Zep vs Simple Green Degreaser 2026: Which Cuts Grease Better?

Simple Green Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner Degreaser (1 Gallon) is Simple Green's flagship—the biodegradable, non-toxic concentrated degreaser that Professional mechanics, automotive shops, and industrial kitchens use as their primary cleaner. The 1-gallon concentrated format dilutes 1:10 for general cleaning and up to 1:1 for heavy degreasing, meaning a single gallon provides 10+ gallons of general-purpose cleaning solution. The non-toxic, phosphate-free formula is safe on most surfaces including aluminum, chrome, painted metals, and rubber—the surfaces where caustic degreasers cause damage. Simple Green's NSF-registered formulation is approved for use in food service environments, covering kitchen equipment and food-contact surface cleaning that more caustic degreasers preclude. The pleasant citrus scent (in most variants) is mild compared to solvent-based degreasers. Against Zep on this comparison page, Simple Green positions as the safe, biodegradable degreaser for users who prioritize environmental and surface safety. Zep's heavy-duty citrus degreaser uses stronger solvent chemistry for industrial-strength degreasing of extremely heavy grease buildup that Simple Green's gentler formula requires multiple applications to address. For most household and light commercial degreasing, Simple Green covers the application safely; for industrial kitchen equipment and heavy mechanical grease, Zep's stronger chemistry is the practical choice.

Zep Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser (32 Ounces, ZUCIT32) is Zep's professional-strength citrus degreaser—d-limonene (the solvent extracted from citrus rinds) combined with Zep's professional cleaning surfactants for the heavy-duty degreasing that Simple Green requires multiple passes to achieve. Zep's professional-distribution-first history (sold primarily through janitorial supply and professional cleaning channels before retail expansion) informs the industrial cleaning strength that the product category delivers. The 32-ounce concentration requires dilution for most applications—undiluted for extreme industrial grease, diluted 1:10 to 1:30 for lighter commercial cleaning. The citrus fragrance makes the product more tolerable in enclosed spaces than petroleum-solvent degreasers while delivering comparable heavy-duty performance for kitchen hood degreasing, engine bay cleaning, and industrial equipment maintenance. Against Simple Green's 1-gallon concentration at lower per-ounce cost, Zep's citrus degreaser is the stronger single-application formula for the most demanding degreasing tasks. For households and light-commercial applications, Simple Green's cost-per-gallon advantage and surface safety make it the better daily-use degreaser. For professional cleaning applications with extreme grease buildup, Zep's professional-strength chemistry reduces cleaning time compared to multiple Simple Green passes.

Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Pressure Washer Cleaner (1 Gallon) is Simple Green's outdoor and pressure washer specific formulation—the oxidizing enzyme (sodium percarbonate) that lifts biological stains (algae, mildew, organic dirt) from outdoor surfaces more effectively than standard degreaser chemistry. Formulated for deck cleaning, fence washing, concrete, and house exteriors where mildew and green algae are the primary cleaning targets rather than petroleum grease. The pressure washer compatibility dilutes into the washer's downstream injector for surface pre-treating that the high-pressure rinse completes. Applied 10–15 minutes before rinsing, the Oxy Solve formula's oxidizing action lifts and loosens biological growth without the scrubbing that manual cleaning requires. Against the standard Simple Green concentrate on this page, the Oxy Solve is the specialized outdoor cleaning formulation—different active chemistry for different soil types. For households with deck and fence cleaning needs, the Oxy Solve's biological stain targeting outperforms the standard all-purpose degreaser. For indoor and mechanical degreasing, the original concentrate is the appropriate choice. Together, the two formulations cover Simple Green's full cleaning range from indoor grease to outdoor biological stains.

Zep All-Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser (32 oz) is Zep's general-purpose cleaning formula—lighter chemistry than the heavy-duty citrus degreaser, appropriate for regular facility maintenance cleaning on floors, counters, and surfaces that don't require industrial degreasing strength. Zep's all-purpose range addresses the daily cleaning needs that maintain facility cleanliness between deep cleaning sessions. At 32 ounces in a ready-to-use or dilutable format, the Zep all-purpose provides the surface coverage for regular kitchen and bathroom cleaning at janitorial quality standards. The Zep brand's professional distribution origin means the formulations are developed for commercial and professional cleaning frequency rather than the once-weekly homeowner cleaning that consumer brands target. Against Simple Green's concentrated 1-gallon for all-purpose cleaning, Zep's 32-ounce is the lighter-duty entry to the Zep line—less economical per use than Simple Green's concentrate but more accessible for buyers who want a specific-volume purchase rather than committing to a gallon of concentrate. For small-space regular cleaning, the Zep all-purpose covers the application without requiring the concentration management of Simple Green's large-format gallon.