Why Your Tank Cleaning Chemical is a Fire Hazard (And What to Use Instead)

You’ve seen it happen. A crew is cleaning a storage tank, and the chemical they’re using has a flash point low enough to make everyone on site nervous. One spark. One hot surface. One guy who didn’t read the SDS. That’s all it takes.

Most tank cleaning chemicals on the market are hydrocarbon-based solvents. They work. But they’re also flammable. And when you’re working inside or around a vessel that’s had crude, condensate, or refined product sitting in it — flammable is the last thing you want.

The Torch Test Nobody Talks About

We started doing something at Hasten Cleanse that made people uncomfortable at first.

We take our product and the competitor’s product. We add gasoline to both. Then we put a torch to each one.

Theirs lights up. Ours doesn’t.

That’s not a lab trick. That’s the reality of what you’re putting inside your tanks and around your crews every day. The chemical you’re using right now — would it pass that test?

Why Most Companies Haven’t Switched

We hear it constantly: “We’ve been using the same product for years.” Fair enough. Nobody wants to change a process that works, especially on a refinery floor where every change means paperwork, retraining, and risk.

But here’s the question: does your current product actually work better, or is it just what you’ve always used?

When we run Hasten Cleanse against conventional tank cleaners, here’s what happens:

• 80% reduction in downtime. The cleaning cycle is faster because our chemistry bonds to hydrocarbon particles and breaks them down more efficiently. Less time cleaning means your tank is back in service sooner.
• 50% less wastewater generated. That’s not just an environmental win — that’s a disposal cost you’re cutting in half.
• Zero flammability risk. Water-based. Non-hazardous. Non-corrosive. Your crews can work without hot work permits in most cases.

What Hasten Cleanse Actually Does

Hasten Cleanse is a water-based, non-hazardous cleaning chemistry built specifically for oil and gas applications. It uses fatty acids and surfactants — no bacteria, no microbes, no harsh solvents.

When it contacts hydrocarbons, it rapidly bonds to the particles and suppresses vaporization by raising the flash point. That’s why it doesn’t ignite. The chemistry physically prevents it.

It works in:

• Crude oil storage tanks
• Refined product tanks
• Pressure vessels
• Process piping
• Spill situations on soil or water

And it’s fully TSCA compliant and biodegradable. When the job is done, you’re not dealing with hazardous waste disposal.

The Real Cost of Doing Nothing

Your current product might be cheaper per gallon. But factor in:

• Longer cleaning cycles = more downtime = lost production revenue
• More wastewater = higher disposal costs
• Flammability risk = potential for an incident that costs millions
• OSHA exposure = if an inspector walks your site during a cleaning job with a flammable solvent, that’s a finding

The cheapest chemical on the shelf is rarely the cheapest solution.

See It For Yourself

We don’t ask anyone to take our word for it. We show up with our product and yours, and we run them side by side. If Hasten Cleanse doesn’t outperform what you’re currently using, you owe us nothing.

That’s a standing offer. No contract, no commitment. Just a demonstration.

Call us at 832-655-7763 or email info@hastenchemical.com to schedule a demo.