The Science Behind Hasten Cleanse
Hasten Cleanse is not a solvent. It is a water-based surfactant chemistry that works fundamentally differently from the petroleum-based products the industry has relied on for decades.
How It Works
Surfactant Penetration
The concentrated surfactant blend penetrates the molecular bond between hydrocarbons and the substrate surface (steel, soil, concrete). Unlike solvents that dissolve hydrocarbons into a flammable slurry, our surfactants break the adhesion at the molecular level.
Emulsification
Once the bond is broken, hydrocarbons are emulsified into microscopic droplets suspended in water. This creates a stable emulsion that can be safely pumped, transported, and treated — without the fire risk of a solvent-hydrocarbon mixture.
Vapor Neutralization
As the surfactant contacts volatile hydrocarbons, it immediately suppresses vapor release. This rapidly lowers LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) readings and reduces VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) concentrations in the work area — making confined space entry safer, faster.
Biodegradation Support
The fatty acid components in Hasten Cleanse serve a dual purpose: they clean hydrocarbon surfaces and provide nutritional support for naturally occurring microbes in wastewater treatment systems. This means your wash water is easier and cheaper to treat.
Why Water-Based Matters
Traditional tank cleaning chemicals are petroleum distillates — they are literally made from the same hydrocarbons they are trying to remove. This creates three problems:
- Fire risk: Flash points of 100–140°F mean one spark can ignite the cleaning solution itself
- Worker exposure: Petroleum vapors add to the VOC/BTEX load workers are already exposed to
- Waste volume: Solvent-hydrocarbon mixtures create more waste that is harder and more expensive to treat
Hasten Cleanse eliminates all three. Water is the carrier. The surfactants do the work. The result is a cleaning chemistry with no flash point, lower VOC exposure, and 50% less wastewater.
The Torch Test
We prove our non-flammable claim the hard way. In our standard product demonstration, we apply Hasten Cleanse to a hydrocarbon-coated surface and hold an open flame directly to it. The result: no ignition, no flash, no fire. The chemistry suppresses vapors so effectively that even direct flame contact cannot ignite the treated surface.
This is not a lab test — we do this on-site, in front of your crew, with your hydrocarbons. Schedule a demo to see it yourself.
See the Technology in Action
Free on-site demonstrations available for Gulf Coast facilities.