Water and heat are only part of the equation. To achieve deep cleaning, you need the right PET washing chemicals. In a professional hot wash cycle , two main components are used to transform dirty plastic into high-value raw material.
- Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH): Usually added at a concentration of 1% to 2%. Its primary role is to saponify oils and dissolve the adhesives used for labels. It effectively “strips” the contaminants from the PET surface.
- Specialized Detergent/Surfactant: While caustic soda does the heavy lifting, a surfactant helps to suspend the loosened dirt and oils in the water, preventing them from re-attaching to the flakes.
Proper dosing of these cleaning additives is critical. Too little, and the flakes remain oily; too much, and you increase your wastewater treatment costs. If you are interested in the PET bottle recycling process , feel free to contaact us, our engineer will ensure you use exactly what you need for maximum efficiency.
