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Dishwashing Detergent

Dishwashing Detergent in Toronto & Canada

A commercial dishwasher needs three dedicated chemicals to sanitize properly — not household dish soap, and health inspectors check for it. Our BC Chemical line covers each step: Clear-A Detergent breaks down grease during the wash, Clear-B Rinse Agent stops spotting and speeds drying, and Clear-C Sanitizer kills bacteria in low-temp machines that skip a hot-water rinse. High-temp dishwashers only need detergent and rinse agent; low-temp units need all three. Made in Canada, sold by the bottle or bulk pail. We ship dishwashing detergent from Vaughan across the GTA — Toronto and Mississauga included — and nationwide across Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from operators buying this kind of equipment.

What's the difference between dishwasher detergent, rinse agent, and sanitizer?

Each one does a different job in the wash cycle. Clear-A Detergent is the actual cleaning agent — it breaks down grease, food residue, and baked-on soil while the machine washes. Clear-B Rinse Agent goes in during the final rinse to prevent water spotting and help dishes air-dry streak-free instead of staying wet. Clear-C Sanitizer is a chemical sanitizing step, not a cleaning step — it kills bacteria that survive the wash and rinse, which is why it's required on low-temperature dishwashers that don't reach a high enough water temperature to sanitize on their own. A high-temp machine handles sanitizing with heat, so it typically only needs the detergent and rinse agent.

Can I use regular dish soap in a commercial dishwasher?

No — household dish soap foams too much for a commercial machine and isn't formulated to rinse clean or sanitize to code. Commercial dishwashers need a low-foam, concentrated detergent like Clear-A Detergent that's built for the higher water pressure and shorter cycle times these machines run. Using the wrong product can leave a soapy residue on dishes, trip the machine's foam sensors, or fail a health inspection, since inspectors specifically check for approved, labeled chemical dispensers at the dish pit. Stick to detergent, rinse agent, and (for low-temp machines) sanitizer that are made for commercial equipment, not what's under your home kitchen sink.

Do I need a sanitizer if my commercial dishwasher uses hot water?

Usually not. High-temperature dishwashers sanitize dishes with a final rinse hot enough (typically 180°F/82°C or higher) to kill bacteria without any added chemical, so they only need detergent and rinse agent. Low-temperature dishwashers run cooler and rely on a chemical sanitizer — like Clear-C Sanitizer — in the final rinse to do that job instead. Check your dishwasher's spec sheet or the sticker on the machine to confirm which type you have before ordering chemicals, since running a high-temp machine without proper heat, or a low-temp machine without sanitizer, both fail health inspection.