A degreaser removes oil, grease and grime that ordinary cleaning leaves behind, and comes in two forms: a solvent-based degreaser for petroleum grease on metal and concrete, and a water-based degreaser for general and eco-friendly cleaning. Rhinoluxe Industrial Degreaser is the solvent-based cleaner for grease before painting; All-Rite is the water-based, biodegradable cleaner and heavy-duty degreaser. This guide explains what a degreaser does, which to use, and how to use it.
What is a degreaser used for?
A degreaser is used to cut through and remove oil, grease, machine fluids and greasy grime from metal, concrete, machinery and general surfaces — things water and ordinary soap cannot shift. On a workshop floor it lifts hydraulic oil; on new galvanised steel it removes the mill oils that stop paint sticking; in a kitchen it cuts cooking grease. Crucially, a degreaser is the first step in surface preparation before painting metal or concrete — grease left on the surface is the main cause of paint peeling. See the surface preparation guide.
Solvent-based or water-based degreaser?
Use a solvent-based degreaser for heavy petroleum grease on metal and concrete before coating, and a water-based degreaser for general, eco-friendly and food-area cleaning. Solvent degreasers dissolve non-polar oils that water-based cleaners leave behind, which is why they are the choice for prepping greasy steel and concrete. Water-based degreasers are safer, biodegradable and low-odour, and handle most everyday and heavy grime. Match the type to the job:
| Job | Use |
|---|---|
| Grease/oil on metal or concrete before painting | Industrial Degreaser (solvent) |
| Mill oil on new galvanised steel | Industrial Degreaser |
| General & food-area cleaning | All-Rite Multi-Purpose Cleaner |
| Oil & workshop grime (eco, biodegradable) | All-Rite Heavy Duty Degreaser |
| Walls before painting (sugar-soap job) | All-Rite Multi-Purpose Cleaner |
What is Industrial Degreaser?
Industrial Degreaser is a solvent-based, non-drying cleaner that dissolves petroleum grease, machine oil and workshop contamination on mild steel, galvanised metal and concrete, then rinses off with water. Its hydrocarbon solvent blend reaches grease trapped in the pores of steel and concrete that water-based cleaners cannot, and it is the first step in the Rhinoluxe surface-prep sequence before priming. Industrial Degreaser also cleans brushes and rollers after painting. The full method is in the industrial degreaser guide.
What is All-Rite?
All-Rite is a water-based, biodegradable cleaner made in two formulations — a Multi-Purpose Cleaner for everyday surfaces and a Heavy Duty Degreaser for oil and industrial grime. It cleans fast without harsh solvents or fumes, is non-toxic and food-area safe, and is low-foaming for use through sprayers and pressure washers. All-Rite dilutes to suit the job and leaves no sticky residue, so it is safe on painted surfaces. See the multi-purpose cleaner guide.
How do you use a degreaser?
Apply the degreaser, agitate it with a stiff brush to break the grease bond, give it contact time on heavy deposits, then rinse thoroughly with water. For solvent Industrial Degreaser, apply undiluted and scrub with a hard brush — not a soft paint brush — giving baked-on grease 2 to 5 minutes to soften, then rinse with plenty of clean water. For water-based All-Rite, dilute to suit (about 1:20 for light cleaning, 1:5 for heavy-duty), apply, scrub and rinse. Mechanical agitation matters as much as the chemical.
Is dishwashing liquid or a homemade degreaser good enough?
Dishwashing liquid and homemade mixes lift light kitchen grease, but they cannot dissolve the petroleum oils and baked-on grime that a purpose-made degreaser handles — and they leave residues that ruin paint adhesion. Household detergent is a surfactant that loosens food fats; it does nothing to the mineral oils on an engine, a workshop floor or new galvanised steel. Worse, soap film left on a surface is itself a bond-breaker, so a wall or panel washed with dishwashing liquid and not rinsed properly can still reject paint. For anything you intend to coat, use a proper degreaser and finish with a clean-water rinse — solvent Industrial Degreaser for oil on metal and concrete, or biodegradable All-Rite for general and food-area cleaning.
How do you know a surface is clean enough to paint?
Use the water-break-free test: pour clean water over the degreased surface, and if it sheets evenly without beading, the surface is grease-free and ready to coat. Any beading means hydrophobic (greasy) contamination remains, so you repeat the scrub-and-rinse cycle. This simple check, aligned with ASTM F22 methodology, removes the guesswork from surface prep and is the single best way to avoid paint failure on degreased metal. Then let the surface dry fully before priming.
Can you use a degreaser to prep walls before painting?
Yes — a water-based multi-purpose cleaner does the same job as sugar soap, cleaning grease, grime and hand marks off walls so paint bonds properly. Sugar soap is the traditional wall-prep cleaner, and All-Rite Multi-Purpose Cleaner is the modern, biodegradable alternative — wipe or spray it on, clean off dirt and grease, and rinse before painting. It is safe on painted surfaces and leaves no residue that would stop the new coat gripping. See the surface preparation guide.
How do you remove oil stains from concrete?
Lift oil stains from concrete with a degreaser scrubbed into the stain and rinsed off, repeating on old, soaked-in stains. A solvent Industrial Degreaser penetrates the pores of the concrete to dissolve oil that has soaked in, while All-Rite Heavy Duty Degreaser handles fresher grease and general grime. Deep, old stains may need more than one cycle. The full method is in how to remove oil stains from concrete.
Can you clean paving and driveways with a degreaser?
Yes — a degreaser or heavy-duty cleaner removes oil drips, grime and algae from paving and driveways, whether you are cleaning to maintain or preparing to seal. All-Rite is low-foaming for pressure washers, and Industrial Degreaser tackles stubborn oil on a concrete or paved driveway. Cleaning is also the first step before sealing paving with a stone sealer. See how to clean paving and driveways.
How much degreaser will you need?
Coverage depends on how greasy and porous the surface is: smooth metal needs little, while rough concrete drinks far more, so buy the size that matches the area and the contamination. A light wipe-down of a panel or a set of walls uses only a diluted litre or two of All-Rite, which is why the 750 ml and 2 L packs suit household jobs. A workshop floor, a run of paving or a heavily oiled machine can absorb several litres of neat product on the first pass, so the 5 L and 20 L sizes of Industrial Degreaser are the economical choice for trade and industrial work. When in doubt, over-estimate — running out mid-job means an uneven clean and a patchy paint result.
Where does degreasing fit in the prep sequence?
Degreasing is always the first step: clean off oil and grease, then treat rust or defects, then prime, then coat — skip the degrease and everything above it can fail. On metal the order is degrease, remove rust, apply a metal primer, then the topcoat; on concrete it is degrease, repair and etch, then coat. Doing it in the wrong order is the most common cause of coating failure we see, because a primer or paint applied over contamination has nothing sound to grip. The surface preparation guide sets out the full sequence for each surface, and links through to the metal, roof, floor and stone systems.
Are the degreasers safe to use?
All-Rite is water-based, biodegradable and non-toxic; Industrial Degreaser is solvent-based and flammable, so it needs ventilation, gloves, goggles and no ignition sources nearby. Use All-Rite where low toxicity and food-area safety matter. With solvent Industrial Degreaser, work in a well-ventilated area, keep it away from welding, grinding, flames and smoking, wear protective gloves and goggles, and never apply it to hot surfaces. Always check the Safety Data Sheet for full handling and storage.
Sizes and where to buy
Industrial Degreaser comes in 5 litre (L) and 20 L; All-Rite comes in 750 ml, 2 L, 5 L and 25 L. Shop both with national delivery, or visit our paint shops in Table View, Cape Town and Edenvale, Johannesburg. For trade pricing and advice, call +27 84 985 6141.
