We are producers and distributors of a comprehensive range of cleaning products, and pride ourselves on our absolute dedication to quality. This dedication is formally recognised by our ISO 9001 accreditation, and we have enforced a written environmental policy to minimise our impact on the environment.

We aim to provide complete cleaning solutions, and invite you to browse our website or get in touch by phone or email to see how we can help your organisation.

Our cleaning products are produced and manufactured for us by leading cleaning chemical manufacturers in the UK.

With this in mind, we hope that we can assure you of our genuine intention to provide the best cleaning products, cleaning chemicals and cleaning materials that are available to you on the market. Please be assured that when you purchase a cleaning product from Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd., it will be an environmentally friendly and environmentally safe cleaning product; an effective cleaning product; a tested product and a cost effective cleaning product to use.

With so many cleaning products on the market, and innovative new products being introduced all the time - for example NaDCC (sodium dichloroisocyanurate) tablets, supplied by Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd., as a safer way to disinfect than a traditional hypochlorite (bleach) - buyers are bombarded with more choice than ever before. At Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd., we believe in giving you, as our customers, sufficient information to help you make informed choices about the cleaning products, cleaning chemicals or cleaning materials you wish to use for the cleaning job in hand.

What is cleaning all about?
Cleaning is not an exact science; however, when we speak of cleaning we are strictly referring to removing soil from a substrate (surface). Cleaning does not destroy dirt because dirt has a carbon base so it cannot be destroyed.

With our needs to clean we use a number of aids to help us complete a thorough job. We make use of cleaning chemicals, cleaning products and cleaning materials. The term “cleaning products” encapsulates all agents used in the process of removing soil. This can be anything used during the cleaning process which aids the physical removal of soil; maybe a mop, cloth, vacuum cleaner, buffing machine, carpet sweeper, or a cleaning chemical used to break down and disperse soil which could be drain cleaner, solvent, detergent, hand sanitizer, a degreaser or descaler, for example.

How do we clean?
The most suitable product for any cleaning task will be one that can effectively remove unwanted soil without damaging the surface.

Cleaning equipment perhaps is best defined as a device or devices used to bring the soil into contact with a cleaning agent, and can be anything from a cloth or mop to janitorial supplies, machines and equipment such as floor cleaning machines, Hoovers, glass wash machines and dishwashers.

A typical example of the cleaning process could be the use of an acid based cleaner on lime scale (e.g. toilet bowl), via a sponge or pad applicator, rinsed with water and cleaned off with a dry cloth.

Other examples of the cleaning process include the action of solvent based cleaners, which break down (emulsify) fats, oils and greases (e.g. fat spillage on a kitchen floor); then there are of course finishing processes to cleaning, carried out with cleaning machinery such as buffers, for example. Many more cleaning needs are covered by the cleaning products we at Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd can supply; it is a matter of making the correct choice.

There needs to be an awareness of the danger posed by health issues. Pathogenic micro-organisms can exist on every conceivable surface; these pathogens are responsible for diseases such as:

• E-coli, listeria and salmonella (food poisoning)
• Clostridium Difficile
• Staphylococcus (MRSA)
• HIV
• Hepatitis B
• Pseudomonas (stagnant water)
• Equine Influenza
• Feline Enteritis
• Foot and Mouth disease
• Avian Influenza

A surface can appear clean to the eye and not to be contaminated, but harbours harmful viruses, bacterium and disease promoting organisms. Such a surface is clean, but not hygienic. Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd attach much importance to the elimination of cross-infection and disease spreading pathogens. We sell various types of disinfectant and other cleaning products to aid the control of bacteria, viruses, fungi, spores and disease that a hygienic surface, and indeed environment, would help to prevent.

How do I choose the correct cleaning products?
The most effective cleaning product used is perhaps the detergent group of cleaning chemicals. A combination of additives are employed in detergents, which have a versatile number of cleaning properties and can be engineered to perform well under given conditions.

The general name for these additives is surfactants, or surface active agents. These surfactants are less sensitive than soap to hard minerals in water, and most will not form a film. However, it is possible to add foaming agents to surfactants which will show, through the amount of foam generated, how active and thus effective a cleaning agent is, whilst also assisting the cleaning chemical to adhere to vertical surfaces, giving yet another advantage to the cleaning product (e.g. cleaning walls).

The three basic types of detergent cleaner are anionic, cationic and non-ionic, which give varying degrees of cleaning capability. Cationic surfactants are regarded highly as a cleaner. The pH value used in determining the acidic or alkaline properties of cleaning agents is an excellent guide as to how a cleaning agent will treat a surface. Generally, with pH7 being neutral pH, anything below this becomes increasingly acidic, and above increasingly alkaline. Anything with a value of, say pH 2 (e.g. rust remover), is acutely acidic, and that of pH12 acutely alkaline (e.g. drain cleaner). Because both these pH levels are highly corrosive, care must be taken as to which type of surfaces are exposed to them. All COSHH (Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health) guidelines and other health and safety considerations, such as protective clothing, should be observed. Products such as toilet soap are normally neutral pH and can be considered as an intrinsically safe cleaning product.

Let us now take a look at areas in your establishment
Depending on the type of service you offer, one or more of the following criteria will apply to you:

Kitchen/Catering
Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd provide cleaning products for all of the following applications: Personal hygiene/hand care; Grease; Heavy soiling and floors; Food preparation equipment and surfaces; Manual dish washing and automatic dish washing machines. These cleaning products are likely to be:
Bactericidal hand wash; Alcohol hand sanitizer; Heavy duty degreaser/sanitizer; Bactericidal multi-purpose cleaner & disinfectant; Bactericidal washing-up liquid; Dish washing detergent and chlorine tablets (NaDCC). Such cleaning products (where appropriate) will have one or more of the following essential cleaning properties:

Sanitizing/Disinfecting

• Quickly kills bacteria; effective against viruses such as Clostridium Difficile and bacteria that cause food poisoning (salmonella, listeria, E-coli), HIV and Hepatitis B
• Bactericidal (BS EN 1276:1997 tested and approved)
• Removes the heaviest grease and grime
• Degreases and sanitizes in one application
• Controls tannin stains
• Effective in hard/soft water (non-ionic surfactants best in hard water)
• Suitable for all dish washing machines and glass wash machines
• Food safe (odourless)
• Disinfects in one applicationNon-caustic; non-corrosive (neutral pH)Descales sinks, cleans drains
• Safe on stainless steel

Washroom and Toilet Cleaning
For the above category Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd deal in cleaning products for all of the following applications: Personal hygiene/hand care; Problem drains; Cleaning the toilets/urinals: These cleaning products might include:
Hand/ body/hair shampoo; Perfumed bathroom cleaner; Sanitizer and descaler; Powerful drain cleaner; Thickened toilet cleaner and chlorine tablets (NaDCC). When using these cleaning products (where appropriate) one or more of the following essential cleaning properties will be found:

• Quickly kills bacteria; effective against viruses such as Clostridium Difficile and bacteria that cause food poisoning (salmonella, listeria, E-coli), HIV and Hepatitis B
• Bactericidal (BS EN 1276:1997 tested and approved)
• Removes heavy soiling
• Unblocks and helps prevent blockage, severe grease/fat build up, and bad smells caused by blocked drains
• Solvent free - no ventilation problem
• Removes built-up scale in toilets
• Disinfects in one application

Bar Areas
We market cleaning products for all of the following applications: Automatic glass wash machines; Bar and cellar multi-purpose cleaning; Beer line cleaning; Optic cleaning. Typical cleaning products used in these situations may be:
Glass wash detergent; chlorine tablets (NaDCC); Rinse aid; Automatic glass wash machine descaler; Multi-purpose cleaner; Coloured beer line cleaner; Traditional beer line cleaner; Optic cleaner. These particular cleaning products (where appropriate) will have one or more of the following essential cleaning properties:

• High quality concentrated detergent
• Pre-softened; works in hard/soft water areas (non-ionic surfactants best in hard water)
• Biodegradable and phosphate free
• Use in any glass wash machine
• Quickly kills bacteria; effective against viruses such as Clostridium Difficile and bacteria that cause food poisoning (salmonella, listeria, E-coli), HIV and Hepatitis B
• Bactericidal (BS EN 1276:1997 tested and approved)
• Sanitizing
• Removes heavy soiling
• Food safe

Medical/Clinical and Care Establishments
Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd can provide cleaning products to any of the above places, for all of the following applications: Personal hygiene/hand care; Cleaning/sanitizing; Disinfecting; Odour control; Fluid/liquid removal; Floor care; carpet care; Hard surface areas/multi-purpose cleaning. The type of cleaning product expected in these cleaning applications can be covered by:
Alcohol hand sanitiser; Bactericidal hand wash; Virucidal disinfectant; Disinfectant cleaner; Deodorizer; Odour and urine neutraliser; Fluid converter; Pine fragrance floor cleaner; Lemon floor gel; Super strength multi-purpose cleaner; Bactericidal cleaner; chlorine tablets (NaDCC) and sanitizing wipes. The treatments offered by the above cleaning products (where appropriate) are guaranteed to incorporate one or more of the following essential cleaning properties:

Sanitising

• Quickly kill bacteria; effective against Clostridium Difficile and bacteria that cause food poisoning (salmonella, listeria, E-coli), and viruses such as HIV Hepatitis B
• Bactericidal (BS EN 1276:1997 tested and approved)
• Helps prevent cross-infection
• Disinfects in one application
• Odourless and taint free - food safe
• Can be used as a fluid converter on urine, vomit or blood
• Eliminates bad smells lefty by urine, vomit, blood and perspiration
• Can be used on carpets
• Treats floors by mopping or spray burnishing
• Contains high quality natural oils, soaps and detergent to produce a gel
• Gets tougher and shinier each time a buffer is used
• Neutral pH - cleans a variety of surfaces

Specialist Products
Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd supply a variety of specialist cleaning products, which can be used to carry out cleaning tasks summarized thus: Heavy stain removal (inc. graffiti removal); Car cleaning/valeting; Chewing gum removal; Window and glass cleaning; Swimming Pool cleaning; Laundry Detergent; Fluid converter.

These specialist operations could involve cleaning products such as: Stain remover; Car cleaner (traffic film remover); Poolside and changing room cleaner; Concentrated laundry detergent; fluid converter. When carrying out cleaning, using cleaning products shown in this list (where appropriate), one or more of the following essential cleaning properties will be present:

• Kills bacteria and eliminates bad smells
• Effective on aerosol spray paints, felt tip pen stains, ball point pen stains, pencil stains and crayon stains
• Non-caustic traffic film remover
• Fully biodegradable/phosphate free
• Removes oil, grease, heavy stains and lime scale
• Powerful alkaline pressure wash additive
• Use in hot/cold machines or by hand and effective in hard/soft water areas (non-ionic surfactants best in hard water)
• Use on hard surfaces, carpets and upholstery
• Cleans glass, plastic, ceramics and stainless steel
• Non-hazardous - does not affect pH of pool
• Blend of detergents and optical brighteners
• Outstanding all-temperature wash
• Use in all automatic, non-automatic and industrial washing machines

Animal Care
Yet another in the range of products offered by Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd covers the veterinary, agriculture, aquaculture and equine health sector. The cleaning processes covered in this category include: Housing and routine disinfection; Vehicle Disinfection; Aerial Disinfection; Foot and wheel dips; Boot, Wader and dive suit cleaning; Stable, horse box and feed room disinfection; Livestock drinking water sanitization; General virus and bacteria control. The main product used for these applications is a virucidal disinfectant powder; this does not of course preclude the use of our general products for less sensitive areas (e.g. domestic farmhouse accommodation), where Bactericidal hand wash; alcohol hand sanitizer; detergents; disinfectant and other appropriate products mentioned in previous categories can be used. Essentially, the properties of disinfectant used in the animal care and safety sector will be:

• Control of diseases such as Foot and mouth disease, poultry disease, Equine influenza, Avian influenza, Canine Hepatitis, Feline enteritis, HIV III, Pox Virdae,
• Effectively controls viruses, bacteria, fungi, yeast and mould
• Kills bacteria in the presence of high organic soiling at dilutions as extreme as 1:750
• Well suited for medical, agricultural, domestic and municipal applications
• Suitable for use through aerial spray systems
• Formulated for either manual or machine use
• Low toxicity (LD50 Rat > 3000mg/litre)
• Readily biodegradable into naturally occurring compounds
• Eliminates bad smells caused by animal faeces and urine

Literature, After Sales Service and Advice
Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd are happy to answer any questions that customers may raise regarding cleaning products, cleaning materials, cleaning equipment, cleaning chemicals, hygiene and other cleaning related issues, either before or after a purchase. We always provide the appropriate COSHH information sheets in order that our customers are given all the necessary guidelines as to the safe use of a product.

Sky Chemicals (UK) Ltd have a range of literature that will answer frequently asked questions and can help potential customers make the right choice of cleaning product, be it a detergent, a chlorine based disinfectant (NaCDD), bactericidal hand wash, floor cleaner, sanitizing wipe; or even an item of machinery for example. Please do not hesitate to discuss your requirements with us; we are a forward moving company with a policy of keeping up to date with all cleaning needs.