When it comes to industrial and commercial cleaning, a one-size-fits-all solution doesn't always work, especially in regulated industries like food and beverage, pharmaceutical, aerospace, medical device, and cosmetic manufacturing.
Crystal Simple Green and Heavy Duty Precision Cleaner (HDPC) are built from the same non-caustic, non-ionic chemistry profile, but they have differing strengths for cleaning different soils.
Crystal is the validated, everyday standard for regulated environments. HDPC starts with the same trusted chemistry and adds more cleaning power for soils Crystal isn't built to handle.
Both products are NSF registered, giving facilities a documented, audit-ready option.
Here's how to know which product is the right choice for your facility needs, and why many facilities rely on both.
Crystal and HDPC aren't split by industry; they're split by the job. Most regulated, precision-driven, or food-linked operations need both products at different points in their process, because nearly every facility deals with both routine soils and tougher buildup that accrues over time. Industries where both products are commonly used include:
Crystal is designed for environments where even a trace of color or fragrance could compromise a product batch. Its non-ionic surfactant formula lifts soils into suspension so they rinse away completely, validated to residue levels below 10 parts per million, a threshold consistent with GMP cleaning validation standards used across pharmaceutical and food processing facilities.
Crystal is NSF registered under categories A1, A2, A4, A8, B1, and C1, covering everything from direct food-contact cleaning to general use around food processing equipment. This gives facilities the documentation they need to support strict food safety and compliance programs.
Where Crystal shines:
Beyond compliance, Crystal offers real operational upside. Because it wets surfaces quickly and doesn't require hot water to perform, facilities can shorten sanitation windows and cut energy and water costs per cleaning cycle.
HDPC isn't just a different product for a different kind of facility; it's what you reach for to attack tough greasy buildup or resistant soils. It's built on the same non-ionic, non-caustic surfactant foundation as Crystal, with an added cleaning package formulated to break down heavy grease, aged fats, and stubborn organic buildup that can overwhelm a milder cleaner, without the corrosivity or safety risks of traditional caustic soda.
That makes HDPC just as suitable for precision and regulated environments as Crystal, including medical device fabrication, precision CNC machining for medical and aerospace metalworking, food processing, and pharmaceutical operations, for the specific tasks and zones where more cleaning power is required.
HDPC carries an even broader NSF registration than Crystal, spanning categories A1, A2, A4, A8, B1, B2, C1, and G7, covering everything from food-contact surfaces (with a proper rinse) to heavier-duty, non-food-contact applications like boilers and steam lines. That range is what lets HDPC move across floors, docks, and equipment throughout a facility while adhering to standards in regulated environments.
Where HDPC shines:
HDPC also helps protect equipment over time. Compared to harsh caustics, it helps guard against flash rust during cleaning and is gentler on aluminum, seals, and coatings, supporting longer service life when parts are dried and protected per standard practice after cleaning.
Many large-scale facilities, including aerospace and medical device manufacturers, food and beverage processors, and pharmaceutical plants, get the best results from using both products, matching the right chemistry to the right zone:
Round 1 — HDPC for the heavy lift: Use HDPC in food contact and non-food-contact, high-load zones, receiving docks, equipment exteriors, tooling, and drains, where the goal is breaking down bulk grease, oils, or oxidized residue before it becomes a bigger problem.
Round 2 — Crystal for the critical clean: Use Crystal on food-contact, non-food contact, and precision surfaces, conveyor belts, internal vats, cleanroom equipment, and finished components, where a validated, residue-free finish is required.
Both products are concentrates, so how much you use and how far it stretches depends on the soil you're facing.
| Soil Level | Crystal (parts water) | HDPC (parts water) |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy (thick grease, baked-on, embedded soils) | Full-strength to 1:10 | 1:3 to 1:15 (manual wash or parts washing) |
| Medium/general soils | 1:10 – 1:20 | 1:15 to 1:30 (general manual cleaning) |
| Light soils (dust, light oils) | 1:30+ | 1:50+ (light-soil pressure washing) |
| Pressure washing | 1:20 – 1:30 (with mechanical assistance) |
1:30 (heavy soil), 1:50 (light soil) |
| Glass, mirrors, reflective surfaces | 1:80+ | Not typically used for this task |
Sizing and formats:
Crystal is available as a liquid in 20 oz, 24 oz, 1-, 5-, 55-, and 275-gallon sizes, plus a 20 oz aerosol, making it easy to stock everything from a spray bottle at a workstation to bulk totes for a full washdown program.
HDPC is available as a liquid concentrate in 1-, 5-, 55-, and 275-gallon sizes. It isn't offered in aerosol, reflecting its role as a dilute-to-task product for heavier cleaning jobs rather than a spot-cleaning item.
| Crystal | HDPC | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Everyday, validated cleaning | Heavy, aged, cooked, polymerized or resistant soils |
| Cleaning power | Moderate, built for routine soil loads | Higher, formulated to go further when Crystal reaches its limit |
| Fragrance/color | None | None |
| NSF categories | A1, A2, A4, A8, B1, C1 | A1, A2, A4, A8, B1, B2, C1, G7 |
| Format | Liquid & aerosol | Liquid concentrate |
| Typical zone | Food-contact and non-food contact, validated, sensory-sensitive areas | Food-contact and non-food contact, heavy-soil, or escalation zones |
| Works best with | HDPC, for the heavier zones in the same facility | Crystal, for the everyday zones in the same facility |
If you're trying to choose between the two products, ask:
If you're new to both products, here's the simplest way to think about it: start with Crystal. It's the safer default for everyday, validated cleaning across nearly every regulated environment. If you find soils that don't fully release, or your facility regularly deals with heavy grease, aged buildup, or oxidized residue, add HDPC to your lineup for those specific tasks.
And remember, you don't have to choose one over the other for your cleaning operation. Most facilities in food, pharma, medical device, aerospace, and industrial settings keep both on hand: Crystal for the everyday and validated work, HDPC for the jobs that need more.
NSF International is an independent, third-party organization that tests and certifies products for safety in heavily regulated environments, including food processing, agriculture, and industrial facilities. Simple Green cleaning products are independently certified by NSF. Here's what each certification means:
Both products are part of a broader shift happening in industrial cleaning: moving away from harsh, high-pH caustics toward safer chemistry that still delivers industrial-grade results. That shift pays off in ways beyond the cleaning itself:
The bottom line: safer chemistry isn't a tradeoff against performance. It's what protects your product, your equipment, and your people. With Simple Green's non-caustic chemistries, you get both.
*Crystal biodegradable liquid: Liquid biodegrades 84% within 28 days after disposal into a typical sanitary sewer or septic system.
*HDPC biodegradable liquid: Liquid biodegrades 94% within 28 days after disposal into a typical sanitary sewer or septic system.
