Product selection and dilution must follow the current product label, equipment requirements and your plant’s validated cleaning procedure. Review this guide every six months.
Use a foaming alkaline detergent on open surfaces, where the foam clings to vertical and hard-to-reach areas and shows where the product has been applied. Use a low-foaming alkaline detergent, often called non-foaming, in closed CIP circuits, soak tanks and other pumped systems, where foam causes problems. The right choice depends on your equipment and cleaning method, not only the soil.
This guide compares foam behaviour. To choose between alkaline and acidic chemistry, read our guide to alkaline vs acidic cleaners.
1. Choose by equipment: a quick decision guide
Start with the way the equipment is cleaned. Open surfaces are usually cleaned with a foam application and manual or low-pressure rinsing. Closed systems circulate detergent through pipes, tanks and equipment, so excess foam can interfere with pumping and return flow.
| Equipment or cleaning task | Preferred detergent behaviour | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyors, tables and hoppers | Foaming alkaline | Clings to accessible open surfaces and makes coverage visible. |
| Walls, floors and machine exteriors | Foaming alkaline | Useful on vertical and broad open surfaces. |
| CIP pipework and closed tanks | Low-foaming alkaline | Supports pumping, circulation and return flow. |
| COP tanks and soak baths | Low-foaming alkaline | Suitable for immersion and recirculating applications. |
| Tray washers and pumped systems | Low-foaming alkaline | Excess foam can disrupt mechanical operation. |
Unsure or working with rinse-sensitive equipment? Send our technical team your equipment list and cleaning method before selecting a product.
2. What makes a detergent foaming or low-foaming?
Foam is produced when surfactants help stabilise air bubbles in a cleaning solution. A high-foaming formulation is designed to create a visible layer that clings to open surfaces. This can help an operator see where the solution has been applied and keep it in contact with vertical surfaces.
A low-foaming formulation is designed to control foam during circulation, pumping or immersion. The term non-foaming is commonly used in searches, but practical industrial products are more accurately described as low-foaming: the goal is controlled foam, not an unsupported promise of zero foam.
Visible foam is an application aid. It does not prove that a surface is clean, that the correct contact time has elapsed or that sanitising has taken place.
3. When to use a foaming alkaline detergent
Foaming alkaline detergents are generally suited to open plant cleaning (OPC). The foam can cling to accessible vertical surfaces and help operators see the areas covered during cleaning. Typical applications include conveyors, processing tables, hoppers, floors, walls and the outside of machinery.
Alkaline chemistry is commonly selected for food soils such as fats, oils and proteins. The exact product, dilution, application method and rinse procedure must be selected for the soil and surface and followed according to the product label.
Alkalox FoamHigh Foaming Alkaline DetergentHigh-foaming alkaline detergent engineered with advanced surfactant blends to create a high foam that clings to surfaces. Ideal for use in the food industry, including dairies, meat processing plants, and preserved food facilities. Tackles tough, industry-specific soils.
Clastox FoamHigh Foaming Alkaline DetergentHigh-foaming alkaline detergent with advanced surfactants for high foam production. Excels at removing food industry soils like dairy, meat, and preserved foods due to its excellent wetting, chelating, and degreasing properties.
Chlorox FoamChlorinated Alkaline CleanerChlorinated alkaline cleaner with high chlorine concentration, ideal for daily cleaning in the food industry. Its exceptional foaming ability effectively removes various soils in food processing, meat, dairy, and vegetable processing. Functions as a 2-in-1 cleaner and sanitizer.
4. When to use a low-foaming alkaline detergent
Low-foaming alkaline detergents are generally suited to closed or pumped cleaning systems. In CIP circuits, solution is circulated through pipework, tanks and internal equipment surfaces. Excess foam can interfere with pumps, reduce effective circulation and cause problems in return lines or tanks.
Low-foaming products can also be considered for COP tanks, soak baths and tray washers where the equipment relies on immersion, pumping or recirculation. Confirm the product is suitable for the system materials and operating conditions.
Clastox PlusLow Foaming Heavy Duty Alkaline DetergentPotent alkaline liquid detergent specially engineered to meet the rigorous demands of food processing plants. Its advanced detergent systems not only penetrate deeply into stubborn soils, animal fats, and milk residues, but also provide exceptional scale prevention and hard water resistance, ensuring that your cleaning operation runs smoothly and efficiently. Designed for heavy-duty applications.
Clastox 50High Performance Alkaline DetergentPotent alkaline liquid detergent specially engineered for heavy-duty cleaning. Provides exceptional scale prevention and hard water resistance while effectively penetrating into stubborn soils, animal fats, and milk residues.
5. Foaming vs low-foaming alkaline detergent: comparison
These are general selection principles, not a substitute for equipment-specific validation. Always check the product label and confirm compatibility with the cleaning system.
| Factor | Foaming alkaline detergent | Low-foaming alkaline detergent |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cleaning method | Open plant cleaning (OPC) | CIP, COP, soak and pumped systems |
| Application | Foam lance or suitable open-surface application | Measured solution circulated, pumped or used in a tank |
| Coverage visibility | Visible foam helps show application coverage | Foam is controlled; coverage is not judged by a foam layer |
| Vertical surfaces | Foam can cling to accessible vertical surfaces | Not generally selected for visible foam cling |
| Pumps and return lines | Usually unsuitable where foam disrupts circulation | Designed for controlled foam in circulation |
| Rinsing | May require more water and time to clear visible foam | Rinse according to the product label and validated cycle |
6. Contact time and rinsing: what should operators check?
Contact time depends on the soil, temperature, concentration, surface and product instructions, not on foam alone. On open surfaces, foam can help keep the solution on the soil. In CIP, contact is achieved through the validated combination of flow, temperature and time.
Both foaming and low-foaming detergents need to be rinsed as directed before the next hygiene step. Visible foam may take additional water and time to clear from surfaces and drains. In closed systems, verify the rinse according to the plant procedure and product instructions. Do not assume that clear-looking water alone proves that every residue has been removed.
7. What affects the cost of cleaning?
Compare cost per use rather than price per litre. The main cost drivers include the dilution required, the amount and type of soil, water consumption, rinse time, labour, equipment efficiency and production downtime.
A product that performs at a suitable use concentration and fits the cleaning system may reduce avoidable rework or rinse time. The right comparison should be based on a plant trial and the actual cleaning procedure. Evochem provides product recommendations and quotations based on the application; prices are not listed in this guide.
8. Can a food plant use both types?
Yes. Many food plants use foaming alkaline detergent for open surfaces and low-foaming alkaline detergent for closed systems. This is not a choice that has to be made once for the entire facility: match the product to each piece of equipment and its cleaning method.
Do not mix different detergents in one solution. Do not use a foaming product in a CIP circuit unless the equipment and product instructions specifically allow it. Rinse between products and never mix chlorinated products with acids. Follow the safety data sheet, wear the specified protective equipment and use the validated plant procedure.
9. Evochem alkaline detergent range
The following products illustrate the available foaming and low-foaming options. Confirm the suitability, use concentration and application method against the current product label and your plant conditions.
| Product | Type and typical application | Label dilution |
|---|---|---|
| Alkalox Foam | High-foaming alkaline detergent for open plant cleaning | 2%–5% |
| Clastox Foam | High-foaming alkaline detergent for open plant cleaning | 2%–5% |
| Chlorox Foam | Chlorinated alkaline foam cleaner for open plant cleaning | 1%–5% |
| Clastox Plus | Low-foaming heavy-duty alkaline detergent for CIP and soak tanks | 0.5%–5% |
| Clastox 50 | High-performance alkaline detergent for CIP and soak tanks | 0.5%–5% |
- Alkalox FoamHigh Foaming Alkaline DetergentHigh-foaming alkaline detergent engineered with advanced surfactant blends to create a high foam that clings to surfaces. Ideal for use in the food industry, including dairies, meat processing plants, and preserved food facilities. Tackles tough, industry-specific soils.
- Clastox FoamHigh Foaming Alkaline DetergentHigh-foaming alkaline detergent with advanced surfactants for high foam production. Excels at removing food industry soils like dairy, meat, and preserved foods due to its excellent wetting, chelating, and degreasing properties.
- Chlorox FoamChlorinated Alkaline CleanerChlorinated alkaline cleaner with high chlorine concentration, ideal for daily cleaning in the food industry. Its exceptional foaming ability effectively removes various soils in food processing, meat, dairy, and vegetable processing. Functions as a 2-in-1 cleaner and sanitizer.
- Clastox PlusLow Foaming Heavy Duty Alkaline DetergentPotent alkaline liquid detergent specially engineered to meet the rigorous demands of food processing plants. Its advanced detergent systems not only penetrate deeply into stubborn soils, animal fats, and milk residues, but also provide exceptional scale prevention and hard water resistance, ensuring that your cleaning operation runs smoothly and efficiently. Designed for heavy-duty applications.
- Clastox 50High Performance Alkaline DetergentPotent alkaline liquid detergent specially engineered for heavy-duty cleaning. Provides exceptional scale prevention and hard water resistance while effectively penetrating into stubborn soils, animal fats, and milk residues.
Talk to our technical team
Tell us about your site, soils, equipment and volumes. We will recommend products and dilutions, and send pricing for bulk supply.
Frequently asked questions
Do foaming and low-foaming detergents need different contact times?
Contact time depends on the soil, the temperature, the concentration and the product, not on foam alone. The difference is how the contact is achieved. Foam clings to open surfaces and stays wet, so it can hold the product on the soil. In a CIP circuit, contact comes from flow, temperature and time. Follow the label and your plant’s validated cleaning cycle.
Do they need different rinsing?
Both need a thorough rinse before sanitising, and you should always follow the label. Foam generally takes more rinse water and time to clear from drains and surfaces. Low-foaming products suit circuits and lines where rinse time and water are limited. Check the rinse until no detergent remains.
Which is cheaper?
Compare cost per use, not price per litre. The main drivers are the dilution used, the soil load, the rinse water and time, labour and the downtime of the line. A product that needs a lower dilution or a shorter rinse can cost less to use. We do not quote prices here. Ask our technical team for a quote based on your plant.
Which should I use on which equipment?
Foaming alkaline detergent suits open plant cleaning: conveyors, tables, hoppers, floors, walls and the outside of machines. Low-foaming alkaline detergent suits CIP pipework and tanks, clean-out-of-place (COP) tanks, soak baths and tray washers. Send us your equipment list and we will match products to each item.
Can I use both in the same plant, or combine them?
Yes, most plants use both: foam for open surfaces and low-foam for closed systems. Do not mix different detergents in one solution, and do not use a foaming product inside a CIP circuit. Rinse between products and never mix chlorinated products with acids.