Grime and grease pose problems
April 1st 2009 SCA Tissue Europe's Mark Riley looks at the types of wipers that can tackle the
toughest jobs in industrial workshops
In the past, practically every factory was potentially a dirty
environment and it was common for factory workers to keep a rag
in their pocket to wipe off dirt from their hands. But industry has
changed dramatically over the past 25 years.Traditional 'dirty'
environments such as print shops and pressrooms have made way
for digital printing centres, which means that manual cleaning
methods have generally been
replaced by in-line cleaning.
A greater reliance on
automation in other
industries, too, has led to a
need for clean room
products and lint-free wipers
that avoid scratching screens
and delicate components.
But dirt is still a necessary
evil in many industrial
environments, and
disposable non-woven
wipers are usually chosen for
tackling the toughest of
industrial tasks because they
are stronger and more
absorbent than paper wipers.They are also more effective when used
with solvents since unlike paper wipes they will not break up.
In industries where large amounts of oil and grease are involved –
a wiper that works well with high-viscose substances is required.
Many textile rags are not designed to absorb oils. SCA Tissue Europe
has developed Tork Advanced 440 specifically for use with oil.This is a
tough, four-ply cellulose wiper that is effective when cleaning high
viscose oils and lubricants.
Where particularly dirty surfaces are being cleaned, a solvent is
usually needed to dissolve the grease and soiling.Here you will need
a strong, absorbent wiper that also has good liquid release
properties. Paper disposables would not work here as they will break
up in the solvent, however most rags will absorb the solvent and fail
to release it effectively on to the wiping surface. Disposable nonwoven
wipers such as Tork Premium 530 work well in this context.
Tork Premium 530 is sufficiently bulky to provide protection for the
hands. It will also absorb solvent and release it, retaining less solvent
in the cloth.
Where more heavy-duty soiling remains on the hands,Tork
Premium Wet Wipes are non-woven and impregnated with a mix of
surfactants plus an oil-in-water
emulsion.They are designed to
remove stubborn dirt. More articles from SCA Tissue Europe: | 
