Citrus Degreaser vs Purple (Morado) Degreaser vs All-Purpose Cleaner: Where Each Is Safe, and the Cost Per Gallon of Use Solution
The short answer: a citrus degreaser is the kitchen and equipment product, a purple alkaline degreaser such as Zep Morado is the shop-floor and engine product, and an all-purpose cleaner/degreaser is the everyday spray for counters, restrooms and light grease. They are not interchangeable. Morado is a pH 13.5 corrosive that Zep says to keep off aluminum, painted surfaces and composition floors, while the citrus degreaser is labelled safe on aluminum and stainless. And because Morado is diluted up to 1 part in 100, the most expensive jug on the invoice is the cheapest gallon of working solution in the building.
What each product is, from Zep's own pages and safety data sheets
We stock all three from Zep: Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser, Morado Super Cleaner and All-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser. Everything below comes from zep.com product pages, the Morado product specification report (Prod. #0856), and the current Zep safety data sheets, all read on 6 October 2026.
| Citrus degreaser (Zep ZUCIT128) | Purple degreaser (Zep Morado, 85624) | All-purpose cleaner/degreaser (Zep ZU0567128) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | d-limonene citrus solvent cleaner | Concentrated alkaline cleaner and degreaser for extra-heavy-duty industrial use | Concentrated multi-surface cleaner with degreasing action |
| Made for | Grease, oil, adhesives and kitchen soil on appliances, grills and stovetops | Carbon, soot, ink and grease; industrial concrete and masonry floors, greasy engines and equipment | Food residue, grease, dirt and stains in kitchens, bathrooms and offices |
| Surfaces Zep names | Fiberglass, aluminum, stainless steel, enamel | Avoid composition floors, painted surfaces, aluminum and other alkali-sensitive surfaces | Stainless steel, tile, fiberglass, porcelain, painted surfaces, countertops (test first) |
| pH (SDS) | 11–12 | 13.5 | 10.5–11.5 |
| SDS signal word | Warning (eye irritation) | Danger (causes severe skin burns and eye damage) | Warning (eye irritation) |
| Dwell and rinse | Sit 1 minute, wipe, rinse thoroughly | 3–5 minutes, scrub, rinse; floors 5–10 minutes, do not let dry | Use at the strength the job needs; test in an inconspicuous area |
The Morado SDS lists sodium hydroxide and 2-butoxyethanol among its ingredients and classes it as Skin Corrosion Category 1. Zep's spec report also says to avoid skin contact and to rinse immediately with plenty of water if it happens. That is why Morado is not something to hand a day porter as a general spray. The other two are eye irritants, which is the normal classification for a household-strength degreaser.
Which job gets which product
| Job | Product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hood filters, fryer surrounds, grills, stovetops | Citrus degreaser | Zep lists appliances, grills and stovetops, and it is labelled safe on aluminum and stainless |
| Bay floor, loading dock, parking garage oil spots, unfinished concrete | Morado | Zep's label gives a dedicated floors-and-concrete dilution and names industrial concrete |
| Engines, equipment, soot after a small fire | Morado | Carbon and soot are in its stated soils, with a separate smoke-damage dilution |
| Break-room counters, restroom fixtures, painted doors and walls | All-purpose cleaner/degreaser | Painted surfaces and countertops are on its list; Morado says to keep off painted surfaces |
| Finished VCT, sealed stone, any waxed floor | None of the three | Use a neutral floor cleaner; see our neutral cleaner vs degreaser vs floor disinfectant guide |
| Aluminum trim, diamond plate, truck wheels | Citrus degreaser, not Morado | Morado's spec report warns against aluminum |
The expensive mistake is the strong product on the wrong surface. Morado on a waxed tile floor or an aluminum kick plate damages it. A citrus degreaser is the wrong tool for a whole warehouse floor, and you would burn through gallons doing it. An all-purpose cleaner on a carbon-black engine just wastes labour.
Cost per gallon of use solution, from the label dilutions
These are Zep's list prices on zep.com, read 6 October 2026. They are not our prices; we quote by the case. Each one is a case of four 1-gallon jugs:
- Citrus degreaser ZUCIT128: $53.98, about $13.50 a gallon.
- Morado 85624: $85.81, about $21.45 a gallon.
- All-purpose cleaner/degreaser ZU0567128: $41.30, about $10.33 a gallon.
Next, apply each label's ratio. Zep's directions: citrus at full strength for tough soils, 1:1 for medium, and 8 fl oz per gallon of water for light. All-purpose at full strength for tough soils, 6 fl oz per 32 oz of water for medium, and 3 fl oz per 32 oz for light. Morado is always diluted: 1 part to 80–100 parts water for general industrial cleaning, 1 to 8–20 for industrial floors and concrete, and 1 to 8 for smoke and fire damage. Cost per gallon of mixed solution = gallon price ÷ (1 + parts of water).
| Product and label dilution | Ratio | Cost per gallon of solution | Per 32 oz spray bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morado, general industrial | 1:80 to 1:100 | about 21–26¢ | about 5–7¢ |
| Citrus, light soils (8 oz/gal) | 1:16 | about 79¢ | about 20¢ |
| All-purpose, light soils (3 oz/32 oz) | about 1:11 | about 89¢ | about 22¢ |
| Morado, floors and concrete | 1:20 to 1:8 | about $1.02–$2.38 | — |
| All-purpose, medium soils (6 oz/32 oz) | about 1:5 | about $1.63 | about 41¢ |
| Citrus, medium soils | 1:1 | about $6.75 | about $1.69 |
| Citrus or all-purpose, full strength | — | $13.50 / $10.33 | $3.37 / $2.58 |
Two things stand out. First, light-duty citrus and light-duty all-purpose cost about the same per bottle, so choose by surface and soil, not price. Second, the full-strength column is where budgets go: a crew that sprays citrus degreaser neat on every greasy surface spends seventeen times what the light-soil dilution costs. Zep's own tip is to keep two bottles, one full strength for the hood and one diluted for everything else. For a shop floor, a 4-gallon bucket of Morado at 1:20 costs about $4.09 in concentrate at these prices; at 1:8 it is about $9.53, so save the strong mix for the oil-stained bays.
The same arithmetic, applied to every chemical on your shelf, is in our concentrate vs ready-to-use guide. To size a monthly order, run your headcount through the supplies calculator.
Five rules that keep the numbers and the surfaces intact
- Label every bottle with product and ratio. Purple, orange and green liquid in unmarked trigger bottles is how Morado ends up on aluminum.
- Measure, don't glug. A marked cup or a pump on the gallon jug holds the ratios above. A free pour is rarely the label dose, and every extra ounce comes straight off the cost table above.
- Glasses and gloves for Morado. Its SDS calls for protective gloves, clothing and eye or face protection. Keep it in the locked chemical room (the SDS says "store locked up"), not on the porter's cart. See nitrile vs vinyl vs latex gloves.
- Rinse. Both degreaser labels end with a rinse. Alkaline residue left on a floor turns slick and pulls dirt back in.
- Keep the strong product off food-contact surfaces unless the label allows it. None of these three pages makes a food-contact sanitizing claim. In a kitchen, clean with the degreaser, rinse, then sanitize with your approved sanitizer. Our commercial kitchen supplies list covers the full routine.
What to stock
For a restaurant: Zep Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser for the line, plus Zep All-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser for front of house and restrooms. For an auto shop, warehouse or fleet yard, add Zep Morado Super Cleaner for floors and equipment. The auto shop supply page lists the rest of that kit. Everything is in cleaners & aerosols. If you already buy degreaser from someone else, send the invoice and we'll beat it line by line.
FAQ
Is purple degreaser stronger than citrus degreaser?
In pH terms, yes. Zep's safety data sheets put Morado at pH 13.5 and classify it as corrosive (signal word Danger), against pH 11–12 and an eye-irritant Warning for the citrus degreaser. That is why Morado is diluted 1:8 to 1:100 and kept off aluminum and painted surfaces.
Can I use Morado on aluminum or a waxed floor?
No. Zep's product specification report says to avoid composition floors, painted surfaces, aluminum and other alkali-sensitive surfaces. Use the citrus degreaser on aluminum and a neutral floor cleaner on finished floors.
Which degreaser is cheapest to use?
Per gallon of mixed solution at Zep's list prices, Morado at its 1:80–1:100 general dilution costs about 21–26 cents, against about 79 cents for citrus at its light-soil dilution and about 89 cents for the all-purpose cleaner. Choose by surface first, then price.
Do I need a separate all-purpose cleaner if I have a degreaser?
For most buildings, yes. The all-purpose cleaner/degreaser is the one of the three Zep lists for painted surfaces and countertops, so it is the safer everyday spray for staff who clean many surface types.