In a test of pH levels, a baking soda has a pH of 9 and bleach has a pH of 12. Do not wait more than 5 minutes after the color has stabilized or it may start to fade and affect the accuracy of your reading. Bleach has a pH value of around 12 or 13. High quality pH meters can be expensive. But Borax is still an alkaline substance, good at breaking down oils and organic dirt. Some of the water molecules lose a hydrogen and become hydroxide ions (OH−). Why does this matter? Sarah Aguirre has 20+ years of experience in the cleaning industry. The pH scale is used to determine how acidic or alkaline different solutions are. pH values of some common substances. If your dish soap is labeled mild, gentle, or great for hands, chances are its pH level is somewhere right around 7. Carefully read the manual for the pH meter before using it. To be more precise, pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration: The square brackets around the H+ automatically mean "concentration" to a chemist. Be sure to use caution and ventilate the room where you are using tub and tile cleaner. ), The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles, Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon. She writes about housekeeping and organizing a home for national publications. Of course, at the top of the alkaline scale, extreme care needs to be taken when using oven cleaner. If you have high alkalinity and high pH (> 8) consider longer chlorine contact time due to reduced efficiency of the hypochlorite form. The pH scale is theoretically open-ended but most pH values are in the range from 0 to 14. Moreover, the hydrogen ion and hydroxide ion concentrations in everyday solutions can vary over that entire range. Suitable for intermediate level projects where the objective is to watch how the pH of a solution slowly changes. To measure pH, a piece of pH test paper or an indicator stick is dipped into the liquid. Most stone cleaners are usually around a 7 for their pH level as well. Each one-unit change in the pH scale corresponds to a ten-fold change in hydrogen ion concentration. When it comes to neutrality mild dish soap usually hits the mark perfectly. Ammonia also can be corrosive and needs to be used in a highly ventilated area. Most oven cleaners are just as alkaline as ammonia giving them great power to cut through tough grease and grime. Is the Coronavirus Crisis Increasing America's Drug Overdoses? Some toilet cleaners can have a pH that is very close to 0. But just barely. You probably never thought chemistry could help you choose the best cleaning supplies for the job. Did you pay attention in your chemistry class? 10 Robotics Projects Kids Can Really Make! Here is why: a strongly acidic solution can have one hundred million million, or one hundred trillion (100,000,000,000,000) times more hydrogen ions than a strongly basic solution! Reproduction of material from this website without written permission is strictly prohibited. You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. Because it's near one of the ends of the pH scale, we know it is corrosive and will require you to use proper ventilation when being used. Solutions with a pH value of 7 or less are acidic, while those above this number are basic. Do not mix bleach with other types of cleaning supplies or chemicals. Alkaline solutions are better at cutting through dirt, grease, proteins, oils, and other organic items. What is true about there relationship? What the equation means is just what we said before: for each 1-unit change in pH, the hydrogen ion concentration changes ten-fold. Chlorine and sodium hypochlorite are examples of chemicals commonly used as bleaches. Because the base "soaks up" hydrogen ions, the result is a solution with more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions. Wait a minute or two after you add an acid or a base to a solution. Acids are better for removing calcium, rust, and other minerals. Bleach is not safe to use on many surfaces including some fabrics. Knowing the pH can come in very handy. At acidic pH values of about 6.8 or lower, more than 80 percent of the bleach is in the form of hypochlorite (HOCl). The best disinfection occurs at lower pH. An example of a used pH indicator stick and the corresponding color key is shown below in Figure 1. pH meters are electronic devices that used to measure pH. When a base is dissolved in water, the balance between hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions shifts the opposite way. Chlorine Bleach: pH 11 to 13 The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija Chlorine bleach nearly tips the scale all the way to the top of the alkaline level. Chlorine bleach nearly tips the scale all the way to the top of the alkaline level. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Mild Dish Soap: pH 7 to 8 (Neutral Cleaner). Tap card to see definition . Swirl or mix a solution well before measuring. Acidity and alkalinity are measured with a logarithmic scale called pH. Because of its acidic level, caution and ventilation will be needed. By the way, notice how one hundred million million is a one with fourteen zeros after it?