How to Create a Stable Liquid Cleaning Product Formulation

By Dr. A.E. Kemi, Senior Chemical Engineer | SigmaProxima.com

Introduction: Why Stability Matters

Whether you're creating a multi-surface cleaner, dish soap, floor detergent, or industrial degreaser, one of the most critical aspects of any cleaning product is its formulation stability. Stability determines not only the product’s shelf life but also its performance, user safety, and regulatory compliance. Without proper formulation design, your liquid cleaner could separate, degrade, lose efficacy—or worse, become unsafe.

In my 30+ years of experience in formulation chemistry and manufacturing, I’ve seen thousands of attempts succeed or fail based entirely on how well the formulation was engineered for stability. In this post, we’ll walk through the key principles, ingredients, methods, and common mistakes to avoid when developing your own stable liquid cleaning product.

1. Define Your Product Objectives

Before selecting ingredients or mixing chemicals, define:

• Purpose: Is it for dishes, glass, fabric, industrial floors?

• Target surface: Porcelain, metal, plastic, wood?

• Foaming requirement: High foam for dishes, low foam for machines.

• Fragrance & appearance: Transparent? Opaque? Colored? Scented?

• Regulatory region: Are you targeting EU, US, GCC? Each has different rules.

A cleaning product for hospital use has vastly different expectations than one for home use. At SigmaProxima.com, we help professionals choose or customize protocols according to these product intents.

2. Understand the Core Components of a Liquid Cleaner

A typical liquid cleaning formulation consists of the following components:

Component FunctionTypical % w/w
Water Solvent / carrier 50–90%
Surfactants Cleaning agents / emulsifiers 5–25%
Solvents Degreasing, stain lifting 1–10%
Builders Water softeners, pH buffers 1–10%
Thickeners Viscosity control 0.2–2%
Preservatives Prevent microbial contamination 0.1–1%
Fragrance & Color Aesthetics, brand differentiation 0.1–0.5%
Stabilizers Maintain uniformity 0.1–1%

Let's take a closer look at each category.

3. Choose the Right Surfactants

Surfactants are the backbone of any cleaning formulation. Their ability to reduce surface tension, emulsify oils, and lift dirt makes them indispensable.

Types of surfactants:

• Anionic (e.g., SLES, LABSA): Strong cleaning, high foam

• Nonionic (e.g., APG, NP-9, Alkoxylates): Mild, effective in hard water

• Cationic (e.g., Quats): Disinfectant effect

• Amphoteric (e.g., Cocamidopropyl Betaine): Mild, compatible, foam booster

💡 Tip from Sigma Proxima: In our protocols, we often use a balanced blend—e.g., SLES + CAPB + APG—to achieve optimal performance, skin mildness, and foam profile.

4. Solvent Selection for Tough Cleaning

Solvents enhance grease-cutting and help dissolve oily soils. Common ones include:

• Ethanol (low toxicity, quick-drying)

• Butyl glycol / Butyl cellosolve (excellent for degreasing)

• D-limonene (natural solvent from citrus peel)

Important: Use solvent boosters sparingly to prevent skin irritation and VOC issues. Always verify flash points and compatibility.

5. Builders & Chelating Agents

Water hardness affects cleaning power. Builders like EDTA, STPP, or Citric Acid bind calcium and magnesium ions, enhancing surfactant efficiency.

For eco-friendly formulations, use sodium citrate or GLDA—readily biodegradable alternatives.

6. pH Control

Most general-purpose cleaners are alkaline (pH 9–11). Acidic cleaners (pH 3–5) are used for limescale or toilet descaling.

Use buffering agents like:

• Sodium hydroxide (for pH up)

• Citric acid / Lactic acid (for pH down)

• Borax / sodium carbonate (mild alkaline builder)

⚠️ Always test pH after full formulation, since surfactants and solvents can shift it.

7. Preservatives: Keep Microbes Away

Even synthetic cleaners need microbial protection, especially if they contain water and natural ingredients. Popular choices:

• Phenoxyethanol

• Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)

• Benzisothiazolinone (BIT)

For green alternatives: try sodium benzoate or silver-based preservatives—but ensure compatibility.

8. Stabilizers and Thickeners

Many liquid cleaners tend to separate over time. Use xanthan gum, HEC (hydroxyethylcellulose), or Carbomer to:

• Maintain suspension

• Adjust viscosity

• Prevent sedimentation

For surfactant-based cleaners, NaCl (salt) is a cheap and effective viscosity adjuster—up to a point. Beyond that, it destabilizes the micelle structure.

9. Common Stability Issues & How to Prevent Them

ProblemLikely CauseSolutionPhase separationSurfactant imbalance or poor mixingUse emulsifiers or co-surfactantsCloudiness / hazingSolvent-surfactant incompatibilityAdjust pH or add clarity enhancerspH drift over timeUnbuffered acid/base systemsAdd buffering salts or recheck ratioMicrobial growthInadequate preservativesAdd broad-spectrum antimicrobialColor fadingUV-sensitive dyesUse UV filters or opaque packagingThickening or thinningOverdosing salt/thickenersReformulate with optimized levels

🧪 At Sigma Proxima, we provide pre-tested stable formulas you can trust, along with raw materials optimized for long-term storage.

10. How to Test Stability Like a Pro

Before going to market, test your cleaner under:

• Heat cycle tests (4°C / 25°C / 45°C)

• Freeze-thaw cycles (3–5 cycles min.)

• pH drift check over 3 months

• Microbial contamination test

• Foam height & breakdown time over storage

Use standard ASTM or ISO protocols if applicable.

11. Real-World Formulation Example (Basic All-Purpose Cleaner)

Sample Formula (100% w/w basis):

• SLES (28%) – 10%

• CAPB – 4%

• Sodium citrate – 2%

• Ethanol – 4%

• NaCl – 1.2% (viscosity)

• Fragrance – 0.3%

• Preservative – 0.2%

• Dye – 0.05%

• Deionized water – Q.S. to 100%
  

✔ Stable for 12 months
✔ Clear solution
✔ Mild scent
✔ Safe for home use

💡 You can find this and custom variations in our ready-made cleaning product protocols at SigmaProxima.com.

12. Final Advice from a Formulator’s Perspective

Creating a stable, effective liquid cleaning product is both an art and a science. It's not just about mixing ingredients—it’s about understanding molecular interactions, user expectations, regulations, and scalability.

If you're new to the field or want to speed up product development, I strongly recommend starting with professionally developed formulation protocols. At SigmaProxima.com, we offer:

• Expert-tested liquid cleaning product formulations

• High-purity raw materials

• Guidance for custom formulations and private label

Need Help? Let Sigma Proxima Guide You

Whether you’re a DIY entrepreneur, a startup brand, or an R&D chemist, Sigma Proxima has solutions that save you time, money, and formulation headaches.

🔗 Browse our cleaning product protocols: www.sigmaproxima.com/formulations

🔬 Or contact us for a custom cleaning formulation tailored to your market.