5 Energy Related Myths That Cost Manufacturers Money

As energy prices rise and sustainability targets tighten, many manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce energy without compromising quality. Yet when it comes to parts cleaning, one belief persists — that higher temperatures mean better cleaning.

At Safetykleen, we’re changing that with a new low-temperature parts cleaning solution. It delivers the same degreasing performance at 35°C that customers traditionally achieve at 65°C, with no trade-offs.

Myth 1: Low-Temperature Cleaning Isn’t As Effective

It’s tempting to default to high temperature parts cleaning because it has proven results, but so does low temperature. Our extensive laboratory and customer tests show that cleaning at 35°C is just as effective as cleaning at 65°C when using our new cleaning solution, Kleen35 ^®. That’s even the case for heavy grease and intricate parts.

It’s all about the cleaning solution. Just think about washing your clothes. Until quite recently, it was normal for people to wash clothes at temperatures as high as 65°C, but thanks to modern detergents, 35°C washing is now the standard.

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Myth 2: It Takes Longer To Clean At Low Temperatures

Parts cleaning follows ‘TACT’ guidelines. This ensures that the right Temperature, Action, Chemistry, and Time achieve optimum cleanliness. It’s all about finding the right balance in your TACT settings. While it’s typically true that extending the duration of the clean means you can lower the temperature, with Kleen35^®  you don’t have to.

You can clean for the same time and with the same action (i.e. using an automatic parts washer), but by switching the chemistry to Kleen35^®  you can lower the temperature to just 35°C and achieve the same results.

In fact, it can take less time to wash parts at low temperatures as there is no need to wait for your washer to heat up, or for hot clean parts to cool down before handling them. Our laboratory tests show that it is 55% faster to heat up your washer. Our tests also show that washing at 35°C generates 5x less steam, which is safer for your operators.

Myth 3: Low-Temp Systems Don’t Save Much Energy

It may feel like small changes don’t make a big difference, but the effect at scale is clear. Over a year, operating just one mid-sized automatic parts washer at a typical frequency (5 days a week, 52 weeks a year) could save:¹

· £1,225 in annual energy cost savings

· 8,502 kWh of energy: That’s equal to keeping 54 LED light bulbs on all day, every day, for a year

· 1090 tonnes of CO₂: That’s equal to saving 50 adult trees a year

If 90% of our customer base dial down to 35C, annual savings could reach:²

· £8 million in energy cost savings

· 31 million kWh: That’s enough to power 11,481 homes for a year

· 7,230 tonnes of CO₂: That’s equal to saving enough trees to fill 920 football pitches

Myth 4: You Need Harsh Chemicals To Clean Effectively At Lower Temperatures

We know that swapping out harsh chemicals is not just better for the planet but for staff too. Kleen35® is a safe and sustainable water-based alternative to aggressive solvents and VOCs. It’s part of Safetykleen’s commitment to helping our customers switch to environmentally friendly parts cleaning processes.

Myth 5: Low-Temp Cleaning Isn’t Suitable For Heavy Contamination Or Complex Parts

Kleen35® was tested on heavily soiled components across multiple industries, and the cleaning performance matched higher-temperature processes. It works across complex geometries and materials, maintaining excellent finish while protecting sensitive surfaces. Our low-temp solution produces repeatable, high-quality results while protecting sensitive parts and extending equipment life.

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Disclaimer

1. Based on Safetykleen’s M315 mid-sized automatic parts washer, operating 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. The information is based on our laboratory testing and should only be used as a guide.

2. Based on 90% of our customers switching to Kleen35®  low temperature parts cleaning across all Manual, Jetkleen, Automatic and Sonickleen machines.