Using Cleaning Liquids Inside Data Centers

Which Cleaning Liquids Are Safe Inside a Data Center?

Inside a data center, use 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a microfiber or lint-free cloth for equipment and rack surfaces, and a mild pH-neutral cleaner, used sparingly, for floors. Dell's guidance for servers, storage and networking gear recommends exactly this IPA mix and warns against bleach, peroxides, ammonia, ethyl alcohol and solvents such as acetone.

The rule behind both choices is the same: the liquid must clean without leaving residue, without adding moisture to live equipment and without building static.

My personal advice: Use 90% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a microfiber or lint-free cloth for device surfaces inside cabinets, and 70% concentration for other surfaces in general.

What makes a cleaning liquid safe for a data center?

A safe product for the white space should:

• Evaporate fully and leave no film that holds dust.
• Not be conductive once dry, and not corrode metal or plastic.
• Not release strong vapours near equipment intakes.
• Be used in small amounts, applied to a cloth, never sprayed on equipment.

Household cleaners usually fail at least one of these points. Many contain ammonia, fragrances or surfactants that leave a sticky film, and most are made to be used wet.

What does Dell recommend for enterprise equipment?

Dell's guidance for keeping its equipment clean has a separate section for enterprise systems, which covers storage, networking, servers and data center equipment. Its key points:

• Dell recommends using a professional cleaning company that specialises in data center equipment.
• If you clean in-house, limit the work to external surfaces. Do not open cabinet or chassis doors to clean internal parts.
• Use a microfiber cloth with 70% isopropyl alcohol by volume. Never spray liquid onto or into the product.
• If the equipment must stay running, take extreme care with moisture near powered hardware.
• Do not remove fibre optic cables for general cleaning.

Which liquid should you use where?

Anti-static cleaners

Anti-static sprays made for electronics and cleanrooms leave a thin layer that reduces charging on plastic and laminate surfaces. Use them on the cloth, not sprayed into the air, and check that the product is rated for use around live equipment. The wider ESD method is in what is ESD cleaning in data centers.

pH-neutral floor cleaners

Mild, pH-neutral detergents suit raised floor tiles, walls and structure. Dilute them as the maker says and mop with a damp, not wet, head. Water that runs into tile joints ends up in the plenum. The full floor method is in raised floor tile cleaning.

What should you never use?

• Bleach and chlorine cleaners. Dell lists them as harmful to its equipment.
• Peroxides, including hydrogen peroxide. Also on Dell's avoid list.
• Ammonia-based cleaners, including many glass sprays. They can damage surfaces and leave residue.
• Ethyl alcohol and solvents such as acetone. Dell warns against both.
• Abrasive powders and creams. They scratch finishes and leave grit.
• Oil-based polishes. The film they leave attracts dust.
• Anything sprayed directly. Mist travels into vents and intakes.

Best practices for liquids in the white space

1. Vacuum with a HEPA vacuum first. Liquid on dusty surfaces turns dust into mud.
2. Apply liquid to the cloth, never to the equipment.
3. Use lint-free, anti-static wipes and change them often.
4. Test any new product on a small, hidden area first.
5. Keep the room ventilated and keep containers closed when not in use.
6. Let surfaces dry fully before closing doors or replacing tiles.
7. Keep the product data sheet (SDS) for every liquid on site.

Wear gloves and eye protection when handling IPA, as described in what to wear for technical cleaning, and keep IPA away from heat sources. For work inside cabinets, follow cleaning active IT cabinets.

Less liquid is almost always better. A damp cloth with 70% IPA cleans most surfaces in a data hall, and nothing should ever be wet enough to drip.