance and resists rust. And it also has detergent-resistance, which makes this material relatively easy to clean. Its surface is solid and flat without asperity. It should be, however, noted that you could damage it with steel or other hard sharp objects since stainless steel is not very hard.
*If flat stainless steel is used for a top board situated below the eye level, be careful not to make a scratch when you “rub” or “scrape” it. Even minor scratch can be noticeable with light reflection. 

   

 

2. What kind of dirt? (knowledge of dirt)
Steps to examine dirt
①source ②type ③condition of attachment ④chronological change

Source of the dirt turned out to be oil and seasoning spilled during cooking. And it was also found that the substance is a little sticky and repels water. From these discoveries, we can judge that it is an oil-soluble substance with cooking oil being its major component. So as to condition of attachment, it is “fixed” to the architectural material. Considerable amount of time has passed since the initial attachment of dirt. With new dirt added over time, now it forms “bulky fixed dirt.”
 
   

We can easily clean this dirt by employing chemical force such as detergents to resolve it and physical force such as “rubbing away” and “scraping away.”

 
3. Do I use detergents? (knowledge of detergents)
①selection of detergents   ②effective use of selected detergents

Since oil-soluble dirt repels water, detergents can help the cleaning job. For home situations, you can choose from the market ones that are effective for kitchen greasy dirt. While they are usually mildly alkaline detergent, some products contain solvents as an additive.
If you know that “10 degrees rise of temperature doubles the rate of cleansing” *1, you might be able to come up with an idea to double the effect of detergents by putting it in a washbowl full of tepid water around 40℃(104°F) before you use it.

   
*1 refers to knowledge of detergents  Tips for wise use of detergents  Temperature

4. Do I use tools? (knowledge of tools)
As for cleaning apparatus
① selection of tools ②application of selected tools

Select necessary tools for the job such as a cloth, a bucket, and a tool to scrape off bulky fixed dirt.

 

   

 

5. Which cleaning method? (knowledge of technique)
As for cleaning job
①Decision of contents of work according to work categories  ②basic procedure of cleaning

Make technical decisions that suit each of multi-dimensional work categories and do not let them contradict with each other. Apply basic procedure of cleaning and decide how you are going to deal with dirt.

1.
Architectural materials
The architectural material in this case is stainless steel. Since the location is a top board, a scratch on it will be highly visible. If you “rub” or “scrape” tough dirt, you need to be careful not to make a scratch.
Dirt
The dirt is an oil-soluble substance that repels water, and the chronological change has transformed it into a solid “bulky fixed dirt.” Chemical force such as detergents would resolve dirt. Physical force such as “rubbing away” and “scraping away” would get rid of the bulky part and help the cleaning job.

   

 
2.
Use of detergents (chemical force)
To clean dirt that repels water, use mildly alkaline detergents. Some contain solvents as an additive. By leaving it for a while after putting a detergent, detergents components will have time to decompose dirt. By warming the detergent up to around 40℃(104°F), you can facilitate the process.

   

 
3.
Use of tools (physical force)
After dirt starts to dissolve in detergent, scrape away the bulky part of dirt with tools such as scrapers. Since tools made of hard materials can scratch stainless steel, it is better to use plastic spatulas or cards that bend.

   

 
4.
Knowledge of technique (chemical force + physical force)
Put a detergent again to decompose what remained after scraping away the bulky part, then “rub” softly with a sponge to remove it. Since stainless steel can be scratched easily, be careful with strong physical force such as coarse-textured sponge.

5.
Knowledge of technique (rinsing)
Wipe with a well-wringed wet cloth so that detergents will not remain on architectural materials. Then wipe with a dry clean cloth to erase marks left by a wet cloth, which will give it even more beautiful finish.

   

 
6.
What about prevention? (knowledge of protectant)
As a precaution, putting protectants will help the material stay clean and it is easier to clean when it finally gets dirty if you have put protectants on it. Since a kitchen is frequently exposed to water, anti-dirt coating with water resistance or water repellency will be effective.

   

 
 

 

Devising laws to make the cleaning easy

No matter how efficient you do cleaning by applying the basic knowledge of cleaning, cleaning is, in the end, a hard work. If you take into consideration the future cleaning work at the design stage when you build or remodel your house, however, house cleaning will be easier. In the following third chapter, I will introduce the laws of lesser and easier cleaning that I devised from my experience of cleaning in different situations and the basic knowledge of cleaning.

 

 

 

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