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Compounds and Cleaning · Reference

Degrease, descale, disinfect: match the cleaner to the job

Cleaning comes down to three jobs: cut grease, dissolve mineral scale, or kill germs. The compounds for each are not interchangeable.

Quick facts

Grease
Alkali or soap
Scale and rust
Acid
Germs
Oxidizer or antiseptic

Cleaning comes down to three jobs: cut grease, dissolve mineral scale, or kill germs. The compounds for each are not interchangeable, so the right pick depends on what you are actually fighting, not on which cleaner is strongest.

The three families

Degreaser

Alkaline and soap

Cuts grease, oil, and baked-on food. Strong alkalis turn fats into rinsable soap, and soaps surround grease and lift it away.

Descaler

Acid

Dissolves mineral deposits like limescale, hard-water film, and rust, breaking them into a form that rinses away.

Disinfectant

Oxidizers and antiseptics

Kills germs on surfaces, tools, skin, and in water. It sanitizes rather than cutting grease or scale, and the chlorine type must never meet an acid.

Common messes, matched

DescaleKettle and coffee-maker scaleVinegar (Ch 13) or citric acid (Ch 11)
DegreaseGreasy oven, hood, or stovetopWashing soda spray or paste (Ch 14)
DegreaseBaked-on pots and pansWashing soda soak (Ch 14)
DescaleRusty tools and hardwareCitric acid (Ch 11) or vinegar (Ch 13)
DegreaseGrease-clogged drainWashing soda (Ch 14), lye for tough clogs (Ch 19)
DescaleHard-water film and soap scumVinegar (Ch 13)
DisinfectMold and mildewHydrogen peroxide (Ch 33), calcium hypochlorite for tough spots (Ch 5)
DescaleToilet bowl ring and stainsCitric acid (Ch 11) or vinegar (Ch 13)
DisinfectSanitize counters and boardsCalcium hypochlorite (Ch 5)
DisinfectDisinfect tools and gearHydrogen peroxide (Ch 33) or isopropyl alcohol (Ch 36)

Warnings

Never mix across families. An acid and an alkali cancel into salt and water; far worse, an acid meeting a chlorine disinfectant like calcium hypochlorite makes toxic chlorine gas. Use one, rinse, then reach for another. See the never-mix chart for the full list to keep apart.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

Which cleaner do I use for limescale?

Limescale needs an acid. Use vinegar or citric acid on kettle and coffee-maker scale, hard-water film, and toilet bowl rings. The acid breaks mineral deposits into a form that rinses away. Never let an acid meet a chlorine disinfectant, since that makes toxic chlorine gas.

What removes baked-on grease?

Baked-on grease needs an alkali. Soak baked-on pots and pans in washing soda, and use a washing soda spray or paste on a greasy oven, hood, or stovetop. Strong alkalis turn fats into rinsable soap. Lye is the step up for tough grease clogs in drains.

What kills mold and mildew?

Mold and mildew call for a disinfectant, not a degreaser or an acid. Use hydrogen peroxide, and move up to calcium hypochlorite for tough spots. Rinse between products, because calcium hypochlorite meeting an acid makes toxic chlorine gas.

Keep going

Read nextFind a recipe by what you need to do (cross-reference index)All 206 jobs the 33 compounds can do, grouped by need: body and health, home and shelter, water and food, land, tools, and storage. Each links to its chapter.Kits and Planning · Reference

Related to this

Compounds and Cleaning · Formula Descale and disinfect kettles and coffee makers (vinegar) Mix: 1:1 vinegar/water; Fixtures: full-strength soak; Dwell: 30 min-overnight Handle with care Compounds and Cleaning · Formula Alkaline cleaning paste (borax, baking soda, washing soda) Baking soda is one of the gentlest abrasives available: hard enough to scour stuck-on food and grease, but soft enough that it will not scratch most kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Hazardous Compounds and Cleaning · Compound Vinegar Shelf life: Indefinite. Storage: Sealed glass or HDPE. INDEFINITEMULTI-USE Compounds and Cleaning · Formula Hot degrease soak with washing soda Washing soda is far more alkaline than baking soda, around pH 11 versus 8.3, which gives it the strength to dissolve baked-on grease, carbonized food residue, and oil films that milder cleaners cannot touch. Hazardous
Everything in Compounds and CleaningNever-mix checkerShelf life tableFind a recipe by needWalk-around auditStart here

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Compounds and Cleaning · ReferenceSource: Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Reference: Cleaning by Job, p. 197 · Last reviewed 2026-09-20

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