Viscosity, suspension, and cling control for liquid cleaners — salt electrolyte thickening plus xanthan gum and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) polymeric thickeners.
Rheology modifiers and thickeners are additives that set the viscosity, suspension, and flow of a cleaning product so it pours, clings, and stays homogeneous as intended. In liquid cleaners they work two ways: electrolyte thickening, where added salt builds viscosity in anionic and amphoteric surfactant systems, and polymeric thickening, where a biopolymer or cellulose ether builds a network that holds viscosity and suspends solids. Choose the mechanism by what the formula must tolerate, not by cost alone.
Sodium chloride is the cheapest viscosity tool in liquid dish and hand cleaners: a small salt addition thickens SLES and betaine blends along a sharp salt-response curve. The trade-off is real. Salt thickening collapses in high-electrolyte formulas, drifts with pH, and gives a thin, stringy body that cannot suspend particles. Use it where the surfactant system is simple and the only job is body; move to a polymer when the formula carries bleach, builders, or abrasives.
Xanthan gum and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) cover what salt cannot. Xanthan builds a yield stress that suspends abrasives, encapsulates, and pigments in cream cleansers and scouring products, and it holds across a wide pH and electrolyte range. HEC is a nonionic cellulose ether that thickens surfactant systems without ionic interference and gives a smoother, less stringy flow. Both cost more per unit of viscosity than salt, so specify them when suspension, electrolyte tolerance, or cling justifies the spend.
We use cookies and similar technologies for analytics and to improve our Site, and — with your consent — for marketing and B2B visitor identification. Choose what to allow. See our Privacy Policy.