TECHNICAL TIPS Misunderstanding pH Measuring the pH of cleaning chemicals is a good start . By Jim Smith W 32 hen it comes to chemistry and cleaning, many people assume that pH tells you everything you need to know about a solution’s strength or how reactive it is. This is a common misunderstanding. While pH is important, it is only one measurement of ionization and not the complete picture. In this article, we’ll explore what pH actually measures, what it does not, and how measuring pH directly on a carpet can prevent cleaning mistakes. What is pH? pH stands for “potential of hydrogen” and measures how many free hydrogen ions (H + ) are in a solution. The scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 means the solution is acidic (more H + ), and above 7 means it’s alkaline or basic (more OH -or hydroxide ions). So yes, pH tells us something about ionization, but only in terms of free hydrogen ions. Ionization is bigger than pH Ionization is the process of molecules splitting into charged particles (ions). While pH looks at the amount of hydrogen ions, it does not measure other ions like sodium, ammonium, or calcium, which also affect chemical strength, cleaning performance, and interactions with carpet fibers or dyes. | CLEANFAX ® FALL 2025
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