pH Information

The lower or higher the number, the more intense, 7 being the number of Perfection! As sebum and sweat mix up on the skin surface, they form a protective layer often referred to as the acid mantle. Acid mantle has a particular level of acidity characterized by pH from about 4 to 5.5. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, above 7 is alkaline, and below is acidic. The pH of acid in the human stomach, for example, is usually from 1 to 2, which is highly acidic. The skin, on the other hand, is mildly acidic. In addition to helping protect skin from "the elements" (such as wind or pollutants), acid mantle also inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi. If acid mantle is disrupted or loses its acidity, the skin becomes more prone to damage and infection. The loss of acid mantle is one of the side-effects of washing the skin with soaps or detergents of moderate or high strength.

How does pH affect the cleaning power and
corrosiveness of a product?

pH (Potential of Hydrogen)

A measure of the degree of the acidity or the alkalinity of a solution as measured on a scale (pH scale) of 0 to 14. The midpoint of 7.0 on the pH scale represents neutrality, i.e., a "neutral" solution is neither acid nor alkaline. Numbers below 7.0 indicate acidity; numbers greater than 7.0 indicate alkalinity. It is important to understand that pH is a measure of intensity, and not capacity; i.e., pH indicates the intensity of alkalinity in the same way temperature tells how hot something is - but not how much heat the substance carries.

The pH scale is logarithmic which means that moving on (unit either way on the pH scale results in a 10 fold increase in the degree of alkalinity or acidity.

Some typical pH values are included in the following table

	pH	Product
	0-1	hydrochloric, sulfuric, nitric acids
	1-2	phosphoric, sulfamic acids
ACIDIC	2.0	citrus fruit
	6.5	milk

NEUTRAL	7.0

ALKALINE	8.0	eggs
	11.0	ammonia
	13-14	caustic soda, floor strippers

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