Cleanliness is essential in any organization. However, some facilities require more than spotless surfaces for workplace safety, compliance and liability mitigation. Industrial cleaning chemicals are necessary for sanitation and disinfection.
These specialized cleaners serve different purposes and usually cannot be substituted for one another, so finding suppliers with the right products is crucial for maintaining your operations.
If you are a business owner with housekeeping professionals on staff or manage a full-service facility management service company, here’s where you can buy industrial cleaning chemicals online.
JBS Industries
JBS Industries is a manufacturer that has been around since 1979. Although the company primarily develops diverse cleaners for car wash operations and is a member of international and regional car wash associations, it can create custom blends for virtually any industrial application. This includes landing strips, runways, fleet vehicles, waste management tools and manufacturing equipment.
This established manufacturer has a growing network of national and local distributors, including Kleen-Rite, Windtrax, New Horizons Car Wash Structures and Motor City Washworks. JBS Industries offers interested resellers wholesale discounts, marketing and sales support, custom supply agreements and more. This supplier also works with janitorial service providers.
Key features:
- Tailors industrial washes for specific applications
- Prioritizes eco-friendly formulations
- Offers net 30 payment terms
Grainger
Grainger is a primary source of maintenance, repair and operations products whose history dates back to 1927. Its catalogs contain over 1.4 million products from more than 5,000 suppliers. The company has locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Japan and exports to most countries. It promises next-day delivery on most orders within the continental U.S. and offers chat and live-person phone support to address concerns as soon as possible.
This major retailer takes sustainability seriously. Grainger’s category page has a filter for eco-friendly options to help you find greener industrial cleaning chemicals, including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered products. It offers over 12 services to help organizations meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
Key features:
- Sells dilution control systems
- Offers discounts for high-volume purchasers
- Prevents stockouts using automated inventory management
Uline
Uline is where you can find industrial cleaning chemicals from trusted brands when you need them quickly. This family-owned distributor of more than 45 years ships 99.5% of its orders on the same day, so finish checkout by 6 p.m. to receive supplies quickly. Its extensive network of 14 locations across North America speeds up delivery and reduces shipping costs. Its online delivery estimator gives you an idea of how fast you can receive your order based on your ZIP code.
While Uline mainly serves North American markets, it offers a straightforward process for shipping outside its primary service areas. The company’s customer service representatives are ready to guide you through every step, from setting up an international billing address to preparing your export documents.
Key features:
- Has a broad range of specialty cleaners
- Imposes no minimum dollar amount per order
- Issues refunds for unsatisfactory items returned within 30 days
Aramsco
Aramsco is a major provider of industrial cleaners for contractors specializing in water or fire damage restoration, environmental remediation, stone fabrication, concrete surface preparation and commercial carpet cleaning. This niche wholesale distributor offers a comprehensive selection of specialty chemicals from leading brands.
The company offers account-based custom prices, so you can use your organization’s strengths to negotiate favorable deals with its sales representatives. Aramsco has a price-matching policy for clients with existing contracts. Its customer support team is available 24/7 to assist you in addressing urgent needs and sourcing hard-to-find items.
Key features:
- Has been in business for over 59 years
- Procures products from ethical suppliers
- Delivers to jobsites
Hillyard
Hillyard is a reputable supplier of various specialty cleaners for commercial and industrial facilities with over 118 years of experience. The company has numerous distribution centers and even more distributors across the U.S., coast to coast.
What makes Hillyard distinct from other vendors is its exceptional commitment to sustainability. The company pioneered some of the first Green Seal™-certified products, demonstrating compliance with stringent standards for use of safer chemicals, responsible sourcing, low-impact manufacturing and excellent performance. This seller is also a U.S. EPA Design for the Environment Partner through the agency’s Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative. Hillyard develops bio-based products to help conserve virgin nonrenewable resources.
Key features:
- Produces proprietary formulations
- Provides detailed product information
- Offers consulting services to help businesses develop better cleaning processes
WebstaurantStore
WebstaurantStore is where restaurateurs, brewmasters and cafe owners buy industrial cleaning chemicals online. This digital storefront has dozens of product categories for various surfaces and machines subject to rigorous health and safety inspections. It sells cleaners retail and wholesale, giving you flexibility to replenish supplies without dealing with high minimum order requirements and enjoy bulk order discounts if you can house large volumes of items.
This commercial kitchen essentials distributor of over 21 years ships orders placed before 2 p.m. EST on the same day. The merchandise leaves the warehouse the following business day for orders made later. WebstaurantStore’s ground shipment delivery timelines range from one to seven days, depending on which of the company’s eight warehouses across the contiguous U.S. the cargo would originate from. This e-tailer airfreights international orders to shorten shipping time, which varies by country or territory.
Key features:
- Has a membership program with exclusive pricing, free shipping and priority processing perks
- Rebates 3% back for every $1 spent
- Offers private-label brands for more savings
Nyco
Nyco manufactures an extensive selection of specialty cleaning products for various facilities. This wholesaler has more than 105 years of industry excellence, earning it the leadership role in the International Sanitary Supply Association.
The organization is a founding member of ChemBlend International (CBI) – a national private brand alliance serving North America. Nyco uses CBI’s five manufacturing facilities to overcome logistical challenges and reduce business redundancy.
Key features:
- Sells chemical management systems
- Offers a private label branding program for distributors
- Supports the EPA’s Safer Choice initiative to help end users qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications
Comparing online industrial cleaning chemical sellers
Here’s a glimpse of the top sources of industrial cleaning chemicals online.
Choosing the best place to buy industrial cleaning chemicals online
Consider these factors to narrow down suitable suppliers for your needs.
- Direct or indirect selling: Manufacturers can sell directly to end users to offer lower prices and/or function as wholesalers, whereas distributors and dealers carry multiple brands and may charge more. Use the correct type of seller to achieve your goals.
- Industries served: Most vendors sell industrial cleaning products for specific facilities. Determine what industries or properties a seller explicitly targets.
- Product range: Greater variety means more choice, which matters when you don’t prefer any products yet or want to try something new. Explore how extensive your options are.
- Sustainability: Industrial-grade chemical cleaners with eco-friendly properties support ESG strategies. Find out whether a seller offers green products that align with your sustainability goals.
- Service areas: Many suppliers of chemical cleaners for industrial applications have limited geographic coverage. Note if it delivers to your location.
- Delivery speed: Online vendors streamline warehousing operations and use different shipping methods to ship and deliver merchandise as soon as possible. Check a merchant’s estimated delivery time frames to plan your orders and set your expectations accordingly.
- Pricing: E-commerce is competitive, so online industrial cleaning chemical sellers use different pricing strategies to gain business. Compare and contrast retail/wholesale prices, price match guarantees, free shipping policies and special offers.
- Track record: Longevity, accolades, affiliations and glowing reviews are excellent credibility indicators. Evaluate vendor track records by researching foundation years, awards, memberships in established industry associations and user-generated testimonials on third-party sites.
Frequently asked questions
Here are the answers to the most common questions about industrial-grade cleaning chemicals.
Q: What are industrial cleaning chemicals?
A: Industrial chemical cleaners are powerful cleaning agents optimized for heavy-duty tasks. They’re potent enough to remove the tough contaminants residential-grade and commercial-grade cleaners can’t break down.
Some are perfect for sanitation and reduce the amount of germs on surfaces and objects to safer levels. In contrast, stronger ones are suitable for disinfection, killing more durable and resilient pathogens to prevent the spread of diseases.
Q: What’s the difference between commercial and industrial cleaning?
A: Commercial and industrial cleaning services differ in suitability, intensity, frequency and compliance. Commercial cleaning refers to routine janitorial tasks meant to remove visible impurities from objects and surfaces in workspaces that are not subject to stringent health and safety regulations. Examples include regular offices, retail stores, hotels and schools.
Industrial cleaning must comply with rigorous standards. It involves specialized cleaning methods aimed at washing, sanitizing and/or disinfecting specific contaminated objects and surfaces, requiring more potent cleaners and sophisticated equipment. Industrial cleaning procedures may be necessary daily, weekly or at less frequent intervals. Still, they’re more intense to neutralize extraordinary hazards in facilities like manufacturing factories, pharmaceutical labs and power plants.
Q: What is an example of industrial cleaning?
A: In restaurants, employees use degreasers to remove grease, oil and grime from floors, countertops, hoods, ducts and other vulnerable surfaces. Staff applies an alkaline cleaning agent like potassium hydroxide to break down the grease buildup. A foaming agent helps a degreaser cling to surfaces longer.
The cleaner turns grease into suspended droplets through chemical action, making rinsing with hot water and a high-pressure spray easier. Specialized equipment like industrial magnetic scrapers and spinning brushes with high-speed water jets is typically necessary to help degreasers remove stubborn oily substances manually or mechanically.
Buy industrial cleaning chemicals from reputable online suppliers
The catalogs of these seven vendors overlap to some extent, but they all have unique strengths and offer distinct advantages. Review what makes each one excel to find the most suitable source for your specific needs.
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