Thickening Household Cleaners
Now more than ever there is a need to frequently clean surfaces. Many of the solvent and water-based cleaning solutions used to clean high traffic, often contaminated surfaces are highly acidic or alkaline. In addition, in order for the cleaners to work an extended dwell time on the surface is often required. This can pose a unique challenge for formulators who need to produce a solution with stable viscosity at extreme pH.
Xanthan Gum Thickeners
Xanthan gums are often used as rheology modifiers in water based cleaners due to their inexpensive nature. However, they do not offer the same compatibility and performance in cleaner and detergent formulation that contain solvents. In addition, the anionic nature of xanthan gum makes them incompatible in formulations that contain cations.

METHOCEL™ hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) polymers are nonionic, bio-based polymers that are excellent thickeners for water-based and solvent-based household and industrial cleaners and detergents. Much like xanthan gum they are resilient in highly acidic and alkaline systems and produce consistent, stable viscosity from pH 2-13. Unlike xanthan gum, however, METHOCEL™ HPMC are compatible with cationic materials and a variety of solvents commonly used in cleaner and detergent formulations. Some of the typical non-aqueous solvents used with METHOCEL™ HPMC are listed below:
- Fufuryl Alcohol
- Ethanol
- Methanol
- Acetic Acid
- Propylene Carbonate
METHOCEL™ cellulose ethers are psuedoplastic and impart a shear thinning nature to solutions they are incorporated in. METHOCEL™ allows for solvent based and water based cleaning products to be produced that are stable in a wide pH range, easy to apply, and will remain in place on vertical and overhead surfaces.
Grade Recommendations
Grade | Viscosity @ 2% | Organosolubility | Gelation Temp |
---|---|---|---|
METHOCEL™ 311 | 120,000 cps | Good | N/A |
METHOCEL™ E10M | 10,000 cps | Moderate | 58-64 °C |
METHOCEL™ E4M Premium | 4,000 cps | Moderate | 58-64 °C |
METHOCEL™ F4M | 4,000 cps | Moderate | 62-68 °C |